Welcome to Criminalia, a production of Shondaland Audio in partnership with iHeartRadio.

Welcome to Criminalia, a production of Shondaland Audio in partnership with iHeartRadio.

Thailanol is and has been, for decades, the best selling non prescription pain reliever sold in the United States. Unlike today's thailanol, some pills used to come as gelatin based capsules, which were popular because they were smooth and easy to swallow. But it was also possible to open those capsules, and that meant anyone could remove its active ingredient a set of minifin and replace the contents with anything else, and someone did, resulting in the deaths of seven people by cyanide poisoning. The killings happened in the Chicago area and shocked the nation. They changed how American consumers buy over the counter medications and influenced consumer packaging. But more than forty years later, the identity of the person who tampered with TILANL extra strength capsules is still unknown and the case has never been closed. Welcome to Criminalia. I'm Maria Tremarki.

Thailanol is and has been, for decades, the best selling non prescription pain reliever sold in the United States. Unlike today's thailanol, some pills used to come as gelatin based capsules, which were popular because they were smooth and easy to swallow. But it was also possible to open those capsules, and that meant anyone could remove its active ingredient a set of minifin and replace the contents with anything else, and someone did, resulting in the deaths of seven people by cyanide poisoning. The killings happened in the Chicago area and shocked the nation. They changed how American consumers buy over the counter medications and influenced consumer packaging. But more than forty years later, the identity of the person who tampered with TILANL extra strength capsules is still unknown and the case has never been closed. Welcome to Criminalia. I'm Maria Tremarki.

And I'm Holly Frye. The Chicago Tailanol murders, as they've come to be known, began on September twenty eighth, nineteen eighty two with the death of twelve year old Mary Kellerman, an Elkgrove Village, Illinois resident. Mary was not feeling well, and early that morning her parents gave her tilanl to help relieve her cold symptoms. Recalled her father, Dennis Kellerman quote, I heard her go into the bathroom. I heard the door close, then I heard something drop. I went to the bathroom door. I called Mary, are you okay? There was no answer. I called again, Mary, are you okay? There was still no answer. So I opened the bathroom door and my little girl was on the floor, unconscious. She was still in her pajamas.

And I'm Holly Frye. The Chicago Tailanol murders, as they've come to be known, began on September twenty eighth, nineteen eighty two with the death of twelve year old Mary Kellerman, an Elkgrove Village, Illinois resident. Mary was not feeling well, and early that morning her parents gave her tilanl to help relieve her cold symptoms. Recalled her father, Dennis Kellerman quote, I heard her go into the bathroom. I heard the door close, then I heard something drop. I went to the bathroom door. I called Mary, are you okay? There was no answer. I called again, Mary, are you okay? There was still no answer. So I opened the bathroom door and my little girl was on the floor, unconscious. She was still in her pajamas.

Later that same day, a twenty seven year old postal worker named Adam Jannis, who lived in Arlington Heights, which is less than ten miles away from the Kellermans, also died shortly after taking tylan All to ease a muscle ache. He collapsed almost instantly and could not be resuscitated. That afternoon, Adam's brother, Stanley, aged twenty five, and Stanley's wife, Teresa, aged twenty also took tylan al capsules from the same bottle as Adam. Both were hoping to relieve their headaches, which had developed as the family gathered to mourn Adam Stanley died that same day. Teresa died two days later.

Later that same day, a twenty seven year old postal worker named Adam Jannis, who lived in Arlington Heights, which is less than ten miles away from the Kellermans, also died shortly after taking tylan All to ease a muscle ache. He collapsed almost instantly and could not be resuscitated. That afternoon, Adam's brother, Stanley, aged twenty five, and Stanley's wife, Teresa, aged twenty also took tylan al capsules from the same bottle as Adam. Both were hoping to relieve their headaches, which had developed as the family gathered to mourn Adam Stanley died that same day. Teresa died two days later.

Three more deaths linked to tainted tyland All were reported very soon thereafter, thirty one year old Mary McFarland, a phone center operator who was raising two boys, thirty five year old Paula Prince, a flight attendant, and twenty seven year old Mary Reiner, who had just delivered her fourth child about a week earlier.

Three more deaths linked to tainted tyland All were reported very soon thereafter, thirty one year old Mary McFarland, a phone center operator who was raising two boys, thirty five year old Paula Prince, a flight attendant, and twenty seven year old Mary Reiner, who had just delivered her fourth child about a week earlier.

The first person to see what connected the victims tylan All was Helen Jensen, who was then a public health nurse based in Arlington Heights Village. She visited the Jenis home after the deaths and while investigating, noticed that six capsules were missing from the same taileanol bottle, two for Adam, two for Stanley, and two for Teresa. In multiple interviews, she has stated quote, I went into the bathroom and found a bottle of tilanol left out. I brought it out to the kitchen with one of the police officers. I opened it and counted the pills, and there were six pills missing, and then three people dead. I said it has to be the taileanol. Though she may have figured out that the tailanol was somehow lethal. First responders, police and the medical examiner weren't really buying into her theory, at least not at first. She continued, quote, they weren't going to listen to me. I was a woman and I was a nurse. I understood the attitudes of that time. But I was proven right by the next day.

