Netflix documentary sheds new light on Tylenol murders of 1982
CHICAGO (WGN) – In 1982, seven Chicagoland residents died out of the blue after taking Tylenol capsules that were laced with cyanide.
Decades later, investigators are still baffled.
Now, a new Netflix documentary, 'Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders,' looks to unpack the cold case and shine a new light on the investigation.
On Sept. 28, 1982, 12-year-old Mary Kellerman from Elk Grove Village was hospitalized after taking one Extra-Strength Tylenol capsule. She died the following day.
That same day (Sept. 29, 1982), 27-year-old postal worker Adam Janus of Arlington Heights died of what was initially believed to have been a heart attack, but officials later attributed his death to cyanide poisoning.
His brother Stanley, 27, and sister-in-law Theresa, 19, both of Lisle went to Adam's home to be with loved ones after Adam's death when they experienced intense headaches. They each took Extra-Strength Tylenol capsules from the same bottle Adam used earlier in the day to soothe their symptoms.
40 years after Tylenol Murders terrified nation, new information shows case is still being investigated
Stanley died later that day, while Theresa died two days later, according to authorities.
Over the next few days, 35-year-old Mary McFarland of Elmhurst, 35-year-old Paula Prince of Chicago, and 27-year-old Mary Weiner of Winfield all died after taking Tylenol capsules laced with cyanide.
At the time, Tylenol was the most popular, best-selling non-prescription pain reliever in the United States. One reason was because the capsules were reportedly gelatin-laced, making them slick and easy to swallow.
In early October of 1982, investigators determined the seven victims all swallowed a Tylenol capsule laced with a lethal dose of cyanide.
At that time, Tylenol was made by McNeil Consumer Products, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. As investigators attributed the deaths to Tylenol capsules laced with cyanide, McNeil Consumer Products issued a mass warning and immediately called for a monumental recall of over 31 million bottles of Tylenol in circulation.
Investigators reportedly found tainted capsules in some grocery stores and pharmacies in Chicagoland, but those capsules had not yet been sold or consumed.
McNeil Consumer Products and Johnson & Johnson offered replacement capsules to anyone who turned in pills they already purchased and a reward for anyone with information leading to the arrest of the person(s) involved in the poisoning.
As the investigation went on, Johnson & Johnson determined the cyanide lacing happened after bottles of Tylenol left their factory.
Police thought someone had to have gone to the grocery store and/or pharmacy, taken the bottles off the shelves, laced them with cyanide and then went back to the store and put the laced bottles back on the shelves where the unknowing victims bought them.
Arrests made in decades-old Kenosha County cold case
No.
No one has ever been formally charged in connection with the deaths, but one man peaked the interest and suspicion of investigators: James Lewis.
After a nationwide manhunt, authorities arrested Lewis in 1982. He served over 12 years in prison for sending an extortion letter to Johnson & Johnson in which he demanded $1 million to 'stop the killing.'
Following his arrest, Lewis reportedly gave investigators a very detailed explanation as to how the person responsible for the murders might have operated before admitting to having written and sent to extortion letter to Johnson & Johnson.
Lewis claimed he never planned on getting any money by sending the letter and instead wanted to shine a bad light on his wife's former employer.
While serving his prison sentence, he told the Associated Press the detailed explanation as to how the suspect might have operated was just an assumption about the suspect's actions. He called the suspect 'a heinous, cold-blooded killer, a cruel monster.'
Police and federal investigators later determined Lewis was living in New York City at the time of the poisonings, although he briefly lived in Chicago in the early 1980s.
Lewis was released from prison in 1995 and he and his wife then moved to Massachusetts.
Illinois authorities reopened the investigation in 2009, prompting FBI investigators to go to Lewis' Massachusetts home where they took his computer and other belongings.
Reports said Lewis provided DNA samples to the FBI in 2010.
He died on July 9, 2023, at the age of 76.
Netflix announces new subtitle option: How it works
In 1983, Congress passed 'the Tylenol Bill,' which made it a federal crime to tamper with consumer products.
Then in 1989, the Food and Drug Administration put forth federal guidelines for manufacturers to follow to make consumer products tamper-proof.
'Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders' is available to stream on Netflix.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
The Church of Jesus Christ strengthens global effort, doubling initial projections, helping improve the lives of more than 21 million women and children worldwide
SALT LAKE CITY , June 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its ongoing responsibility to care for those in need, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is bolstering its global initiative to improve the well-being of women and children. During meetings on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Thursday, June 5, 2025, Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson told representatives from eight global humanitarian organizations that the Church is donating another US$63.4 million to this worldwide project first announced in 2023. Last year, the Church announced a $55.8 million donation as part of this effort. "Collaboration remains at the heart of this initiative; we create the greatest impact through our united efforts. Together, we look forward to another year of creating healthier futures for women and children and strengthening communities," President Johnson said. During the gathering, representatives shared key results from 2024, highlighting significant progress: 21.2 million children and mothers received vitamins. 1.87 million children were screened for malnutrition and treated if needed. 1.6 million mothers were trained in nutrition best practices. 219,000 pregnant mothers received prenatal care. 141,000 families received seeds, training or now have home gardens with more nutrient-dense foods. 41,000 people were trained in improved hygiene behaviors. 17,000 government health workers were trained to support maternal and newborn care, child nutrition, breastfeeding, and the administration of vitamins. 6,800 people benefited from improved water and sanitation facilities. 159 newborns were resuscitated at birth. 125 health facilities were trained to track clinical cases of malnutrition and provide treatment. The Church has taken a leadership role in convening eight globally recognized nonprofits, and as part of four groups, each focused on projects benefiting women and children. These organizations are: CARE International, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Helen Keller Intl, iDE, MAP International, Save the Children, The Hunger Project, and Vitamin Angels. The four groups and their areas of focus and objectives are as follows Group 1: Helen Keller Intl, Vitamin Angels, iDEObjective: Increase access to nutritious foods, vitamins, and medications in 12 countries (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Zambia). Group 2: CRS, The Hunger Project, MAP InternationalObjective: Improve maternal newborn care, water, sanitation, and hygiene, and nutrition in Ghana. Group 3: Save the Children, MAP InternationalObjective: Improve maternal newborn care and nutrition in Sierra Leone and Zambia. Group 4: CARE, iDE, MAP InternationalObjective: Improve agriculture and nutrition and upgrade medical clinics in Nepal. "With our global reach, we are uniquely positioned to foster collaboration among these eight organizations. By leveraging our individual strengths and resources, we amplify our collective impact," said Blaine Maxfield, managing director of Welfare and Self-Reliance Services. "What a blessing it is to come together to serve God's children around the world." The announcement of new funding was part of activities, including an expert panel discussion scheduled for later in the day on Thursday, June 5, led by Bishop L. Todd Budge, Second Counselor in the Church's Presiding Bishopric. The panel focused on health and nutrition for women and children. The panelists were President Camille Johnson, Blaine Maxfield, Sharon Eubank (director of Church Humanitarian Services), Sarah Bouchie (CEO of Helen Keller Intl), Ana Céspedes (CEO of Vitamin Angels), Lizz Welch (CEO of iDE), and Abena Amedormey (Ghana country representative for CRS). In 2023, the First Presidency asked the Relief Society to lead this global effort. President Russell M. Nelson has told women that they have a divine endowment to change lives. He said, "I am inspired by your diligence, dynamic leadership, and your ability to see a need and meet it." Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe in following the Savior's two great commandments: to love God and to love our neighbor. As part of this mandate, we seek to maximize our impact so our efforts bless not only those who receive help but also their families and communities. For more information on the Church's effort to care for those in need, please visit the most recent "Caring for Those in Need" summary. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
The Church of Jesus Christ increases international relief to 12 ‘high-need' countries with $63.4 million donation
