Latest news with #ColdCase:TheTylenolMurders
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Who Was the Tylenol Serial Killer? Revisiting the Terrifying True Story of Netflix's' Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders'
In 1982, seven people died in Chicago after ingesting cyanide-laced Tylenol James Lewis, who died in 2023, was considered a primary suspect for decades, though he was never charged in connection with the crime In May 2025, Netflix released a docuseries titled Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders, featuring LewisIt's been over 40 years since the Tylenol serial killer triggered a nationwide panic after seven people in the Chicago area ingested poisoned pain medication and were left dead. Over the course of just over 48 hours, victims between the ages of 12 and 35 suffered cardiac arrest immediately after taking Tylenol capsules that had unknowingly been laced with lethal doses of cyanide. As each victim was hospitalized, medical professionals worked around the clock to uncover what had caused their sudden deaths. It was the joint effort of a fire lieutenant, a public health official and an ICU doctor who connected that all the patients had taken the pain killer just before their death. Given their symptoms, the doctor concluded that the victims had exhibited signs of cyanide poisoning, and lab tests quickly proved his theory correct, per the Chicago Tribune. The swift thinking of emergency personnel helped expedite the process to inform the public and save the lives of many other potential victims. But just who was behind the murders was a mystery — and the case remains unsolved to this day. While James Lewis, a man who sent a ransom letter to Tylenol manufacturer Johnson & Johnson shortly after the murders, has been a primary suspect for the past 40 years, he was never charged with the crime. Although he did spend time behind bars for extortion, he maintained his innocence until the day he died in 2023. Now, the Tylenol murders are being revisited in the Netflix documentary Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders, which is currently streaming and features interviews with Lewis. So what happened during the Tylenol murders? Here's everything to know about the crimes and decades-long investigation. In September 1982, numerous people in the Chicago area died under mysterious circumstances over the span of just a few days — and their deaths were eventually linked to Tylenol capsules that had been contaminated with cyanide. The incident led to mass panic from the public surrounding over-the-counter medication. Within hours of contaminated medication being discovered, news spread around the Chicago area. News publications and radio stations extensively covered the poisonings to spread the word before more people could be impacted. Police officers drove through neighborhoods and used bullhorns to tell the public to throw out their Tylenol. Public health officials went door-to-door with flyers. Tylenol was quickly pulled from shelves around Chicago, per the Chicago Tribune, eventually leading to a nationwide recall of Tylenol products. In total, seven people were killed by ingesting contaminated Tylenol, although there may have been other unknown victims. The casualties included a child as well as three members of the same family: Mary Kellerman, 12, Adam Janus, 27, Stanley Janus, 25, Theresa 'Terri' Janus, 20, Mary McFarland, 31, Paula Prince, 35, and Mary Reiner, 27. The first death linked to the Tylenol poisonings was 12-year-old Mary Kellerman, who collapsed at home and was pronounced dead just hours after ingesting a laced capsule, per the Chicago Tribune. Later that day, Adam Janus, a 27-year-old mailman, also died shortly after being hospitalized. His death was initially ruled a heart attack, according to CBS News, but what happened in the days that followed alerted medical professionals that foul play may have been involved. Just hours after Adam was pronounced dead, his brother Stanley and his wife Terri visited his home to begin making funeral plans. Not feeling well, they each took Tylenol capsules from the bottle that had unknowingly caused Adam's death. They both immediately began experiencing chest pains and collapsed. It was Fire Lt. Chuck Kramer who recognized that just that morning, authorities had responded to a similar emergency at the same address. Believing the incidents were linked and could have affected other members of the family, he ordered everyone else in the house to be quarantined at the hospital. He then contacted Arlington Heights' only public health official, Helen Jensen, to begin an investigation into the deaths, per the Chicago Tribune. After interviewing family members, Jensen concluded that all three people had taken Tylenol shortly before their deaths. She later went to the Janus family home and picked up the bottle of Tylenol, realizing that it was a new bottle that had only been used by the three family members. She brought it back to the Cook County medical examiner's office and declared that there must be something wrong with the pills. She was initially ignored. Meanwhile, others were coming to the same conclusion. Dr. Thomas Kim, who was treating the Janus family, told Lt. Kramer that he believed the deaths were caused by something they had all ingested. Later that night, when Lt. Kramer spoke to a firefighter on