The first person to see what connected the victims tylan All was Helen Jensen, who was then a public health nurse based in Arlington Heights Village. She visited the Jenis home after the deaths and while investigating, noticed that six capsules were missing from the same taileanol bottle, two for Adam, two for Stanley, and two for Teresa. In multiple interviews, she has stated quote, I went into the bathroom and found a bottle of tilanol left out. I brought it out to the kitchen with one of the police officers. I opened it and counted the pills, and there were six pills missing, and then three people dead. I said it has to be the taileanol. Though she may have figured out that the tailanol was somehow lethal. First responders, police and the medical examiner weren't really buying into her theory, at least not at first. She continued, quote, they weren't going to listen to me. I was a woman and I was a nurse. I understood the attitudes of that time. But I was proven right by the next day.

Medication bottles found in the homes the victims were sent for testing, and when the results came back, it was found that the acedominifin pills in those containers had been swapped with pills that instead contained lethal doses of potassium cyanide. Cyanide is so powerful a poison that, in twenty nineteen, an article in the Journal of Medical Toxicology warned that it's quote the ideal chemical weapon because it's readily available, it's easy to use, and it's highly lethal.

Medication bottles found in the homes the victims were sent for testing, and when the results came back, it was found that the acedominifin pills in those containers had been swapped with pills that instead contained lethal doses of potassium cyanide. Cyanide is so powerful a poison that, in twenty nineteen, an article in the Journal of Medical Toxicology warned that it's quote the ideal chemical weapon because it's readily available, it's easy to use, and it's highly lethal.

Let's talk about the weapon of choice in these murders. Cyanide is a naturally occurring chemical compound, and it exists in things that we interact with all the time. For instance, apple seeds contain a compound that releases cyanide, which, though that means apple seeds are toxic, you'd have to consume a whole lot of them to have symptoms of cyanide poisoning, but cyanide can also be manufactured in several highly lethal forms. Potassium cyanide, for instance, was the poison added to punch that would drunk by more than nine hundred members of the Jonestown cult in the mass murder suicide of nineteen seventy eight. Analysis of the deadly talanol capsules in Chicago determined they were laced with crystals of potassium cyanide at a dose lethal within fifteen minutes of ingestion.

Let's talk about the weapon of choice in these murders. Cyanide is a naturally occurring chemical compound, and it exists in things that we interact with all the time. For instance, apple seeds contain a compound that releases cyanide, which, though that means apple seeds are toxic, you'd have to consume a whole lot of them to have symptoms of cyanide poisoning, but cyanide can also be manufactured in several highly lethal forms. Potassium cyanide, for instance, was the poison added to punch that would drunk by more than nine hundred members of the Jonestown cult in the mass murder suicide of nineteen seventy eight. Analysis of the deadly talanol capsules in Chicago determined they were laced with crystals of potassium cyanide at a dose lethal within fifteen minutes of ingestion.

We're going to take a break for a word from our sponsors, and when we're back, we'll talk about the investigation as well as the impact on Americans and the United States pharmaceutical industry.

We're going to take a break for a word from our sponsors, and when we're back, we'll talk about the investigation as well as the impact on Americans and the United States pharmaceutical industry.

Welcome back to Criminalia. Let's talk about the search for a suspect and how this case changed the way the pharmaceutical industry packaged over the counter medications, changes that we benefit from today.

Welcome back to Criminalia. Let's talk about the search for a suspect and how this case changed the way the pharmaceutical industry packaged over the counter medications, changes that we benefit from today.

Things were moving quickly and within forty eight hours of the murders, which happened very close together Chicago marriage bain Burn in cooperation with local law enforcement, public health officials, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, An Johnson, and Johnson, the pharmaceutical company behind thailanol, had all tailanol products pulled from local stores and pharmacies in the Chicago area and sent to nearby laboratories for integrity testing. This confirmed that the pills were filled with poison. Authorities also discovered that the capsules the victims had ingested had been manufactured in different locations, establishing that the pills had been tainted. After cases of tailanol left the pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, the Chicago Department of Health was tasked with examining thousands of bottles containing about eighty thousand individual tailanol capsules. That sounds tedious, but in nineteen eighty two there was no chemical test for spotting cyanide, which meant the staff had to visually inspect each capsule for tampering. Employee Michael Petros told Jeffrey Behar in an interview with the show Chicago Mysteries, quote, we were looking for these heavy crystals, almost like rock salt, but a little bit smaller, that were put in those capsules because at the time they could be just pulled apart. Later, Petro stated, quote, I never looked at the over the counter medicines at the stores the same.