At a gathering of representatives from global humanitarian organizations in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson announced The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would be donating another $63.4 million to expand the Global Initiative to Improve the Well-being of Women and Children — a uniquely collaborative effort across multiple organizations to lift women and children in especially poor parts of the world. The expanded funding aims to 'continue this great work to improve the well-being of women and children in the world,' President Johnson said. 'Together, we look forward to brighter futures for these women and children as we collaborate collectively in lifting and serving and blessing their lives.' This adds to a $55.8 million donation in 2024 to a collaboration of eight globally recognized nonprofits. Those organizations include CARE International, Catholic Relief Services, Helen Keller International, International Development Enterprises, MAP International (Medicine For All People), Save the Children, The Hunger Project and Vitamin Angels. 'There are only some things that a church can do,' said Sharon Eubank, director of Humanitarian Services, Welfare and Self-Reliance Services. 'And we need other partners to be able to bring their expertise — working with governments, helping in cultures where we don't have experience.' Blaine Maxfield, managing director of Welfare and Self-Reliance Services, said there is 'an unprecedented need now, more than ever, to provide relief to those that are in need all over the world.' He suggested this united effort could represent 'a model that can be transferred to other groups in this time of need.' The additional funding will allow the church and the eight organizations to continue working together in 12 especially 'high-need' countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Zambia. The primary target within each of those countries is women and children, who are so often at most risk of malnourishment, disease and other dangers. This initiative combines efforts to improve child nutrition, maternal and newborn care, health care access including immunization that seeks to prevent deadly infectious diseases, mobility and disability support, and life-long learning and family education. 'Any student of the New Testament knows that Jesus broke a lot of cultural traditions and reached out to women in a way that they haven't been reached out to before,' said Eubank during a panel discussion. 'Women are the cornerstones of society,' said Abena Amedormey, Ghana country representative for Catholic Relief Services. But along with children, she noted that women are 'the most vulnerable in the communities,' who also 'hold the highest potential for growth and development of the society.' 'Therefore every support that there is that can be given to women, we know there will be rippling effects across the society ... when you support a woman, you support a nation.' Lizz Welch, CEO of iDE, said 'we have seen through our work time and time again, when you can help women to increase their incomes and the production of food for their families, they reinvest at much higher rates within their community.' She said iDE is working to expand 'local production of food and diverse, nutritious foods that families can consume within their household.' When gardening improvements go well, families can then sell extra food in the market and bring that income back to reinvest in their families and communities. Starting with this small investment in local gardens, Welch described the 'ecosystems of opportunities' that can result, allowing 'families to thrive in ways that they couldn't before.' The church has membership in 170 countries and does humanitarian work in almost 200 countries every year, Eubank said. 'Politics in lots of those nations are going to go up and down,' she noted. 'But the church's mission doesn't really change very much. ... We're going to take care of people that are vulnerable.' President Johnson told the Deseret News, 'I'm so grateful to be part of a church that, in a season of bounty and prosperity, is willing to commit its resources to the most vulnerable.' That includes donations in places where the church has few members, she explained — such as a significant investment in Nepal, with only 200 members in the country. 'Why?' she asked. 'Because those are Heavenly Father's children that need care and attention.' Ana Céspedes, CEO of Vitamin Angels, described how a simple increase for children in vitamin A — even just a 'drop in their mouth twice a year' — can reduce premature death by 25%, while also preventing 'night blindness.' After noting that 45% of deaths in kids are due to malnutrition and 1.2 billion women in the world today 'don't have the access to the right nutrients,' Céspedes emphasized the importance of finding ways to 'catch child malnutrition early.' Starting with the first 1000 days of life (0 to 3 years old), she expressed hope these combined efforts can make a significant difference on both 'child's nutrition rates and ultimately, child survival.' Since the project launched, it has exceeded the expectations initially set. For instance, while project leaders originally aimed for 12 million children and mothers receiving vitamins, they reported this week being able to reach 21.2 million children and mothers with vitamin supplementation. In addition: Screenings for malnutrition were conducted with 1.87 million children, with treatment provided if necessary. To track clinical cases of malnutrition and provide treatment, 125 health facilities were also trained. Training in nutrition best practices was provided for 1.6 million mothers. More than 141,000 families also received seeds and training, many of whom now have home gardens with more nutrient-dense foods. Training in improved hygiene behaviors was given to 41,000 people — with an estimated 6,800 benefiting from improved water and sanitation facilities. Training in maternal and newborn care, child nutrition, breastfeeding and vitamin administration was provided for 17,000 government health workers. And 159 newborns were resuscitated at birth, while 219,000 pregnant mothers received prenatal care. Over and over, leaders emphasized the collaborative nature of the project itself as the secret behind its success. For instance, Sarah Bouchie, CEO of Helen Keller International, highlighted the 'opportunity to be able to learn from each other's skill sets, improve consistently in the way that we approach our work, and continue that ripple effect by sharing the things that we know.' This kind of collaborative learning together, Amedormey said, 'has been a wonderful approach to reach a lot more women and children.' Welch likewise called this approach an 'incredible multiplier effect' to improve the well-being of families wherever they were working. Once families increase the food they're producing and associated income (through the efforts of one organization), she explained, that benefit is then paired with partner efforts to improve the micronutrients the families are getting, along with improved education about breastfeeding and many other ways to strengthen families. 