John Bodkin Adams was a British general practitioner and suspected serial killer. Born in 1899 in Northern Ireland, Adams became a physician in Eastbourne, England. He was a controversial figure because of his involvement in the deaths of a number of his elderly patients under suspicious circumstances, particularly wealthy widows who left him substantial sums in their wills.

Adams was charged with murder in 1957 for the deaths of two patients. His case attracted significant public attention, as many believed he had been responsible for a large number of suspicious deaths, possibly up to 160. However, after a highly publicized trial, Adams was acquitted of both murder charges.

Although he was not convicted of murder, Adams was later convicted of minor prescription fraud and professional misconduct. His case is significant in the history of British law, as it raised questions about the legal and medical boundaries of euthanasia, as well as the relationship between doctors and their wealthy patients. Some historians and criminologists still debate whether Adams was a serial killer who escaped justice or merely an unscrupulous doctor who manipulated his patients for financial gain. He died in 1983.