Things were moving quickly and within forty eight hours of the murders, which happened very close together Chicago marriage bain Burn in cooperation with local law enforcement, public health officials, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, An Johnson, and Johnson, the pharmaceutical company behind thailanol, had all tailanol products pulled from local stores and pharmacies in the Chicago area and sent to nearby laboratories for integrity testing. This confirmed that the pills were filled with poison. Authorities also discovered that the capsules the victims had ingested had been manufactured in different locations, establishing that the pills had been tainted. After cases of tailanol left the pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, the Chicago Department of Health was tasked with examining thousands of bottles containing about eighty thousand individual tailanol capsules. That sounds tedious, but in nineteen eighty two there was no chemical test for spotting cyanide, which meant the staff had to visually inspect each capsule for tampering. Employee Michael Petros told Jeffrey Behar in an interview with the show Chicago Mysteries, quote, we were looking for these heavy crystals, almost like rock salt, but a little bit smaller, that were put in those capsules because at the time they could be just pulled apart. Later, Petro stated, quote, I never looked at the over the counter medicines at the stores the same.

Way, knowing it didn't happen at the plant. Authorities next envisioned to scenario more like this. Someone must have removed tailanol bottles from store shelves, pulled apart the gelatine capsules to add the potassium cyanide, reassembled the packaging, and then placed the poisoned pills back on the shelves for unknowing consumers to purchase. Between five to seven milligrams of potassium cyanide can kill a person, and the toxic tileanol pills contained as much as forty five milligrams each.

Way, knowing it didn't happen at the plant. Authorities next envisioned to scenario more like this. Someone must have removed tailanol bottles from store shelves, pulled apart the gelatine capsules to add the potassium cyanide, reassembled the packaging, and then placed the poisoned pills back on the shelves for unknowing consumers to purchase. Between five to seven milligrams of potassium cyanide can kill a person, and the toxic tileanol pills contained as much as forty five milligrams each.

A nationwide recall of tailanol soon fought. On October fifth, McNeil Consumer Products, the subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson that manufactured tailanol, halted production at a cost of one hundred million dollars and also recalled thirty one million bottles.

A nationwide recall of tailanol soon fought. On October fifth, McNeil Consumer Products, the subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson that manufactured tailanol, halted production at a cost of one hundred million dollars and also recalled thirty one million bottles.

At home, people were instructed to throw away any taileanol products they had. At the time, there was no social media, smartphone alerts, or other forms of mass communication that were accustomed to today, which meant communities relied on police cars slowly driving through neighborhoods their loud speakers blaring quote, do not take tilanol until further notice. Warnings to prevent anyone else from taking the popular over the countermdication were also given by authorities and volunteers, going door to door and disseminating flyers as quickly as possible. The recall was also announced on television news stories about the poisonings, as well as in newspapers.

At home, people were instructed to throw away any taileanol products they had. At the time, there was no social media, smartphone alerts, or other forms of mass communication that were accustomed to today, which meant communities relied on police cars slowly driving through neighborhoods their loud speakers blaring quote, do not take tilanol until further notice. Warnings to prevent anyone else from taking the popular over the countermdication were also given by authorities and volunteers, going door to door and disseminating flyers as quickly as possible. The recall was also announced on television news stories about the poisonings, as well as in newspapers.

The media quickly dubbed the unknown killer the quote tailanol terror rists. Once the story broke, the call volume at the Illinois Poison Control Center approached eight hundred calls in twenty four hours. In a similar time period, they would normally average about forty to sixty calls. Mass panic caused a considerable amount of chaos in the Chicago area and across the nation, and it went beyond pain relievers. Days away from Halloween, many towns canceled trigger treating, fearing that candy could and would be tainted in the same way as those tailen all pills. The mayor of Chicago distributed one million leaflets encouraging residents to give trigger treats money or small toys instead of candy. One suburban homeowners association asked its residents to hand out coupons for candy that kids could redeem at local stores. Nationwide, fear caused candy sales to drop by as much as twenty percent that year.

The media quickly dubbed the unknown killer the quote tailanol terror rists. Once the story broke, the call volume at the Illinois Poison Control Center approached eight hundred calls in twenty four hours. In a similar time period, they would normally average about forty to sixty calls. Mass panic caused a considerable amount of chaos in the Chicago area and across the nation, and it went beyond pain relievers. Days away from Halloween, many towns canceled trigger treating, fearing that candy could and would be tainted in the same way as those tailen all pills. The mayor of Chicago distributed one million leaflets encouraging residents to give trigger treats money or small toys instead of candy. One suburban homeowners association asked its residents to hand out coupons for candy that kids could redeem at local stores. Nationwide, fear caused candy sales to drop by as much as twenty percent that year.