the scene of Kellerman's death, he learned that the little girl had also taken Tylenol — and they began putting things together. When Dr. Kim learned of the connection, he began brainstorming what could have caused such a sudden onset of symptoms. After consulting with poison experts, he concluded that the effects of cyanide matched up with the victims' sudden cardiac arrest. Unable to run tests at his hospital, he sent two vials of blood from Stanley and Terri to a 24-hour lab via a taxi cab. With the information from Dr. Kim, the medical examiner's office began to look into the Tylenol bottles from the Janus and Kellerman households. With just a smell test, an investigator could tell there was cyanide inside. The county's chief toxicologist began to run tests on the Tylenol capsules and quickly realized that some of the pills contained nearly three times the amount needed to kill someone. Shortly after, lab results confirmed that Stanley and Terri — as well as several other victims — had died from acute cyanide poisoning. No one has ever been charged for the deaths resulting from the tainted medication, and the identity of the Tylenol serial killer remains unknown. However, Lewis has long been considered the primary suspect. In the midst of the investigation surrounding the contaminated Tylenol bottles, authorities uncovered that Lewis had sent a ransom letter to Tylenol's parent company, Johnson & Johnson, demanding $1 million in order to 'stop the killing,' according to the Associated Press. He immediately became a suspect in the case. At the time, Lewis was described by police as a 'chameleon,' living across several states and using at least 20 aliases. He worked numerous different jobs, including computer specialist, tax accountant, importer of Indian tapestries and salesman of jewelry, pharmaceutical machinery and real estate, per AP. He also had a history of trouble with the law. Several years prior to the poisonings, he had been accused of murdering and dismembering Raymond West, who had been one of his accounting clients. The charges were ultimately dropped because West's cause of death was not determined and some evidence had been illegally obtained. Then, in 1981, Lewis was convicted of mail fraud as part of a credit card scheme, using the name of a former tax client to illegally obtain 13 credit cards. Around that time, he also sent a letter to then-President Ronald Reagan, threatening to kill him with a remote-controlled plane, per UPI. Given his troubled past and his letter to Johnson & Johnson, authorities began an intensive investigation into Lewis's involvement in the crime. Lewis was never convicted of murdering the seven people who died after ingesting the contaminated medication, but remained a primary suspect for the majority of his life. During early interviews with Lewis, he denied involvement in the poisonings but confessed to writing the extortion letter to Johnson & Johnson. The letter referenced how 'easy' it could be to contaminate medication and said it could take him 'less than 10 minutes per bottle.' While he did not admit to contaminating the Tylenol, he did offer an explanation as to how he believed the crime took place. He told authorities that the culprit was likely to have bought the Tylenol and then later added the cyanide and returned the bottles to store shelves. In the years that followed, he said he offered the explanation because he was treating the investigation as he would a business situation. 'I was doing like I would have done for a corporate client, making a list of possible scenarios,' he told AP in 1992. He called the killer 'a heinous, cold-blooded killer, a cruel monster.' Lewis was not able to be linked to the tainted bottles through forensic testing, and he could not be placed in Chicago at the time of the crime. Despite the suspicion surrounding him, there was not enough evidence to convict Lewis. He was never charged with murder but did go to trial on charges of extortion stemming from the ransom letter he wrote to Johnson & Johnson. In June 1984, he was convicted of extortion and sentenced to 10 years in prison, per The New York Times. Over the past four decades, authorities have continued to investigate the Tylenol serial killer case. On several occasions, they have come up with leads, with many seemingly pointing back to Lewis. Around 2007, further investigation was prompted by authorities who wanted a 'complete review of all evidence developed in connection' with the poisonings with the benefit of advances in forensic technology. During an undercover sting operation, Lewis confessed that it had taken him three days to write the extortion letter, per the Chicago Tribune. Using advanced technology, investigators were able to uncover that the letter had an Oct. 1, 1982, postmark — meaning that Lewis began writing the letter before news of the poisoned Tylenol was made public. When Lewis was presented with the information, he recanted his statement, claiming to have a 'faulty memory.' In the years that followed, the FBI met with or had phone conversations with Lewis at least 34 times, according to CBS News. The FBI also obtained fresh samples of his DNA and fingerprints, but they did not match any of the DNA recovered on the contaminated bottles. Authorities also raided Lewis' suburban Boston condo and storage locker, seizing a laptop among other items. They also collected a poison handbook that Lewis had in his home prior to moving to Chicago in 1981, per the Chicago Tribune. Investigators even found Lewis' fingerprints on pages that discussed how much cyanide would be needed to kill someone. Lewis continued to deny his involvement in the crime, and authorities were unable to charge Lewis with murder. In July 2023, Lewis died at the age of 76. Police in Cambridge, Mass., told PEOPLE that Lewis was found unresponsive in his home and was pronounced dead shortly after. 