How Many People Died From the Tylenol Poisonings?

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Netflix’s crime docuseries titled “Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders” delves into one of America’s most peculiar unsolved murder mysteries and its impact on the victims and their communities. As part of the Cold Case series, this Netflix streaming show sheds light on how a series of chilling murders linked to Tylenol capsules laced with cyanide affected Chicago. Directed by Joe Berlinger, this three-part documentary series investigates the poisonings, the victims, and the subsequent changes in the packaging of over-the-counter medications and the introduction of anti-tampering laws.

McLain Laboratories initially launched Tylenol, a pain relief drug, back in 1955. Initially used for alleviating symptoms related to colds, coughs, and allergies, it was Johnson & Johnson who started selling Tylenol without prescription in 1960. As per Drugs.com, the maximum daily dosage for an adult is 4000 mg, although the exact amount can vary based on a person’s medical history. The latest addition to Netflix’s collection of true-crime documentaries delves into the unsolved crime using insights from investigators, family members of victims, and suspects. It also sheds light on the evolution of medication sales regulations worldwide following this event.

Seven People Died From The Tylenol Poisonings

The Dead Ranged In Age From 12 To 35 Years

Over a span of 24 hours in Chicago on September 29, 1982, a series of Tylenol poisonings occurred. Investigations kicked off around midday when paramedics were summoned to the home of Adam Janus, aged 27, who had suffered a collapse after taking Tylenol for a cold; his brother, Joseph, recounts in the Netflix docuseries how he was informed that Janus had experienced a “heart attack” and passed away. In quick succession, Janus’ brother and sister-in-law, Stanley and Theresa, also fell ill and succumbed to their conditions. The tragic deaths of three family members in such a short time sparked an investigation.

Victims of the Chicago Tylenol Poisonings
Victim Age Date of Death
Mary Kellerman 12 September 29, 1982
Adam Janus 27
Stanley Janus 25
Theresa Janus 19
Mary Lynn Reimer 27
Mary McFarland 31
Paula Prince 35

In a short span of time, it became public knowledge that four more individuals in Chicago had met untimely deaths under mysterious circumstances. The youngest fatality was 12-year-old Mary Kellerman, who succumbed to a Tylenol overdose while treating a sore throat in her bathroom (as reported by CNN). Among the other victims were Mary McFarland, Paula Prince, and Mary Lynn Reimer, who had welcomed her fourth child only seven days earlier. In the Netflix documentary series, Reimer’s daughter Michelle Rosen, then eight years old, shared details about her mother’s erratic breathing in her final moments and recalled the frightened look in her eyes before she collapsed.

During the probe into the fatalities, a public health nurse named Helen Jensen inspected the refrigerator and medicine cabinet of the Janus household for signs of poisoning. In this search, she found a bottle of Tylenol with six pills missing. Upon noticing an unusual odor, the bottle was analyzed by a toxicologist named Michael Schaeffer, who concluded that the capsules had been tainted with cyanide.

Following the disclosure of cyanide poisoning, on October 5, 1982, Johnson & Johnson initiated a nationwide recall of all Tylenol products for further examination, as reported by Chicago Tribune. This was later confirmed by Chicago Magazine, that seven individuals had died due to Tylenol overdose.

Nobody Was Ever Charged With The Tylenol Murders

The Lead Suspect Died In 2023

Since the tragic poisonings occurred, I’ve been closely following the extensive inquiries aimed at identifying the person responsible for tampering with Tylenol packaging. As we stand in 2025, despite a $100,000 reward offered by Johnson & Johnson, the perpetrator remains elusive (as reported by ABC News). After Paula Prince’s untimely death, investigators scrutinized video footage from Walgreen’s Pharmacy, zeroing in on an individual who seemed to be watching Prince as she shopped. Chicago Police Superintendent, Richard Brzeckzek, referred to this as a “strikingly dramatic” scene. Although the man was not definitively identified, detectives suspected his involvement in the series of murders.

In 1984, James William Lewis, a man previously convicted of blackmail and espionage, was identified as the primary suspect in the Tylenol poisonings. He served a ten-year prison sentence following his conviction. However, before his passing in 2023, Lewis claimed innocence during interviews for a Netflix docuseries, asserting that he had never harmed anyone. DNA evidence cleared him in 2010 (as reported by TIME). Despite the investigation of numerous other suspects over the years, as depicted in “Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders,” the true culprit behind the 1982 killings remains unidentified.

Sources: Drugs.com, CNN, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, ABC News, The Republican, TIME

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2025-05-28 17:00