And all tampering had a profound impact on Americans, but it also impacted the United States pharmaceutical industry. In those days, there was no such thing as tamper proof packaging. That changed in nineteen eighty three when Congress passed what was known as the Tailenol Bill, legislation that made it a felony to tamper with consumer products, which included food, drugs, cosmetics, among other items. A few years later, in nineteen eighty nine, the United States Food and Drug Administration updated their policies as well, making medications more tamper proof by requiring tamper evidence seals on all over the counter medications. They also set into motion a change in drug manufacturing, producing pills in what they called a caplet, a hard tablet that looked like a capsule but could not be pulled apart like a capsule. The new formula was difficult to tamper with compared to old medications. Next time you get frustrated when you encounter and over the counter medication with the cardboard box. The cap and the bottle itself all tightly sealed. It's these measures keeping you safe.

And all tampering had a profound impact on Americans, but it also impacted the United States pharmaceutical industry. In those days, there was no such thing as tamper proof packaging. That changed in nineteen eighty three when Congress passed what was known as the Tailenol Bill, legislation that made it a felony to tamper with consumer products, which included food, drugs, cosmetics, among other items. A few years later, in nineteen eighty nine, the United States Food and Drug Administration updated their policies as well, making medications more tamper proof by requiring tamper evidence seals on all over the counter medications. They also set into motion a change in drug manufacturing, producing pills in what they called a caplet, a hard tablet that looked like a capsule but could not be pulled apart like a capsule. The new formula was difficult to tamper with compared to old medications. Next time you get frustrated when you encounter and over the counter medication with the cardboard box. The cap and the bottle itself all tightly sealed. It's these measures keeping you safe.

We're going to take a break for a word from our sponsors. When we're back, we'll talk about the suspects in the murders and why one man stood out among them.

We're going to take a break for a word from our sponsors. When we're back, we'll talk about the suspects in the murders and why one man stood out among them.

Welcome back to Criminalia. They may have had a good theory as to how the capsules were poisoned, but investigators still had no idea who did it and why. So let's talk about the suspects in this case.

Welcome back to Criminalia. They may have had a good theory as to how the capsules were poisoned, but investigators still had no idea who did it and why. So let's talk about the suspects in this case.

During the investigation, three suspects emerged, one of whom remained on investigator's radar for forty years right up until his death.

During the investigation, three suspects emerged, one of whom remained on investigator's radar for forty years right up until his death.

One suspect was Roger Arnold, aged forty eight, a dock worker at Jewel in Melrose Park. Jewels, a regional supermarket chain in the Chicago area. Investigators were tipped off about Arnold from a Lincoln Park bar owner who had told police that he'd heard two customers say Arnold had purchased a large quantity of cyanide about six months before the poisonings happened. During a search of Arnold's apartment on October eleventh, authorities found weapons, books about poison and poisoning, and lab equipment, including vials and beakers. Arnold confessed he had cyanide in his home, but investigators never found any. He denied any connection to the taileanol murders and refused to take a lie detector test. Ultimately cleared as a suspect, he went on to murder a man he thought told the police he was the tailanhal terrorist, and he was incarcerated.

One suspect was Roger Arnold, aged forty eight, a dock worker at Jewel in Melrose Park. Jewels, a regional supermarket chain in the Chicago area. Investigators were tipped off about Arnold from a Lincoln Park bar owner who had told police that he'd heard two customers say Arnold had purchased a large quantity of cyanide about six months before the poisonings happened. During a search of Arnold's apartment on October eleventh, authorities found weapons, books about poison and poisoning, and lab equipment, including vials and beakers. Arnold confessed he had cyanide in his home, but investigators never found any. He denied any connection to the taileanol murders and refused to take a lie detector test. Ultimately cleared as a suspect, he went on to murder a man he thought told the police he was the tailanhal terrorist, and he was incarcerated.

Then there was suspect Kevin Masterson, aged thirty five, of Lombard, Illinois. Masterson reportedly had a long standing grudge against the Chicago grocery chain Jewel because security guards had found his wife shoplifting Allegedly. He blamed the company ultimately for his divorce, and after the tailanol killings, he turned himself into the FBI in Los Angeles, but there was no connection between him and the debts.

Then there was suspect Kevin Masterson, aged thirty five, of Lombard, Illinois. Masterson reportedly had a long standing grudge against the Chicago grocery chain Jewel because security guards had found his wife shoplifting Allegedly. He blamed the company ultimately for his divorce, and after the tailanol killings, he turned himself into the FBI in Los Angeles, but there was no connection between him and the debts.

And then there was the third suspect who was the investigator's primary suspect, James Lewis. Lewis hit their radar after he sent a handwritten extortion letter to Johnson and Johnson headquarters demanding they pay one million dollars to quote stop the killings. It turned out to be a great clue to work with investigators, hoping this letter would connect them to their killer, were able to eventually trace it to Lewis through the postage meter he used to send the mail.

And then there was the third suspect who was the investigator's primary suspect, James Lewis. Lewis hit their radar after he sent a handwritten extortion letter to Johnson and Johnson headquarters demanding they pay one million dollars to quote stop the killings. It turned out to be a great clue to work with investigators, hoping this letter would connect them to their killer, were able to eventually trace it to Lewis through the postage meter he used to send the mail.