'Following an investigation, Lewis' death was determined to be not suspicious,' police added. After the news was made public, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Margolis, who had prosecuted Lewis for extortion, told the Chicago Tribune and CBS News Chicago that he 'was saddened to learn of James Lewis' death' — not because of the death itself but because Lewis 'didn't die in prison.' However, before his death, Lewis was interviewed for the 2025 Netflix docuseries about the case. He continued to deny his involvement in the poisonings, saying, "They make it look like I'm the world's most horrible, dangerous person ever ... and I wouldn't hurt anybody." Read the original article on People
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Netflix got the first and only interview with the chief suspect of the Tylenol murders by promising to treat him as a human being
James Lewis was accused of being the Tylenol murderer, but denied the charges and wasn't convicted. He gave his first and only full interview in Netflix's "Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders." The filmmakers said they had to build trust with Lewis by promising to treat him as a human being. Netflix's "Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders" features chief suspect James Lewis' first and only interview, where he addresses the allegations made against him — including that he killed seven people in 1982. That year, cyanide-laced Tylenol was distributed in Chicago, leading to the pharmaceutical industry introducing tamper seals to certain products. The docuseries also includes interviews with family members of some of the victims. Joseph Janus recalled the moment he heard that his brother, Adam Janus, had died: "I got a phone call, they said my brother Adam had a heart attack. I said 'What are you talking about? He's a very healthy person.' They said: 'He's dead and we can do nothing for him.' I almost passed out, I was in shock." Lewis, who died in 2023, was arrested but not convicted and denied the allegations. But he admitted to writing a ransom letter to Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturer of Tylenol, for $1 million. He later claimed it was an attempt to point the authorities at his wife's former boss for unpaid wages. Lewis was convicted of extortion in 1983 for writing the letter and served 10 years in prison. Author Nicholas Mennuti, who wrote "The Tylenol Murders" book and features in the three-part true crime series, compared the Lewis case to the gangster Al Capone, who was suspected of committing more serious crimes than he was convicted of. "They make it look like I'm the world's most horrible, dangerous person ever... and I wouldn't hurt anybody," Lewis says at the end of the first episode, seemingly referring to the authorities and the media. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, co-director Yotam Guendelman praised the show's producer Molly Forrester for convincing Lewis to take part. Guendelman said that Forrester told Lewis: "'You're a human being. We want to talk to you as a human being — even if you did all of this horrible stuff.'" adding, "She just sort of got his trust." The documentarian said that Lewis was cautious about being interviewed, but Forrester's "intimate rapport" helped him open up. "There was something in him that wanted to say what he wanted to say, for many years. Having people basically trying to get you for 40 years, I guess also makes you want to talk and enjoy this attention," Guendelman said. Ari Pines, the show's co-director, said they also aimed to shed light on the other cases connected to Lewis with "The Tylenol Murders." "We didn't do this interview just to get a confession out of [Lewis], but to really confront him about all the hard questions about this case and the other cases that he was suspected of in the past," Pines told The Hollywood Reporter. Lewis was also connected with other criminal cases and was charged but not convicted of killing a truck driver called Raymond West in 1978. Episode three also states that he was accused of aggravated rape after allegedly kidnapping a young woman, but that the supposed victim dropped the charges. In the docuseries, Lewis said: "I did not kidnap her. There was no evidence that I had ever been with her or touched her in any way, shape, or form, not even shaking hands." Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Netflix got the first and only interview with the chief suspect of the Tylenol murders by promising to treat him as a human being
