The Tylenol Mafia (79 page)

Government should be transparent: Obama, Barack.
“MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES.”
January 21, 2009.
Accessed June 30, 2011.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/transparency-and-open-government

Nevertheless, in July 2011 the FBI denied an FOIA request for documents related to the Tylenol murders: Hardy, David M. (FBI Section Chief) Denial of FOIA Request No, 1169091-000, Tylenol Tampering Incident, July 19, 2011.

40
           
A Novel Approach

POISON! The Doctor’s Dilemma
:
Lewis, James. “The Doctor’s Dilemma - A Collaborative Novel being Co-Authored by: Roy J. Lane, FBI Agent Retired.” January 7, 2009.

Lewis says the novel is a psychological fantasy:
Goudie
, Chuck. “James Lewis writes the book on POISON!
Deaths.”
Daily Herald
website, January 13, 2010.
Accessed June 1, 2011.
http://saxo.dailyherald.com/article/20100111/Discuss/301119938/

Lewis had been: Lewis, James. Email interview by author, re: Lane and Nichols, June 21, 2010.

Lane had retired from the FBI in 1996: O’Connor, Matt. “Corruption, Crime Met Match in Key FBI Agent.”
Chicago Tribune
, May 07, 1996.

Lane and Jeremy Margolis had gone out to Cambridge: O’Connor, Phillip J. “Lewis wife harassed by FBI, lawyer says.”
Chicago Sun-Times
, February 15, 1986.

Lane told Lewis: Lewis, James. Email interview by author, June 21, 2010.

 
“Without Roy Lane”:
 
Lewis, James. “The Doctor’s Dilemma - A Collaborative Novel being Co-Authored by: Roy J. Lane, FBI Agent Retired.” January 7, 2009

Lewis agreed to give:
 
Nichols, Sherry. “No Subject.” Email, February 29, 2008 -- Lane, Roy.
“RE Boarding Pass.”
March 9, 2008. -- Nichols, Sherry. “RE: February 5
^th
, 6
^th
, and possibly 7
^th
.” Email, January 24, 2008.

One of the computers:
 
Nichols, Sherry. “RE: Thanks.” Email, January 14, 2008.

 
“Sherry’s experience as”:
 
Lewis, James. “The Doctor’s Dilemma - A Collaborative Novel being Co-Authored by: Roy J. Lane, FBI Agent Retired.” January 7, 2009.

In Chicago in 2008: Lewis, James. Email interview by author, re: Lane and Nichols, June 21, 2010.

Roy and Sherry flew: Lewis, James. Email interview by author, re: Lane and Nichols, June 21, 2010.

Lane and Nichols conducted: Lewis, James. Email interview by author, re: Lane and Nichols, June 21, 2010.

The business address that “Nichols” had given to Lewis: Lewis, James. “The Doctor’s Dilemma - A Collaborative Novel being Co-Authored by: Roy J. Lane, FBI Agent Retired.” January 7, 2009.

From August 2007 through the end of 2008, Nichols and Lane taped 80 hours: Lewis, James. Email interview by author, re: DNA, June 25, 2010.

In 1991, John Orr: “Arson Investigator-Novelist Is Charged With Setting Fires.”
The New York Times
, December 20, 1991.

 
“The key to the government’s case”: United States of America, Plaintiff-
Appellee
,
v.John
Leonard ORR, Defendant-Appellant. No. 92-10681.
United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, July 21, 1994.

Orr pled guilty to three additional:
Wambaugh
, John.
Fire Lover
.
New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 2002.

Then, in 1998, Orr was convicted:
Wambaugh
, John.
Fire Lover
.
New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 2002.

Federal ATF Agent, Mike
Matassa
: Evan, Thomas.
“The scorched earth obsession.”
Newsweek
, October 27, 2007.

 
“I used the fires I studied as material for my book”: Grogan, David.
“Burning Ambition.”
People
, April 5, 1993.

“As promised, here are my notes”:
 
Lane, Roy. “RE: REVISED: Roy and Jim's Lexicon (9:00 AM-Version),” Email, December 9, 2007.

 
“Sherry, I reviewed your”:
 
Lane, Roy. “FWD: Tylenol Extortion Letter Motive.” Email, December 26, 2008.

 
“As you see”:
 
Lane, Roy. “FWD: Tylenol Extortion Letter Motive.” Email, December 26, 2008.

 
“After I read”:
 
Lane, Roy.
“RE Chapter 13.”
Email, December 31, 2007.

“Chuck’s reconciliation”:
 
Lane, Roy.
“The Doctor’s Dilemma.”
Email, March 1, 2008.

 
“Act of reconciliation”:
 
Lane, Roy.
“The Doctor’s Dilemma.”
Email, March 1, 2008.

In the novel that Lewis actually wrote:
 
Lewis, James Wm.
POISON! The Doctor’s Dilemma
. 2010.

 
“According to the logic”:
 
Lane, Roy.
“The Doctor’s Dilemma.”
Email, December 13, 2007.

“Results: Chuck is forgiven”:
 
Lane, Roy.
“The Doctor’s Dilemma.”
Email, March 1, 2008.

Lewis, to a certain extent: Lewis, James. Email interview by author, re: Lane and Nichols, June 21, 2010.

 
“Without the either side”: Lewis, James. Email interview by author, re: Lane and Nichols, June 24, 2010.

Roy and Sherry took Jim and LeAnn to dinner: Lewis, James. Email interview by author, re: Lane and Nichols, June 24, 2010.

