Idaho Man Identified as Suspect in 1982 Tylenol Poisonings
Idaho authorities identify man linked to 1982 Chicago Tylenol poisonings. New evidence emerges after 40 years.
POLICY WIRE — Boise, Idaho — A decades-old cold case has taken a new turn as Idaho officials have identified a man found dead in a church in 1982 as a former chemist with potential ties to the unsolved 1982 Chicago Tylenol poisonings.
The man, known for years only as the “Unknown Wanderer,” was confirmed to be Matthew Francis Betkouski. His body was discovered beneath a pew at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Boise on December 4, 1982, with a suicide note and $1,900 intended for his funeral and cremation. An autopsy revealed he died from cyanide poisoning.
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Authorities reopened the case in 2019 after finding a key on Betkouski’s body that led to an address in Jacksonville, Florida. Through property records and DNA testing, investigators matched him to a missing person who had been declared legally dead in 1989. Betkouski, a PhD holder with a history of mental illness, had previously worked at Lockheed Martin and reportedly discussed cyanide in conversations with colleagues. His writings and travel patterns also suggest a connection to the Chicago area around the time of the poisonings.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