Netflix 's "Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders" features chief suspect James Lewis' first and only interview, where he addresses the allegations made against him — including that he killed seven people in 1982. That year, cyanide-laced Tylenol was distributed in Chicago, leading to the pharmaceutical industry introducing tamper seals to certain products. The docuseries also includes interviews with family members of some of the victims. Joseph Janus recalled the moment he heard that his brother, Adam Janus, had died: "I got a phone call, they said my brother Adam had a heart attack. I said 'What are you talking about? He's a very healthy person.' They said: 'He's dead and we can do nothing for him.' I almost passed out, I was in shock." Lewis, who died in 2023, was arrested but not convicted and denied the allegations. But he admitted to writing a ransom letter to Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturer of Tylenol, for $1 million. He later claimed it was an attempt to point the authorities at his wife's former boss for unpaid wages. Lewis was convicted of extortion in 1983 for writing the letter and served 10 years in prison. Author Nicholas Mennuti, who wrote "The Tylenol Murders" book and features in the three-part true crime series, compared the Lewis case to the gangster Al Capone, who was suspected of committing more serious crimes than he was convicted of. "They make it look like I'm the world's most horrible, dangerous person ever... and I wouldn't hurt anybody," Lewis says at the end of the first episode, seemingly referring to the authorities and the media. The creators of 'The Tylenol murders' earned Lewis' trust In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, co-director Yotam Guendelman praised the show's producer Molly Forrester for convincing Lewis to take part. Please help BI improve our Business, Tech, and Innovation coverage by sharing a bit about your role — it will help us tailor content that matters most to people like you. What is your job title? (1 of 2) Entry level position Project manager Management Senior management Executive management Student Self-employed Retired Other Continue By providing this information, you agree that Business Insider may use this data to improve your site experience and for targeted advertising. By continuing you agree that you accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Guendelman said that Forrester told Lewis: "'You're a human being. We want to talk to you as a human being — even if you did all of this horrible stuff.'" adding, "She just sort of got his trust." The documentarian said that Lewis was cautious about being interviewed, but Forrester's "intimate rapport" helped him open up. "There was something in him that wanted to say what he wanted to say, for many years. Having people basically trying to get you for 40 years, I guess also makes you want to talk and enjoy this attention," Guendelman said. Ari Pines, the show's co-director, said they also aimed to shed light on the other cases connected to Lewis with "The Tylenol Murders." "We didn't do this interview just to get a confession out of [Lewis], but to really confront him about all the hard questions about this case and the other cases that he was suspected of in the past," Pines told The Hollywood Reporter. Lewis was also connected with other criminal cases and was charged but not convicted of killing a truck driver called Raymond West in 1978. Episode three also states that he was accused of aggravated rape after allegedly kidnapping a young woman, but that the supposed victim dropped the charges. In the docuseries, Lewis said: "I did not kidnap her. There was no evidence that I had ever been with her or touched her in any way, shape, or form, not even shaking hands."
Metro
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Netflix viewers terrified after watching documentary on 'chilling unsolved case'
Netflix viewers have been left horrified after watching one of the most 'haunting' unsolved murder cases in American history. In 1982, seven people in the Chicago area died after ingesting cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules, yet still to this day nobody knows how they were contaminated or who did it. The poisonings terrified a nation and sparked widespread changes within the pharmaceutical industry that can still be felt today with the way bottles of pills are sealed. A man named James W. Lewis, who sent a letter to the drug company Johnson & Johnson demanding $1 million or else more people would be killed, was the police's main suspect for more than four decades. But, in Netflix's Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders , which came out on May 26, Lewis – who spent 12 years in prison after being convicted of extortion and not murder – explains how he could not have killed these people. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. Responding on X, viewers have been left reeling by what is one of the most famous unsolved cases ever. Writing on social media, @SaimaHash said: Just watched Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders. 'I'm always drawn to true stories, and this documentary dives deep into one of the most chilling unsolved cases in American history. 'Real events, real victims, and haunting questions that still linger. Highly recommended! Do watch! #tylenolmurders.' @Dri_nkup added: 'This Tylenol documentary on Netflix is absolutely insane.' Meanwhile, @DonInBrookfield said: 'This event changed everything in our daily lives as much as anything, including COVID. Every single package that we buy in a store was forced to be more secure and tamper resistant. 