As the investigation expanded from the extortion letter to Lewis's possible involvement in the Tailanol murders, investigators used coded messages in advertisements that they placed in the Chicago Tribune, using as the letter's recipients in order to communicate with him. That was a method he had requested in his letter, and it was when a librarian in New York City spotted Lewis and contacted police that he was arrested.

As the investigation expanded from the extortion letter to Lewis's possible involvement in the Tailanol murders, investigators used coded messages in advertisements that they placed in the Chicago Tribune, using as the letter's recipients in order to communicate with him. That was a method he had requested in his letter, and it was when a librarian in New York City spotted Lewis and contacted police that he was arrested.

Lewis claimed the extortion letter was his attempt to draw attention to his wife's employer, Lakeside Travel, after her paycheck bounced, and he used the postage meter in their office as a way to call authorities attention to their alleged shady practices. He told investigators that quote he waited for the first national tragedy to occur that he could use to put an investigative spotlight on that agency. He also stated he never actually intended to collect money, and that he just wanted to embarrass his wife's former employer.

Lewis claimed the extortion letter was his attempt to draw attention to his wife's employer, Lakeside Travel, after her paycheck bounced, and he used the postage meter in their office as a way to call authorities attention to their alleged shady practices. He told investigators that quote he waited for the first national tragedy to occur that he could use to put an investigative spotlight on that agency. He also stated he never actually intended to collect money, and that he just wanted to embarrass his wife's former employer.

But some investigators didn't believe that story. They had another theory that Lewis was trying to extort Johnson and Johnson for the death of his five year old daughter, Tony Ann, who had down syndrome and a heart condition. To boost that theory, there were earlier reports in which Lewis claimed her death was the result of medications that had been manufactured by Johnson and Johnson.

But some investigators didn't believe that story. They had another theory that Lewis was trying to extort Johnson and Johnson for the death of his five year old daughter, Tony Ann, who had down syndrome and a heart condition. To boost that theory, there were earlier reports in which Lewis claimed her death was the result of medications that had been manufactured by Johnson and Johnson.

Lewis consistently denied any role in the poisonings. Though he was never charged with the Tailanhol murders, he did stand trial for extortion for writing and mailing threatening letters to Johnson and Johnson. He was convicted and sentenced to ten years in prison. He served his full sentence, and while incarcerated, he volunteered to help investigators solve the case of the Taileanhol killings, and he had numerous theories as to how the crime could have been committed. For many that further raised suspicions of his guilt. He defended his assistance in the case in a nineteen ninety two CNN interview, saying, quote, if I were going down the street and your house was on fire, not my problem, but I would stop and try to help.

Lewis consistently denied any role in the poisonings. Though he was never charged with the Tailanhol murders, he did stand trial for extortion for writing and mailing threatening letters to Johnson and Johnson. He was convicted and sentenced to ten years in prison. He served his full sentence, and while incarcerated, he volunteered to help investigators solve the case of the Taileanhol killings, and he had numerous theories as to how the crime could have been committed. For many that further raised suspicions of his guilt. He defended his assistance in the case in a nineteen ninety two CNN interview, saying, quote, if I were going down the street and your house was on fire, not my problem, but I would stop and try to help.

Lewis had detailed theories about the circumstances surrounding the deaths and invited highly detailed drawings, diagrams, and manuscripts as to how the murderer may have gone about filling the capsules and distributing them. Investigators were quote thunderstruck by the specificity of the drawings that he created and the quote many many hours of painstaking work that it would have taken him to prepare such materials, stated Jeremy Margolis, former assistant US attorney who worked on the investigation of Lewis's detail. Quote. He made a drawing which he called the drill board method. Someone could drill holes into a plywood contraption, put the bottom capsule into the hole, put cyanide on top of the board, scrape it across with a bread knife. Clean up the excess, put the tops of the capsules in, load them into the tailenal bottles, and put them on store shelves. Still, despite his cooperation, investigators found Lewis to be quote arrogant, haughty, and condescending.

Lewis had detailed theories about the circumstances surrounding the deaths and invited highly detailed drawings, diagrams, and manuscripts as to how the murderer may have gone about filling the capsules and distributing them. Investigators were quote thunderstruck by the specificity of the drawings that he created and the quote many many hours of painstaking work that it would have taken him to prepare such materials, stated Jeremy Margolis, former assistant US attorney who worked on the investigation of Lewis's detail. Quote. He made a drawing which he called the drill board method. Someone could drill holes into a plywood contraption, put the bottom capsule into the hole, put cyanide on top of the board, scrape it across with a bread knife. Clean up the excess, put the tops of the capsules in, load them into the tailenal bottles, and put them on store shelves. Still, despite his cooperation, investigators found Lewis to be quote arrogant, haughty, and condescending.

