Netflix Probes Illinois’ Chilling Unsolved 1982 Tylenol Murders

It's been 43 years since cyanide-laced Tylenol claimed 7 lives in Illinois during the Fall of 1982. Netflix has a documentary that not only takes a deep dive into what happened in late September and early October of that year in Illinois, but also reveals chilling new twists in these murders that remain one of the most infamous cold cases in America.

The Netflix documentary is called Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders

I came across this interesting documentary this week during my nightly scrolling of what Netflix has to offer. Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders begins with what we already know. It started on September 28, 1982 when 12-year-old Mary Kellerman was hospitalized after taking an Extra Strength Tylenol tablet. She sadly passed away one day later.  The next day six others would consume Extra Strength Tylenol tablets and lose their lives as a result.

I won't giveaway any spoilers with what the FBI and other investigators eventually learned, but the focus early on was on James William Lewis who law enforcement had motive and ability to execute these terrible crimes. While he did admit and was convicted of sending an extortion letter to Johnson & Johnson, he was never officially accused of lacing the Tylenol with cyanide that killed the 7 in the Chicago area.

But, Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders introduces several new chilling twists

They ask the question about Johnson & Johnson's responsibility behind these poisonings. It is revealed that there was potassium-cyanide present in the facilities where Tylenol was manufactured. The documentary also questions why Johnson & Johnson was allowed to do their own investigation including the recall of millions of bottles in 1982 (which they consequently destroyed). There is no absolute conclusion about what exactly happened in Illinois in the Fall of 1982, but it does remind that those murders are still very much a cold case. I highly recommend circling back and checking out this 3-part series if you're interested in Illinois true crime cold cases.