'We're really seeing one plus one equal three or five or eight,' President Johnson told Deseret News. 'Those dollars are going further with the collaboration, because people are bringing their strengths, they're bringing their resources, they're bringing their best contacts, they're bringing their experiences, both good and bad, to the table and saying, 'What can we do to improve upon what we've learned?'' Bishop L. Todd Budge, second counselor in the Presiding Bishopric of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, acknowledged that no one anticipated the current funding challenges in the world when the project was envisioned. At a time when organizations everywhere are having to be more cost-effective, he shared a sense among nonprofit leaders that 'we have to do more with less because of the situation.' Bishop Budge reflected, 'This is perhaps a framework that can be applied with other organizations to really get the synergies from collaboration.' At a time of greater estrangement across societies, Bouchie went on to describe the added benefit of 'shared values' that all members of the collaboration bring — 'a vision for a future together where every child, every woman, should have the right to a proper nutrition to live a healthy life.' 'Obviously the church is doing this out of a faith mission,' Eubank told Deseret News. 'We're trying we care for God and we care for his children all over the world.' But whether people have 'any kind of a faith or no faith at all,' she added, people can come together and 'still get behind women and children' — especially the crucial needs that happen early on in a child's life. 'It's pretty galvanizing to look at the first five years of a child's life,' Eubank said, 'and know that if they don't get enough nutrition, their cognitive ability is forever stunted, and I can get behind that anytime.' To outside observers, Bouchie acknowledged that the solution to all these problems can appear deceptively simple. 'It seems like something easy, right? You have a child who doesn't have enough nutrition, give them nutrition. It doesn't seem that complicated.' But the problem, she went on to explain, is that 'if you only treat those things, you're constantly treating the symptom.' How do we really get at the underlying factors contributing to hunger, she emphasized — finding better ways to increase self-reliance and sustainability? 'If you don't build the whole ecosystem, you don't really get at these complex factors that lead to malnutrition itself,' said Bouchie. 'It isn't an easy fix,' Eubank agreed. 'Because you can make sure that that baby has all the nutrition in the world, and then they die of diarrhea or something.' There are 'so many factors that add up to that child living and thriving when they're 5 years old,' she added. That explains why 'the only way we thought we could do that is through this new way of collaborating.' 'When systems are strengthened' through collaborative efforts, Amedormey said, 'you have not just one impact per family, but also you're able to impact the society.' President Johnson returned this week from Nepal — describing firsthand 'what happens when these groups come together with a common objective … working so beautifully together in rhythm.' First, she described seeing pregnant women getting vitamins needed for prenatal care. Once those children came into this world, these mothers were then supported to prioritize breastfeeding — contrary to cultural practices where children are immediately separated from mothers, missing the early initiation of crucial skin-to-skin contact and nourishment. President Johnson then described seeing parents being taught in community groups about the kinds of food that they could prepare for their children using local resources. (Young children who were malnourished also received immediate care through therapeutic foods and fortified cereals.) President Johnson described meeting a woman who had been assisted to start a small chicken farm. 'Every day those chickens lay eggs, she has a protein source for everyone that lives in her family unit,' she reported, with excess 'stacks of eggs' then taken to the market to sell. 'That gives her an opportunity to raise the standard of living for herself and for her children — that reinvestment that we're hoping for so that we lift not just women and children, but families and communities and nations.' At the close of the event, President Johnson shared her hope with Deseret News that those reading these stories would be inspired, first of all, 'to look around and identify the needs closest to them.' 'Sometimes, I think we believe we have to do something grand that warrants this splash in the news. But I know that there are malnourished children in our community. There are children and mothers who can't read well. ... 'My invitation is look around you first,' she said, referencing the 'mandate from the Savior' in Matthew 25, where Jesus Christ 'describes those that will be on his right hand as those who saw the hungry and those who saw the thirsty and gave them something to drink.' 'I want to be counted amongst those on the right hand,' she said with emotion. 'There's opportunities for all of us.'