Said Margolis of Fluid assistants. Quote, it was nothing short of bizarre. Here's a guy who was facing many years in the federal penitentiary, publicly accused, although not formally charged, with the Tailanhal murders, who volunteers his assistance to law enforcement to help them solve the Tailanal murders and then provided us with dozens and dozens and dozens of pages of manuscripts speculating on how it might have happened. Lewis later said of his work, quote, I was doing like I would have done for a corporate client, making a list of possible scenarios. And he called the Tailanhal terrorist quote a heinous, cold blooded killer, a cruel monster.

Said Margolis of Fluid assistants. Quote, it was nothing short of bizarre. Here's a guy who was facing many years in the federal penitentiary, publicly accused, although not formally charged, with the Tailanhal murders, who volunteers his assistance to law enforcement to help them solve the Tailanal murders and then provided us with dozens and dozens and dozens of pages of manuscripts speculating on how it might have happened. Lewis later said of his work, quote, I was doing like I would have done for a corporate client, making a list of possible scenarios. And he called the Tailanhal terrorist quote a heinous, cold blooded killer, a cruel monster.

Chuck Gowdy, a Chicago based investigative reporter, interviewed Lewis over the years and has said of James quote, he was one of those criminals who thought that he was the smartest guy in the room. He would call me angry about stories that we aired. Did like that we presumed he was the tailand Al killer, even though he put himself right in the middle of it and explained the entire series of attacks.

Chuck Gowdy, a Chicago based investigative reporter, interviewed Lewis over the years and has said of James quote, he was one of those criminals who thought that he was the smartest guy in the room. He would call me angry about stories that we aired. Did like that we presumed he was the tailand Al killer, even though he put himself right in the middle of it and explained the entire series of attacks.

During their investigation, authorities discovered that Lewis had a violent criminal past, and just four years prior had been charged with killing and dismembering seventy two year old Raymond West, who had hired Lewis as an accountant. Lewis had then tried to cash a check forged in the victim's name. He was not convicted, though, despite plenty of compelling evidence of his guilt. A judge dismissed the charges on a few reasons. Some evidence had been illegally obtained, and Lewis had not been read his miranda rights upon arrest.

During their investigation, authorities discovered that Lewis had a violent criminal past, and just four years prior had been charged with killing and dismembering seventy two year old Raymond West, who had hired Lewis as an accountant. Lewis had then tried to cash a check forged in the victim's name. He was not convicted, though, despite plenty of compelling evidence of his guilt. A judge dismissed the charges on a few reasons. Some evidence had been illegally obtained, and Lewis had not been read his miranda rights upon arrest.

Going back long before the Tailannol murders in nineteen sixty six, they discovered that Lewis tried to kill his adoptive mother with an axe, and that he was placed in the Statemental Hospital. In nineteen eighty one, he was convicted of six counts of mail fraud in a credit card scheme in Cansas City.

Going back long before the Tailannol murders in nineteen sixty six, they discovered that Lewis tried to kill his adoptive mother with an axe, and that he was placed in the Statemental Hospital. In nineteen eighty one, he was convicted of six counts of mail fraud in a credit card scheme in Cansas City.

More recently, and therefore not part of the initial Tailanl investigation, in two thousand and four, Lewis was charged with rape and kidnapping. He spent three years in jail awaiting trial, but the case was dropped when the victim wouldn't testify. In two thousand and nine, FBI agents searched Lewis's apartment in Cambridge, Massachusetts, removing boxes of evidence, but whatever they were looking for, nothing came of what they found. In twenty ten, Lewis self published a novel titled Poison The Doctor's Dilemma. The story was about people drinking lead poisoned water, but in this novel he directly referenced the tailanol murders. As recently as September of twenty twenty two, investigators reinterviewed Lewis about the Taileanal case, but again to no avail.

More recently, and therefore not part of the initial Tailanl investigation, in two thousand and four, Lewis was charged with rape and kidnapping. He spent three years in jail awaiting trial, but the case was dropped when the victim wouldn't testify. In two thousand and nine, FBI agents searched Lewis's apartment in Cambridge, Massachusetts, removing boxes of evidence, but whatever they were looking for, nothing came of what they found. In twenty ten, Lewis self published a novel titled Poison The Doctor's Dilemma. The story was about people drinking lead poisoned water, but in this novel he directly referenced the tailanol murders. As recently as September of twenty twenty two, investigators reinterviewed Lewis about the Taileanal case, but again to no avail.

In the long term aftermath, authorities have continued to investigate the murders and have collected DA samples from Lewis and others. In recent years, they even looked into Ted Kaczinski, the so called unibomer, who used homemade bombs and killings from nineteen seventy eight to nineteen ninety five, but the tailan All case remains unsolved, although it's never actually been closed. When he died in twenty twenty three, headlines across the country continued to cite Lewis as the prime suspect in the Chicago tailanol murders.

