In Boise, Idaho, a man found dead in a church decades ago has been linked to the unsolved Tylenol murders of 1982, where seven people in Chicago died from cyanide-laced Tylenol. Detective Tim Cooper reopened the case in 2019, identifying the man as Dr. Mathew Francis Betkouski, who had poisoned himself with cyanide over 40 years ago. Betkouski, who worked in drugstores and had a fascination with the “perfect crime,” was found with cyanide in his desk. Although he never lived in Illinois, photos showed he visited Chicago a year before the murders. The Chicago Police are investigating whether Betkouski is connected to the case, which remains unsolved. Previously, James Lewis was suspected but never charged, despite serving time for an extortion attempt related to the murders.
QUESTION: How might the reopening of cold cases like this one impact the way we view justice and accountability for past crimes?
Idaho case may be connected to the 1982 Tylenol murders, officials say
