A new Netflix docuseries is diving into the 1982 unsolved Tylenol murders case, which involved seven victims killed in Chicago, created mass panic and led to a safety overhaul of over-the-counter medication packaging.
Premiering in May, “Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders” chronicles one of the largest U.S. criminal investigations in three parts, featuring an exclusive interview with one suspect, Netflix said.
“Is there one mastermind behind these horrific deaths, or is that simply a convenient scapegoat in a darker conspiracy and potential cover-up?” Netflix’s series synopsis reads. “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.”
The series is directed by Yotam Guendelman and Ari Pines, known for their work on the 2016 documentary, “Shadow of Truth.” “Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes” creator Joe Berlinger serves as an executive producer on the series.
A new trailer for the series dropped April 30 teasing an interview with suspect James Lewis, conducted before his death in July 2023.
Here’s what to know.
Watch ‘Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders’ trailer
When does ‘Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders’ come out?
“Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders” drops on Netflix on Monday, May 26.
What are the 1982 Tylenol murders?
In 1982, seven people, including a 12-year-old girl, died after taking over-the-counter painkillers laced with cyanide.
While no one was ever charged in the deaths, James W. Lewis served more than 12 years in prison for sending an extortion note to manufacturer Johnson & Johnson in which he demanded $1 million to “stop the killing.”
Officers arrested Lewis in 1982 following a nationwide search. He gave investigators a detailed explanation as to how the killer might have operated and later admitted he sent the letter to Johnson & Johnson. He said he never planned on collecting any money and just wanted to embarrass his wife’s former employer by having money sent to their bank account.
He later told the Associated Press in prison that his account to investigators was simply an assumption about the killer’s actions, calling the person responsible “a heinous, cold-blooded killer, a cruel monster.”
What happened to James Lewis?
Lewis was released from prison in 1995, and he and his wife moved to Massachusetts. While remaining a suspect, he always denied any role in the deaths, even going as far as creating a website devoted to claiming he was framed. In 2010, Lewis gave DNA samples to the FBI.
He and his wife briefly lived in Chicago in the early 1980s. Lewis said they were in New York City at the time of the poisonings.
In 2009, the FBI seized Lewis’ computer and other items from his home after Illinois officials renewed the investigation.
He died in July 2023, according to the New York Times.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ‘Tylenol Murders’ docuseries dissects unsolved cold case: See trailer