In the long term aftermath, authorities have continued to investigate the murders and have collected DA samples from Lewis and others. In recent years, they even looked into Ted Kaczinski, the so called unibomer, who used homemade bombs and killings from nineteen seventy eight to nineteen ninety five, but the tailan All case remains unsolved, although it's never actually been closed. When he died in twenty twenty three, headlines across the country continued to cite Lewis as the prime suspect in the Chicago tailanol murders.

The murders, reported the Safety Science Journal, were quote something never seen or thinkable for someone until it happened, and that the concept of safety culture has largely developed since. Helen Jensen, who pinpointed tailanol as the murder weapon, has stated perhaps the most poignant comment of their impact, quote, we lost our innocence. We have become less trusting of everyone else. It's an odd question I'm going to have to get used to.

The murders, reported the Safety Science Journal, were quote something never seen or thinkable for someone until it happened, and that the concept of safety culture has largely developed since. Helen Jensen, who pinpointed tailanol as the murder weapon, has stated perhaps the most poignant comment of their impact, quote, we lost our innocence. We have become less trusting of everyone else. It's an odd question I'm going to have to get used to.

That's so true. Would you like to step inside the cooler?

That's so true. Would you like to step inside the cooler?

Let me grab my jacket? Hang on.

Let me grab my jacket? Hang on.

This one is so weird because I have a memory of this all playing out. I was a kid when it happened, and I remember seeing it on the news. Me too, But this is one where I'm going to invoke my own specific happy memory sort of related to it, because I have since I was a child, loved those pull apart gelatin capsules. There's just something oddly magical about them. Yes, and there are some ways you can still get those, Like there's some products that still use them, Like there's a supplement I give my cats that uses it, like you're actually supposed to pull it apart and sprinkle it on their food, And there are things that use them. And I just remember as a kid, I got in trouble for taking a bunch of part and like just kind of playing with them, and so I kind of wanted to make a drink that references back to that. I love the duality of the two colors of the ends that slid apart. It was like a little toy because they were gelatin, but they felt like plastic in your hands.

This one is so weird because I have a memory of this all playing out. I was a kid when it happened, and I remember seeing it on the news. Me too, But this is one where I'm going to invoke my own specific happy memory sort of related to it, because I have since I was a child, loved those pull apart gelatin capsules. There's just something oddly magical about them. Yes, and there are some ways you can still get those, Like there's some products that still use them, Like there's a supplement I give my cats that uses it, like you're actually supposed to pull it apart and sprinkle it on their food, And there are things that use them. And I just remember as a kid, I got in trouble for taking a bunch of part and like just kind of playing with them, and so I kind of wanted to make a drink that references back to that. I love the duality of the two colors of the ends that slid apart. It was like a little toy because they were gelatin, but they felt like plastic in your hands.

Yes they did, and we were both very like we were kids. We were small.

Yes they did, and we were both very like we were kids. We were small.

Yeah, but obviously this is also tragic. So I made a drink that I debated calling this the poison pill, but instead I want to call it tamper proof. Okay, because I am very thankful that a lot of safety measures were put in place, even though I hate that.

Yeah, but obviously this is also tragic. So I made a drink that I debated calling this the poison pill, but instead I want to call it tamper proof. Okay, because I am very thankful that a lot of safety measures were put in place, even though I hate that.

I can't get into them anymore, but I like that they're right.

I can't get into them anymore, but I like that they're right.

It's fine. I will use tools like a grade ape. Really, I'm just you know, applying sharp items until I can get into.

It's fine. I will use tools like a grade ape. Really, I'm just you know, applying sharp items until I can get into.

It, because I'd rather have the safety measures than like crying myself with the knife tire to get into it.

It, because I'd rather have the safety measures than like crying myself with the knife tire to get into it.

Yes, and this drink, because of one of the ingredients, you can customize it to your own taste a little bit. So this starts with three quarters of ounce of grenadine, three quarters of an ounce of lime juice, a half ounce of orjaw and if you're like, is that a lot of syrup? You'll see why in a minute an ounce and a half of vodka. I'm gonna be honest. I put more than that in it initially, and I think it was a little too slappy. But if you really love vodka and you want to drink one drink for the night, go ahead and bump it up to two if you wish. And then just a splash I mean a little splash of red wine or port. It's there for color more than anything else, but it's also a good way to use up any wine you got lying around the house, and it adds a bass note to the whole thing and makes it nice and heavy, which is what we want. So you are gonna shake that in a shaker with ice, strain it into a clean glass with clean ice, and then we're gonna do a layering effect because you're gonna take your barspoon. Everybody likes to do layers a little differently. For me, the best way is to have a bar that has a flat end and carefully pour the last ingredient down that spiral of the bar spoon to let it kind of hit the You want to place that flat end kind of right on the meniscus of your existing drink and let it kind of spread out from there instead of pouring into it. And you're gonna use hard seltzer, and you're gonna top it with I don't know, two to two and a half ounces of hard seltzer because what this does. And I used a strawberry hibiscus one that I had on hand. But if you have another flavor, that's great, like mine came from a pack that I got at the grocery store that had like four different flavors, including like grape, and one of them is pineapple, and one of them is like a lime flavor. So you have some options there. And then what you get is a drink that looks about half bright red and about half clear, kind of like those pills were bright red and white in many ca or sometimes yellow in my memory. I looked up pictures I did.

