Show notes
Tylenol Murders, Free Solo Climbing & Lawn Chair Larry: Wild True StoriesThe Old Dirty Basement podcast returns with an episode idea to discuss intriguing individuals and stories, starting with the 1982 Chicago Tylenol murders in which seven people died after capsules were laced with potassium cyanide, prompting a nationwide recall, new anti-tampering laws, and tamperproof packaging. The hosts cover suspect James William Lewis (who used aliases including “Robert Richardson”), his extortion letter demanding $1 million, his arrest in New York, conviction for extortion, later media attention, DNA testing that didn’t match him, and the case remaining unsolved. They then shift to rock climber Alex Honnold and the extreme “free solo” style without ropes, recommending the Netflix documentary. Finally, they расскаunt Larry Walters’ 1982 lawn-chair balloon flight to 16,000 feet over Los Angeles, his descent by shooting balloons, arrest, and the lawn chair’s Smithsonian display, before wrapping up with social links and plugs.