 
“No matter how scared: Lewis, James. Email interview by author, re: Lane and Nichols, June 24, 2010.

“I had already read Douglas’s fictional”: Lewis, James. Email interview by author, re: Chuck River and FBI profile, July 5, 2010.

Lewis invited Lane: Lewis, James. Email interview re: Lane and Nichols. Bartz, Scott. June 24, 2010.

 
“He told me on several occasions”: Lewis, James. Email interview by author, re: Lane and Nichols, June 24, 2010.

Lane also gave out a few clues: Lewis, James. Email interview by author, re: Lane and Nichols, June 21, 2010.

Lane’s interest in a possible India connection: Lewis, James. Email interview by author, re:
Aljeev
International, July 31, 2010.

 
“I did character sketches”: Lewis, James. Email interview by author, re: Chuck River and FBI profile, July 5, 2010.

 
“Believe me,” said Lewis: Lewis, James. Email interview by author, re: Chuck River and FBI profile, July 5, 2010.

 
“I’ve been on the road”:
 
Lane, Roy.
“Big News.”
Email, February 5, 2009.

 
“Sorry for the delay”:
 
Lane, Roy. “
Fw
: DD January 7, 2009 Draft.” Email, February 9, 2009.

Retired FBI agent, Grey Steed: Meyer, Bill;
Babwin
, Don; Barrett, Devlin.
“FBI takes sudden new interest in 'Tylenol Man’.”
The Plain Dealer
, February 5, 2009.

 
“Sherry told me”:
 
Lane, Roy. “
Robiatopia
Man.” Email, December 20, 2007.

41
           
A Familiar Pattern

Maurice
Possley
and Ken Armstrong:
Possley
, Maurice; Armstrong, Ken. “The Verdict: Dishonor.”
The Chicago Tribune
, January 10, 1999.

Although the
Tribune:
Possley
, Maurice; Armstrong, Ken. “The Verdict: Dishonor.”
The Chicago Tribune
, January 10, 1999.

On the afternoon of June 5, 1986: “Bitter Pill.”
48 Hours
, CBS News, June 4, 2001

Nearly two weeks after: “Bitter Pill.”
48 Hours
, CBS News, June 4, 2001.

As political pressure mounted to get a conviction for these murders: Egan, Timothy.
“Victim’s Wife Indicted for Drug Tainting.”
 
The New York Times
, December 13, 1987.

Bruce’s life insurance policy: United Press International. “Poisonings were a plot, Attorney says.”
The Daily News
, April 21, 1988.

Auburn Detective Mike Dunbar: “Bitter Pill.”
48 Hours
, CBS News, June 4, 2001. -- United Press International. “Poisonings were a plot, Attorney says.”
The Daily News
, April 21, 1988.

“....think things over.
”:
Farr,
Alwin
.
“U.S.A. vs. Stella M. Nickell Case History & Review.”
A.L. Farr Associates Inc. website, Accessed June 30, 2011.
http://www.find-em.com/stella/index.html#top

As it turned out:
Tibbits
, George.
“Excedrin Poisoner Sentenced.”
Times Union
, June 18, 1988.

In 1999, private detectives: Farr, A.L. “Declaration of A.L. Farr.”
A.L. Farr Associates Inc. website, Accessed June 30, 2011.
http://www.find-em.com/stella/farr_declaration.html

“My belief is that”: “Bitter Pill.”
48 Hours
, CBS News, June 4, 2001.

The government claimed: “Bitter Pill.”
48 Hours
, CBS News, June 4, 2001.

The Proprietary Association: Associated Press. “O.C. Woman Gets Big Reward in Mom's Conviction.”
LA Times
, October 06, 1990.

The Proprietary Association paid Stella’s: Associated Press. “O.C. Woman Gets Big Reward in Mom's Conviction.”
LA Times
, October 06, 1990.

At the request of FBI Agent, Jack: Scott, Sandy.
“Declaration of Sandy Scott.”
A.L. Farr Associates Inc. website, Accessed June 30, 2011.
http://www.find-em.com/stella/sandy_declaration.html

Thomas Noonan, the fish: Associated Press. “O.C. Woman Gets Big Reward in Mom's Conviction.”
LA Times
: October 06, 1990

When Farr interviewed him later, Noonan: Farr, A.L. Declaration of A.L. Farr.
A.L. Farr Associates Inc. website, Accessed June 30, 2011.
http://www.find-em.com/stella/farr_declaration.html

 
“Big business and”:
 
The “Excedrin Killings.”
American Justice
. A&E, December 16, 2009.

Not brought up:
 
United Press International. “Tampering Found In Anacin Product”
Pharos Tribune
, June 25, 1986.

FDA spokesperson, Ellen Miller:
 
Egan, Timothy. “Victim’s Wife Indicted for Drug Tainting.”
The New York Times
, December 13, 1987.

The
Chicago Tribune
found:
Possley
, Maurice; Armstrong, Ken. “The Verdict: Dishonor.”
The Chicago Tribune
, January 10, 1999.

Rolando Cruz and Alejandro “Alex” Hernandez:
Sevener
, Donald.
“A Capital Blunder.”
Chicago Reader
, July 27, 1989.

Detective John Sam:
Sevener
, Donald.
“A Capital Blunder.”
Chicago Reader
, July 27, 1989.

DuPage County prosecutors:
Sevener
, Donald.
“A Capital Blunder.”
Chicago Reader
, July 27, 1989.

On March 9, 1984, two weeks before:
Sevener
, Donald.
“A Capital Blunder.”
Chicago Reader
, July 27, 1989.