Stuff You Should Know SYSK’s Fall True Crime Playlist: The Tylenol Murders, Part II
Sep 26, 2025
The podcast delves into the chilling aftermath of the Chicago Tylenol murders, exploring how the panic spread and impacted global safety standards. Key topics include Johnson & Johnson's crisis response and the introduction of tamper-proof packaging. The discussion profiles various suspects, such as Roger Arnold, who later became a convicted killer, and James Lewis, whose extortion letter led to a tangled investigation. Despite numerous inquiries, the case remains unsolved, leaving a haunting legacy on the victims' families.
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PR Response Rebuilt Trust
- Johnson & Johnson's rapid, transparent recall and communication restored public trust after the Tylenol poisonings.
- Their response became a PR case study and helped the brand recover within a year.
Why Products Were Vulnerable
- Pre‑1982 packaging made OTC pills trivially easy to tamper with and returned to shelves undetected.
- The Tylenol murders exposed that consumer product distribution had major safety blind spots.
Adopt Tamper‑Evident Packaging Fast
- Implement visible tamper-evident features on consumer packaging to restore confidence.
- Use glued boxes, outer plastic seals, and foil seals over bottle mouths to deter and reveal tampering.
