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On the morning of September 29, 1982, a seventh-grader living near Chicago’s O’Hare airport tragically passed away. She had taken an Extra-Strength Tylenol capsule to relieve her head cold, unknowingly ingesting a fatal dose of cyanide. This devastating event was the first of seven deaths that day in the Chicago area caused by Tylenol capsules laced with cyanide. To this day, no one has been charged with these horrific killings. Last month, the leading suspect, James Lewis, passed away at age 76 in his Cambridge, Massachusetts home. This unsolved case had a lasting impact on consumer safety, leading to significant changes in the way over-the-counter medication bottles are opened. Authorities responded swiftly to this crisis, as the nation was gripped with fear upon learning that random bottles of Tylenol had been poisoned, described by the Chicago medical examiner as a diabolical game of Russian roulette. The quick and efficient actions of first responders, Chicago officials, and Johnson & Johnson, the makers of Tylenol, likely saved the lives of countless potential victims.
Let’s dive into the heartbreaking stories of the victims. Mary Kellerman, a 12-year-old girl living in Elk Grove Village with her parents, took an Extra-Strength Tylenol capsule from a bottle her mother had purchased the previous day. Within hours, Mary collapsed on the bathroom floor and was rushed to the hospital, but tragically didn’t make it. Adam Janus, a 27-year-old postal worker from Arlington Heights, purchased a bottle of Extra-Strength Tylenol after Mary’s death. He too fell victim to this deadly poison. Mary Reiner, a 27-year-old mother who had just given birth a week prior, bought a bottle of regular Tylenol in Winfield. Ingesting the medication, she became comatose and eventually passed away. Stanley Janus, Adam’s 25-year-old brother, and Theresa Janus, his 20-year-old wife, took Extra-Strength Tylenol from the same bottle that Adam had purchased. Both experienced chest pains and were rushed to the hospital, but sadly couldn’t be saved. Mary McFarland, a 31-year-old divorced mother, was working at Illinois Bell Telephone when she took Tylenol for a headache and suddenly collapsed. She didn’t survive. Paula Prince, a 35-year-old United Airlines flight attendant, purchased a bottle of Tylenol and tragically lost her life after taking a single capsule. These deaths sent shockwaves through the community, leaving families devastated and authorities desperate for answers.
The investigation into these poisonings was not without its challenges. Initially, Stanley Janus’ death was believed to be a heart attack, but suspicions grew after the deaths of Adam and Theresa. Arlington Heights fire lieutenant Chuck Kramer and village nurse Helen Jensen suspected poisoning from the Tylenol consumed by the Janus family members. However, their concerns were met with skepticism and laughter from the police and medical examiner. A turning point came when Kramer spoke to another fire lieutenant, Phil Cappitelli, who mentioned the case of 12-year-old Mary Kellerman, who had also died after taking Tylenol. Suspicion grew, and blood tests confirmed the presence of cyanide in the bodies of Mary Kellerman and Adam Janus. The coroner’s office confirmed that the capsules from the victims contained cyanide, and a task force of local, state, and federal officials was formed to investigate these poisonings.
In a midnight news conference, Mayor Jane M. Byrne ordered the removal of all Tylenol from store shelves in Chicago and urged residents to hand over any Tylenol bottles they possessed. Johnson & Johnson, the parent company of Tylenol, took the unprecedented step of recalling all Tylenol capsule products in the U.S., which amounted to 31 million bottles worth approximately $100 million. The company and government authorities diligently tested Tylenol products for cyanide, ultimately finding only three more bottles containing poisoned capsules. While investigators ruled out tampering during production or distribution, they were still unable to find the source of the poison. Unfortunately, modern DNA testing has not been helpful due to the handling of the bottles by numerous individuals without gloves.
The investigation led police down various paths, including the pursuit of the eccentric Roger Arnold, a long-time dockhand at Jewel who had expressed an interest in poisoning people. However, the white powder found in his house turned out to be innocuous. The case remains unsolved, leaving behind grieving families and a nation haunted by this tragedy.
Stay tuned as we delve deeper into this gripping case and bring you more stories of unsolved mysteries.
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