The Tylenol Murders, Part I

# Stuff You Should Know Episode Summary

In this gripping first part of a two-episode deep dive, Josh and Chuck explore the 1982 Tylenol murders, a terrifying crime wave that claimed seven lives in the Chicago area and sparked nationwide panic. The episode meticulously traces the tragic deaths that unfolded on a single day in late September, revealing how bottles of Extra-Strength Tylenol had been laced with potassium cyanide—a deadly poison that causes excruciating, rapid organ failure. As news of the poisonings spread and authorities made the horrifying connection between the deaths, the case became a media sensation second only to the JFK assassination, spawning copycat tampering incidents across the country and forever changing how consumer products are manufactured and packaged.