Netflix Explores Unsolved Tylenol Murders In New Docuseries

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — Though the crimes occurred over 40 years ago, the public's fascination with the Chicago Tylenol murders doesn't appear to be slowing down. Netflix is releasing "Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders," a three-part docuseries, on May 26.

According to Netflix, the documentary is directed by Yotam Guendelman and Ari Pines ("Shadow of Truth" and "Buried"), with Joe Berlinger ("Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey") serving as executive producer.

Here's a description of the series from Netflix:

"Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders" is a gripping three-part docuseries that revisits a chilling crime that shattered the nation’s trust in the safety of everyday brands. Chicago, 1982: at least seven people die after ingesting cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules, sparking nationwide panic and one of the largest criminal investigations in U.S. history. Is there one mastermind behind these horrific deaths, or is that simply a convenient scapegoat in a darker conspiracy and potential cover-up? The series reopens the case that turned the world’s best-selling drug into a terrifying symbol—and changed forever how we view the products in our own medicine cabinets.

During a three-day span from Sept. 29 through Oct. 1, 1982, what would become known as the Chicago Tylenol murders tragically played out across the suburbs of Chicago. In the end, seven people died after the over the counter pain reliever was laced with cyanide in a case that remains unsolved to this day — baffling police and citizens alike not just locally, but across the country.

RELATED: Chicago Tylenol Murders Still Shock Area, Nation, 40 Years Later

According to police, the person or people responsible for the deaths of local residents removed bottles of Tylenol capsules from the shelves of several grocery and drugs stores in the Chicago area. They then filled them with cyanide and placed the tampered bottles back on the shelves at the following locations: Jewel Foods, 122 N. Vail Ave. in Arlington Heights; Jewel Foods, 948 Grove Mall, Elk Grove Village; Osco Drug Store at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, where two laced bottles were found; Walgreen Drug Store, 1601 N. Wells St., Chicago; and Frank’s Finer Foods in Winfield.

On Sept. 29, 1982, Mary Kellerman, 12, of Elk Grove Village, became the first victim after taking a capsule of Extra-Strength Tylenol. The Washington Post reported at the time that she had stayed home from school that day due to a cold and was given the capsule by her father. Soon thereafter, she became ill and fell into a coma, dying before paramedics arrived at the Kellerman home.

Hours later, three members of the same family — Adam Janus, 27, of Arlington Heights, his brother, Stanley Janus, 25, and Stanley's wife, Theresa Janus, 19, of Lisle — all died after taking Tylenol from the same bottle. The Washington Post reported that Adam Janus had taken the medicine at his home for aching muscles. He collapsed and was taken to Northwest Memorial Hospital, where he would die.

Stanley and Theresa were at the hospital with Adam when he died. After his death, they went to his home, grief-stricken over their loss. They then took Tylenol capsules from the same bottle as Adam Janus had. Both collapsed and were taken back to NMH, where they subsequently died.

In the days that followed, Mary McFarland, 31, of Elmhurst, Paula Prince, 35, of Chicago, and Mary Reiner, 27, of Winfield, also died under similar circumstances.

In 2022, local law enforcement agencies began again questioning a former Chicago man about his possible involvement in the Chicago Tylenol murders. James W. Lewis, the lone suspect in the murders, died one year later.

RELATED: Tylenol Murders Suspect Dead At 76

Lewis, 76, was convicted in 1983 of attempting to extort $1 million from Johnson & Johnson. He said in a letter he would stop the killings in exchange for the money. Lewis served a 12-year prison sentence for the crime.

Check out the trailer to "Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders" here.