Man who claimed he could halt 1982 Tylenol killings for cash passes away.

A Man Linked to the Infamous 1982 Tylenol Murders Passes Away

A man who claimed he could halt the string of tampered Tylenol capsule murders in 1982 if he received a hefty sum of $1 million has sadly passed away.

James Lewis, aged 76, was discovered lifeless in his Cambridge, Massachusetts, residence after emergency responders received a distress call about an unresponsive individual around 4 p.m. on Sunday, as stated by the Cambridge Police Department.

“Following an investigation, Lewis’ death was determined to be not suspicious,” the statement read.

Lewis was once a prime suspect in the 1982 Tylenol murders that claimed the lives of seven people. However, subsequent DNA tests ultimately exonerated him.

He came under police scrutiny after sending a letter to Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturer of Tylenol, in which he demanded the payment of $1 million to cease the killings. Lewis was apprehended, convicted of extortion, and sentenced to 10 years in prison. Years after his release, he willingly provided his DNA to authorities, which did not match the DNA found in the tainted Tylenol bottles distributed in the Chicago area.

Even after more than four decades, the identity of the person responsible for placing potassium cyanide in the bottles remains unknown to law enforcement.

The Start of a Tragic Series of Events

The first victim, 12-year-old Mary Kellerman from Elk Grove Village, a suburb of Chicago, began experiencing a sore throat and a runny nose on September 29, 1982. Although not alarming symptoms, Mary informed her parents, who gave her a single Extra-Strength Tylenol capsule.

Moments after ingesting the capsule, Mary’s father heard her coughing and then the sound of something hitting the floor, as reported by the Chicago Tribune. He called out to Mary, but there was no response. Concerned, he went to the bathroom door and discovered her lying on the floor. Her eyes were fixed and dilated, her breathing shallow, and she appeared to be suffocating.

Despite the efforts of paramedics, Mary’s condition did not improve, prompting her immediate transfer to Alexian Brothers Medical Center. By the time they arrived, Mary had gone into full cardiac arrest. Doctors attempted to save her by installing a pacemaker and even called for a priest.

Tragically, Mary passed away shortly before 10 a.m.

About an hour after Mary’s death, in Arlington Heights, approximately seven miles from Elk Grove, 27-year-old postal worker Adam Janus experienced severe chest pain after consuming Tylenol. His wife, Teresa, followed him into their bedroom and noticed his fixed and dilated eyes, as well as his shallow breathing. Adam was pronounced dead at 3:15 p.m.

Regrettably, both his wife and brother, Stanley, also ingested Tylenol that day and succumbed to the same fate.

On that very same day, 27-year-old Mary Reiner, United flight attendant Paula Prince, and single mother Mary McFarland all took Tylenol and tragically lost their lives.

Authorities swiftly identified Tylenol as the potential cause, as each victim fell violently ill after consuming the capsules. Subsequent testing revealed that the capsules contained potassium cyanide, a lethal poison.

A comprehensive multi-agency investigation was launched, with investigators noting that the Tylenol bottles involved in the Kellerman and Janus cases originated from the same batch. Consequently, Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturer of Tylenol, issued a recall for the entire batch. Additionally, bottles linked to McFarland were traced to other batches, prompting the recall of those as well. The company issued warnings to hospitals and distributors, halted production, and ceased advertising. On October 5, 1982, a nationwide recall was issued for an estimated 31 million bottles, valued at $100 million ($315 million in 2023 dollars).

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