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The latest of Netflix‘s “Cold Case” docuseries, “Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders”, dives into the killings of seven people in Chicago who were poisoned by cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules.
The star witness of the docuseries is James Lewis – formerly Robert Richardson – who at one point was the FBI‘s chief suspect for the murders. While Lewis spent over a decade in prison for extortion, authorities could never definitively tie him to the killings.
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What to Know About the 1982 Tylenol Murders
In 1982, in the space of mere days, seven people died in Chicago from cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules.
Cyanide is a highly toxic liquid. When ingested, cyanide affects the body’s ability to use oxygen. It acts fast and is often deadly.
In the panic that followed the deaths, millions across the nation were terrified at the idea of taking Tylenol or any other over-the-counter drugs. One of the largest criminal investigations in US history tried and failed to find the answer to who had poisoned the pills.
Who Were the Tylenol Murder Victims?
We only know for sure about seven victims of the Tylenol murders. There was 12-year-old Mary Kellerman, 27-year-old postal worker Adam Janus, Adam’s brother Stanley Janus, Stanley’s wife Theresa Janus, 31-year-old Mary McFarland, 35-year-old Paula Prince, and 27-year-old Mary “Lynn” Reiner.
However, it is believed that – because of the difficulty of detecting cyanide poisoning without a specific test – others, especially elderly people, died from the pills without anyone ever identifying the cause.
What to Know About Robert Richardson and the Tylenol Murder Case
The former Robert Richardson – who has since changed his name to James Lewis according to the Chicago Tribune – has consistently claimed he was innocent of the 1982 murders and that he was in New York with his wife when the pills would have been tampered with.
The FBI was only ever able to prove extortion after Lewis demanded $1 million from Johnson & Johnson to stop the killings. He was convicted of extortion and served 12 years of a 20-year sentence.
Who was Responsible for the Tylenol Murders?
To this day, there is no definitive word on who is responsible for lacing Tylenol with cyanide and killing seven people in Chicago in 1982. “Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders” directors Yotam Guendelman and Ari Pines, in a statement to Tudum, wrote, “With ‘Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders’, we’re taking a fresh look at this complex, haunting puzzle, shedding new light through overlooked evidence, unheard testimonies, and troubling inconsistencies.
Our hope is that by expanding the narrative, we might bring the families of the victims a step closer to the answers they’ve awaited for decades.”
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