Murder by Remote Control

Murder by Remote Control

From Seeing Red A True Crime Podcast by Mark Randell & Bethan Trueman

April 28, 2026 · 60 min

About this episode

This episode discusses the Chicago Tylenol murders and the subsequent copycat killings, highlighting the dangers of tampered medications.

Painkillers. Cold medicine. Morphine, if you're Mark! Something to take the edge off a headache. In 1982, people across Chicago did exactly that — and some of them never got back up. This week on Seeing Red, we’re talking about the case that changed everything: the Chicago Tylenol murders. Cyanide-laced capsules. Random victims. A killer who never had to meet the people they murdered — just quietly tamper with bottles and put them back on the shelf. But it didn’t stop there. Because once the fear was out in the world, someone else saw an opportunity. We also look at the copycat killings that followed — including a case where “random” poisonings were anything but, and innocent people died to cover up a far more personal murder. This is murder without warning, without motive you can see, and without a suspect we can name. So… how safe is that bottle in your bathroom cabinet? www.patreon.com/seeingredpodcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/seeingredtw⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.seeingredpodcast.co.uk Theme music arranged and composed by Holly-Jane Shears…

People in this episode

Hosts: Mark Randell, Bethan Trueman

Topics covered

  • Chicago Tylenol murders
  • cyanide poisoning
  • copycat killings
  • random victims
  • murder without motive

Keywords

  • Tylenol
  • cyanide
  • murders
  • copycat
  • poisoning
  • Chicago
  • 1982

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Chicago Tylenol, Holly-Jane Shears, DeadDogInBlackBag

Places: Chicago

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