# Chicago Tylenol Murders Cold Case Solved

> Chicago detectives link 1982 'unknown wanderer' to Tylenol murders using cold case evidence.
- Title: Chicago Tylenol Murders Cold Case Solved · ABC7 New York
- Summary: Chicago detectives link 1982 'unknown wanderer' to Tylenol murders using cold case evidence. Dr. Mathew Francis Betkouski, identified as the 'unknown…
- Keywords: chicago, tylenol murders, cyanide, cold case, unknown wanderer, boise, idaho, 1982, museum, news, local, Tylenol
- Source: ABC7 New York — https://abc7ny.com/story/cross-country-cold-case-leads-detectives-chicago-area-tylenol-murders/19861907
- Published: 2026-09-23T17:54:35+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: chicago, tylenol murders, cyanide, cold case, unknown wanderer, boise, idaho, 1982, museum, news, local
## Chicago detectives identify 'unknown wanderer'
Officials identified Dr. Mathew Francis Betkouski as the man found dead inside a Boise, Idaho church in December 1982.
## Betkouski died by cyanide poisoning
He died by taking cyanide inside the church in December 1982 after receiving multiple mental health treatments in the 1970s.
## Betkouski's possible connection to murders
Police said Betkouski was known to be doing experiments at his home in 1982 and was fired after taking chemicals from his lab job.
## Betkouski's mental health history
He was described as paranoid, possibly having schizophrenia, and a 'loner' before his death in 1982.
## Betkouski's belongings linked to Chicago
Police found maps of Chicago and photos of Betkouski in the Windy City in December 1981 among his belongings.
## Betkouski as potential suspect
Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Park Dietz said Betkouski was a viable suspect after presenting the case to multiple forensic psychiatrists and an FBI group in the 1980s.
## Key takeaway

Dr. Mathew Francis Betkouski, identified as the 'unknown wanderer' who died in Boise in 1982, is a potential suspect in Chicago's 1982 Tylenol cyanide murders.