Netflix fans left chilled to the bone after 'absolutely insane' documentary on one of the most 'haunting' cold cases in US history

Daily Mail​

30-05-2025

Netflix fans have been left chilled to the bone after an 'absolutely insane' documentary on one of the most 'haunting' cold cases in US history.
Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders, released on the streamer on May 26, dives into the mysterious deaths of seven people in the Chicago area in 1982.
They all lost their lives after ingesting Tylenol pills laced with cyanide - but to this day, no one knows how the painkillers were contaminated or by whom.
The chilling case sent ripples across the US at the time, making lasting change to the pharmaceutical industry - including to the way pill bottles are sealed, Metro reports.
With an exclusive interview with the man who was the main suspect for more than 40 years, the three-part documentary has gripped Netflix fans, who praised it on X.
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One said: 'I'm always drawn to true stories and this documentary dives deep into one of the most chilling unsolved cases in American history.
'Real events, real victims and haunting questions that still linger. Highly recommended! Do watch!'
Another added: 'This Tylenol documentary on Netflix is absolutely insane.'
Someone else similarly said: 'The Tylenol documentary on Netflix is absolutely nuts. Well worth a watch.'
One user added: 'This event changed everything in our daily lives as much as anything, including Covid.
'Every single package that we buy in a store was forced to be more secure and tamper resistant. The cost over the years is in the billions, if not trillions.'
Congress passed the Tylenol Bill the year after the murders happened - which meant it became a federal crime to tamper with consumer products.
Tylenol manufacturer Johnson & Johnson introduced, with the Food and Drug Administration, new kinds of packaging, such as foil seals, to make any attempts to tamper with pills more obvious.
With an exclusive interview with the man who was the main suspect for more than 40 years, the three-part documentary has gripped Netflix fans, who praised it on X
This was soon rolled out across all over-the-counter medications, the Guardian reports.
Johnson & Johnson also introduced the film-coated smaller 'caplet', which was more tamper-proof than other kinds of tablets.
The series incorporates interviews with journalists and police officers who have worked on the case, as well as people who knew the victims.
It tries to offer up an explanation as to why the eighties case is still cold after all this time.
One of the most compelling aspects of the series, made by Yotam Guendelman and Ari Pines, is an interview with the man police long believed was behind the deaths.
James W Lewis sent a letter to drug company Johnson & Johnson at the time of the killings, demanding $1million - or more people would die.
The letter seemed to take responsibility for the deaths - and the New York City resident was convicted of extortion, rather than murder, and jailed for 12 years.
This documentary saw him speak out at length for the first time, as he explains how he could not possibly have been behind the deaths.
Producer Molly Forster fought for a year to get an interview with Lewis, who has largely avoided the press since he was released from prison 30 years ago, in 1995.
Near the end of the series, he says, chuckling: 'I wouldn't hurt anybody. You can keep asking me questions forever and ever.
'If we ever do come up with a technology which allows you to read my mind, then you won't find anything in there that will be incriminating.'
At another point in the programme, he jokes, holding a bottle of Tylenol pills, that he wants to avoid getting his fingerprints all over it.
Lewis also addressed why he wrote the extortion letter to Johnson & Johnson.
He said he was consumed by grief over his daughter's death after a patch in her heart, reportedly made by the pharmaceutical company, malfunctioned.
The father explained he blamed Johnson & Johnson for her death.
And his interview for the documentary turned out to be one of his last ever - as he died on July 9, 2023.
American Manhunt: Osama Bin Laden (pictured), released on the streamer on May 14, follows the pursuit and capture of the terrorist leader who planned the 9/11 attacks
A follow-up to 2023's American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing, the three-part series (pictured) goes behind the scenes of the US government's counter-terrorism efforts at the time
It comes after another high-quality Netflix documentary recently debuted, also to rave reviews.
American Manhunt: Osama Bin Laden, released on the streamer on May 14, follows the pursuit and capture of the terrorist leader who planned the 9/11 attacks.
A follow-up to 2023's American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing, the three-part series goes behind the scenes of the US government's counter-terrorism efforts at the time.
Directors Daniel Sivan and Mor Loushy use footage from the time and talking head interviews to let viewers in to the perspectives of decision makers - and show the tough calls they had to make.
They told Netflix news site Tudum it is not about the war on terror but instead 'tells the story of the people tasked to find the world's most wanted terrorist and bring him to justice'.
Some fans have already taken to X, Metro reports, to praise the portrayal of their manhunt that 'changed their lives, America and the world as we know it', as the directors said.
One user said: 'American Manhunt Osama Bin Laden was a riveting documentary series.
'Just three episodes, most of which I've seen bits and pieces [of] over several documentaries/movies, but it was put together so well.
'Especially the third episode was nail-biting cinema. Hard-hitting, must-watch.'