Search for Tylenol Killer Continues as 30th Anniversary of Poisonings Approaches

As the 30th anniversary of the 1982 Tylenol murders approaches, a task force established in 2007 continues to investigate the poisonings. The task force, which is headed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), includes investigators from the Illinois State Police (ISP) and the Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village, Lombard, and Schaumburg Police Departments, with the assistance of the Chicago Police Department (CPD).

The task force was charged with looking at all aspects of the long dormant investigation, including the re-interviewing of witnesses, computerizing all documents and exhibits, and subjecting physical evidence to new and previously unavailable forensic examinations. To date, hundreds of interviews have been conducted and several thousand pieces of potential evidence re-examined.

The task force conducting this re-investigation is being coordinated by the FBI under the federal serial murder statute, which empowers the FBI to assist local police agencies with the investigation of such cases. As such, the task force is working in partnership with local law enforcement from the affected communities.

William C. Monroe, acting Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago FBI, noted that the task force is working tirelessly to identify those responsible for this horrific crime in an effort to bring closure to the friends and family members of the victims.

The victims of this product tampering case were Mary Kellerman, age 12, of Elk Grove Village; Adam Janus, age 27, of Arlington Heights; Stanley Janus, age 25, and Theresa Janus, age 19, both of Lisle; Mary Reiner, age 27, of Winfield; Mary McFarland, age 31, of Elmhurst; and Paula Prince, age 35, of Chicago. All seven were determined to have ingested cyanide-laced Extra Strength Tylenol capsules on or shortly after September 29, 1982.

Additional information about this investigation can be found on the FBI’s Internet website, www.fbi.gov.