Yes, and this drink, because of one of the ingredients, you can customize it to your own taste a little bit. So this starts with three quarters of ounce of grenadine, three quarters of an ounce of lime juice, a half ounce of orjaw and if you're like, is that a lot of syrup? You'll see why in a minute an ounce and a half of vodka. I'm gonna be honest. I put more than that in it initially, and I think it was a little too slappy. But if you really love vodka and you want to drink one drink for the night, go ahead and bump it up to two if you wish. And then just a splash I mean a little splash of red wine or port. It's there for color more than anything else, but it's also a good way to use up any wine you got lying around the house, and it adds a bass note to the whole thing and makes it nice and heavy, which is what we want. So you are gonna shake that in a shaker with ice, strain it into a clean glass with clean ice, and then we're gonna do a layering effect because you're gonna take your barspoon. Everybody likes to do layers a little differently. For me, the best way is to have a bar that has a flat end and carefully pour the last ingredient down that spiral of the bar spoon to let it kind of hit the You want to place that flat end kind of right on the meniscus of your existing drink and let it kind of spread out from there instead of pouring into it. And you're gonna use hard seltzer, and you're gonna top it with I don't know, two to two and a half ounces of hard seltzer because what this does. And I used a strawberry hibiscus one that I had on hand. But if you have another flavor, that's great, like mine came from a pack that I got at the grocery store that had like four different flavors, including like grape, and one of them is pineapple, and one of them is like a lime flavor. So you have some options there. And then what you get is a drink that looks about half bright red and about half clear, kind of like those pills were bright red and white in many ca or sometimes yellow in my memory. I looked up pictures I did.

Too, sometimes blue, but the red was always there.

Too, sometimes blue, but the red was always there.

Yeah, So that it kind of has the same visual effect, but with safety, we hope, so that that is the tamper proof. If you want to do this as a mocktail, it's pretty easy. Instead of vodka, you're gonna do this is where I would probably do like a club soda, and I would not put it in the shaker. Obviously you're gonna just mix that into your drink. Go ahead and mix it in the glass in this case, and then instead of a splash of wine, just use like a grape juice or a pomegranate juice, whatever you have on hand that is dark in color. This is the one time where I will say, not your white grape juice, and then you will do. I would do like a non alcoholic seltzer on top, and if you have one with a flavors, so much the better. I love flavored seltzer. Man. When I was a kid, that was the sat and that is the tamper proof. This is one of those things that I periodically throughout my adult life, my brain has just gone.

Yeah, So that it kind of has the same visual effect, but with safety, we hope, so that that is the tamper proof. If you want to do this as a mocktail, it's pretty easy. Instead of vodka, you're gonna do this is where I would probably do like a club soda, and I would not put it in the shaker. Obviously you're gonna just mix that into your drink. Go ahead and mix it in the glass in this case, and then instead of a splash of wine, just use like a grape juice or a pomegranate juice, whatever you have on hand that is dark in color. This is the one time where I will say, not your white grape juice, and then you will do. I would do like a non alcoholic seltzer on top, and if you have one with a flavors, so much the better. I love flavored seltzer. Man. When I was a kid, that was the sat and that is the tamper proof. This is one of those things that I periodically throughout my adult life, my brain has just gone.

Right for like these disappearances and murders from when.

Right for like these disappearances and murders from when.

We were kids, Like, yeah, are they just floating around out.

We were kids, Like, yeah, are they just floating around out.

There because one piece of critical evidence has not been found and they're just hanging it doing their life right.

There because one piece of critical evidence has not been found and they're just hanging it doing their life right.

So, once again, cold case is not so easy to want to think about drinks for it, but we're doing it. And I love hearing about them because it is fascinating to know how many things have happened that we haven't figured out.

So, once again, cold case is not so easy to want to think about drinks for it, but we're doing it. And I love hearing about them because it is fascinating to know how many things have happened that we haven't figured out.

Yet and what people think might the reason be for that? Yeah, whatever crime was.

Yet and what people think might the reason be for that? Yeah, whatever crime was.

So tragic, but hopefully, uh, you know, nothing in your life has ever been or will ever be tampered with. We are so grateful that you've spent this time with us, and we will be right back here next time week with another story and we will have another cocktail and mocktail to go with it. Criminalia is a production of Shondaland Audio in partnership with iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from Shondaland Audio, please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

So tragic, but hopefully, uh, you know, nothing in your life has ever been or will ever be tampered with. We are so grateful that you've spent this time with us, and we will be right back here next time week with another story and we will have another cocktail and mocktail to go with it. Criminalia is a production of Shondaland Audio in partnership with iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from Shondaland Audio, please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.