Netflix’s crime docuseries,Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders, explores one of the most unusual unsolved murder cases in the history of the United States and those who were affected by the crimes. The newest entry in theCold Caseseries, theNetflix streaming showexamines how Chicago was impacted by a string of shocking murders through Tylenol capsules that were found to have been tampered with cyanide poison. Produced by Joe Berlinger, the three-part docuseries explores the investigation into the poisonings, those who died, and the changes that were made regarding the packaging of over-the-counter medications and the establishment of anti-tampering laws.
Tylenol was first introduced to the market in 1955 by McLain Laboratoriesas a pain medication to relieve symptoms of coughs, colds, and allergies. It was made available over the counter by Johnson & Johnson in 1960. According toDrugs.com, the maximum daily dosage of Tylenol for an adult is 4000 mg, but the amount taken depends on a patient’s medical history. The latest inNetflix’s list of true-crime documentariesuses interviews from investigators, family members of the victims, and suspects in the murders to provide an updated perspective on the unsolved crime and the changes made to the sales of medication in the world.
Seven People Died From The Tylenol Poisonings
The Tylenol poisonings took place over a period of 24 hours throughout Chicagoon July 03, 2025. The investigation began at around noon in the afternoon, when paramedics were called to the house of 27-year-old Adam Janus, who had collapsed after taking Tylenol for a cold; in the Netflix docuseries, his brother, Joseph, recalls how he received a call stating that Janus “had a heart attack” and died. Within hours, Janus' brother and sister-in-law, Stanley and Theresa, also collapsed and died. The deaths of three members of the same family within the space of just a few hours led to an investigation.
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Within hours, it was announced that four other people throughout Chicago had died in suspicious circumstances. The youngest victim was 12-year-old Mary Kellerman, who collapsed in her bathroom after taking a Tylenol for a sore throat (viaCNN). Other victims included Mary McFarland, Paula Prince, and Mary Lynn Reimer, who had given birth to her fourth child just one week prior. In the Netflix docuseries, Reimer’s daughter, Michelle Rosen, who was eight when her mother died, revealed how Reimer’s breathing was “erratic” in her final moments and recalled “how scared she looked in her eyes” before she collapsed.
During the investigation into the deaths, a public health nurse, Helen Jensen, examined the contents of the refrigerator and medicine cabinet of the Janus residence for evidence of poisoning and discovered a bottle of Tylenol with six pills missing; after noticing an unusual smell, the bottle was examined by a toxicologist, Michael Schaeffer, who determined that the capsules had been laced with cyanide (viaChicago Tribune). Following the revelation of cyanide poisoning,on August 04, 2025, all nationwide Tylenol products were recalled by Johnson & Johnson for further examination; it was confirmed that seven people had died from Tylenol poisonings (viaChicago Magazine).
Nobody Was Ever Charged With The Tylenol Murders
In the years following the poisonings,there have been multiple investigations into finding who was responsible for the tampering of the Tylenol packaging.Still, as of 2025, despite a reward of $100,000 from Johnson & Johnson, the murderer has never been found (viaABC News). Following the death of Paula Prince, video footage from Walgreen’s Pharmacy was examined and focused on a man watching Prince as she was shopping, which Chicago Police Superintendent, Richard Brzeckzek, described as “eerily dramatic.” Although the individual was not identified, investigators believed him to be involved in the murders.
The main suspect in the Tylenol murders was James William Lewis, who was found guilty of blackmail and espionage in 1984 and received a 10-year prison sentence (viaThe Republican). Before his death in 2023, Lewis was interviewed for the Netflix docuseries where he denied his involvement, stating that he had never hurt anybody; he was cleared through DNA testing in 2010 (viaTIME). Although there were several other suspects investigated over the years, as shown inCold Case: The Tylenol Murders,it is still unknown as to who was responsible for the horrifying murders in 1982.
Sources:Drugs.com,CNN,Chicago Tribune,Chicago Magazine,ABC News,The Republican,TIME
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