'The cost over the years is in the billions, if not trillions.' Speaking to journalists who covered the breaking story, former officers and people who knew the victims, the series sheds light on why the case is still cold after more than 40 years. The show's producers also fought for roughly a year to land an interview with Lewis, who has avoided any contact with the media following his release from prison. Towards the end of the miniseries, Lewis said: 'I wouldn't hurt anybody,' while chuckling. He continued: 'You can keep asking me questions forever and ever. If we ever do come up with a…technology which allows you to read my mind, then you won't find anything in there that will be incriminating.' More Trending Lewis could also be seen holding a bottle of Tylenol and joking that he does not want to get his 'fingerprints' all over it while laughing. He went on to explain how his extortion letter to Johnson & Johnson came from a place of grief after the company reportedly manufactured a patch that malfunctioned in his daughter's heart and killed her. The case was also described by one of the show's directors, Yotam Guendelman, as 'the biggest true crime story in America in the 80s', when he spoke to the Guardian. View More » Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders is available to watch on Netflix. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 'Seriously gripping' true crime drama storms up Netflix chart MORE: Netflix viewers have just hours to binge 'steamy' 00s British TV drama MORE: Netflix star calls 'dark' show 'very different to what I was used to'
Time of India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
New on Netflix This Week (May 26–31): From Dept. Q to Mad Unicorn, 9 fresh binge bombs you'll regret sleeping on
New on Netflix This Week (May 26–31): Brace yourselves, couch potatoes and streaming savants. Netflix just restocked the shelves of your emotional refrigerator and the menu? Juicy, mysterious, hilarious, deadly, and oh-so bingeable. This week's lineup is hotter than your ex's Instagram after a breakup. Here's everything dropping from May 26 to 31 that you'll want to cancel plans for. Ready, set, obsess. 1. Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders (May 26) Plot twist: The pill that gave you headache relief in the '80s? Yeah, it gave Chicago a massive case of trust issues. At least seven people died after taking cyanide-laced Tylenol, and the world hasn't looked at a medicine cabinet the same way since. From the creators behind Conversations with a Killer and Shadow of Truth, this deep dive questions whether the real killer was ever found… or whether a sinister cover-up is hiding in plain sight. 2. Mike Birbiglia: The Good Life (May 26) Ah, Mike's back, and this time, he's unpacking the chaotic joys of marriage and parenting. Why do kids' birthday parties require a survival kit now?! Equal parts laugh-out-loud funny and sneakily heartfelt, Birbiglia drops truth bombs with perfect timing and just the right dash of dad energy. 3. F1: The Academy (May 28) Move over, boys. The grid's about to get a makeover. Fifteen fierce, focused women are taking the wheel and proving they belong in the high-octane, testosterone-flooded world of Formula 1. Expect fast cars, faster comebacks, and a whole lot of feminist fire. 4. Losmen Bu Broto: The Series (May 29) Tarjo's tired of being invisible in his own family's inn. Cue: ambition, betrayal, and a forbidden romance with a married guest (we see you, plot twist). Set in Yogyakarta, this series is dripping in cultural charm and messy family drama. Watch it when you're craving something slow-burning and full of secrets. 5. Dept. Q (May 29) DCI Carl Morck is your classic tortured genius: brilliant, bitter, and basically exiled to a basement after a botched operation. But when a long-dead cold case suddenly warms up, Carl assembles a ragtag team to take down corruption from the shadows. Think Sherlock meets Luther with less tea and more trauma. 6. Mad Unicorn (May 29) Cue your next entrepreneurial obsession. When one underdog launches a courier startup, the success isn't just surprising but rather threatening. Enemies multiply. Tensions rise. And somewhere between ambition and survival, lines get crossed. 7. A Widow's Game (May 30) Valencia, 2017. A man is found stabbed seven times in a parking lot. It screams passion crime, but what doesn't scream is his young, sweet widow Maje being the prime suspect. But darling, looks deceive. This one's a layered slow-burn thriller that'll keep you shouting 'WHAT?!' every ten minutes. 8. The Heart Knows (May 30) Warning: You may cry. Juan receives a heart transplant from a kind man named Pedro. Cue the plot twist - Juan meets Pedro's widow, Valeria, and falls in love without telling her the whole heart connection thing. Oh, and he's trying to save Pedro's neighbourhood too. 9. Lost in Starlight (May 30) 2050 Seoul: Aspiring astronaut Nan-young is grounded. Musician Jay is stuck in nostalgia. They meet, they fall, they dream of space and each other. But when she finally gets her shot at Mars, love and ambition clash in the most celestial way possible. Watch it when you want love that spans galaxies (and doesn't ghost you halfway to Mars). This week on Netflix, the drama is real, the laughs are loud, and your weekend plans just got booked solid. Pass the snacks and clear your calendar - we've got 9 reasons to never leave your couch.