Boston Globe
10 hours ago
- Boston Globe
ICE officers stuck in Djibouti shipping container with deported migrants
Three officers and eight detainees arrived at the only US military base in Africa unprepared for what awaited them. Defense officials warned them of 'imminent danger of rocket attacks from terrorist groups in Yemen,' but the ICE officers did not pack body armor or other gear to protect themselves. Temperatures soar past 100 degrees during the day. At night, she wrote, a 'smog cloud' forms in the windless sky, filled with rancid smoke from nearby burning pits where residents incinerate trash and human waste. Advertisement The Trump administration has urged the Supreme Court to stay Murphy's April order requiring screenings under the Convention Against Torture, which Congress ratified in 1994 to bar the US government from sending people to countries where they might face torture. In a filing in that case Thursday, officials told the Supreme Court that Murphy's order violates their authority to deport immigrants to third countries if their homelands refuse to take them back, particularly if they are serious offenders who might otherwise be released in the United States. Advertisement Officials said the conditions in Djibouti highlight the dangers of Murphy's order. 'A small number of ICE personnel are currently guarding dangerous criminals around-the-clock in a converted conference room, under threat of rocket attacks and other security and health hazards — disrupting the base's operations, consuming critical resources intended for service members, and harming national security,' Solicitor General D. John Sauer said in the filing. In her declaration, Harper said officers and detainees began to suffer symptoms of a bacterial upper respiratory infection soon after deplaning, including 'coughing, difficulty breathing, fever, and achy joints.' Medication wasn't immediately available. She wrote that the flight nurse has since obtained treatments such as inhalers, Tylenol, eye drops, and nasal spray, but they cannot get tested for the illness to properly treat it. 'It is unknown how long the medical supply will last,' Harper wrote. The officers spend their days guarding eight immigrants convicted of crimes that include murder, attempted murder, sex offenses, and armed robbery, court records show. Harper said Defense Department employees 'have expressed frustration' about staying in close proximity to violent offenders. Harper said ICE has had to deploy more officers available to work in 'deleterious' conditions to give the initial crew a break. Currently 11 officers are assigned to guard the immigrants and two others 'support the medical staff,' she said. They work 12-hour shifts guarding immigrants, taking them to get medication and to use the restroom and the shower in a nearby trailer, one at a time. Officers pat down the detainees, searching them for contraband. Advertisement At night and on breaks, officers sleep on bunk beds in a trailer, with one storage locker apiece. Some wear N95 masks even while they sleep because the air is so polluted it irritates their throats and makes it difficult to breathe. The area is dimly lit, which Harper wrote poses a security risk to the officers. Department of Homeland Security officials seized on the court filings to criticize the judge. 'This Massachusetts District judge is putting the lives of our ICE law enforcement in danger by stranding them in [Djibouti] without proper resources, lack of medical care, and terrorists who hate Americans running rampant,' said DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin on X. 'Our @ICEgov officers were only supposed to transport for removal 8 *convicted criminals* with *final deportation orders* who were so monstrous and barbaric that no other country would take them. This is reprehensible and, quite frankly, pathological.' But a lawyer for the detainees said they are also worried about their health, whether they are shackled and, the circumstances that DHS has created for them. 'We're increasingly concerned about the conditions of the detainees,' said Trina Realmuto, an attorney for the deportees. Murphy had said DHS abruptly launched the deportation flight even though it plainly violated his April 18 preliminary injunction barring them from removing people without due process. Federal law prohibits sending anyone — even criminals — to countries where they might be persecuted or tortured. Advertisement Although McLaughlin said officials couldn't deport them to their home countries, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said at a news conference last month that the US government did not inform her of the Mexican national sent to Djibouti, Jesus Munoz Gutierrez, who was convicted of second-degree murder in Florida 20 years ago, court records show.
