Further reading on The Chicago Tylenol Poisonings
TYMURS: The 1982 Tylenol Murders (TYMURS, Book 1)
Info:
1978 Bruce Longo a larger then life, long haired, bearded man believed himself to be a prophet of god. After being excommunicated from the Church of Latter-day Saints, he changed his name to Immanuel David and started his own cult.
David, his wife Rachel David and their seven children lived a secluded yet lavish lifestyle. They were living in the International Dunes Hotel 11th floor Alta Suite, paying $90 a day (remember 1970’s money) and ordering catered meals from a local French restaurant multiple times a week. The family was known as loaners and did not interact with any of their fellow hotel guests or the staff. The children did not attend school and it was believed that they were educated by their parents in their suite. They were known to be quiet and it was said the children did not speak unless they had their fathers permission, did not use the hotel swimming pool and rarely left their room.
It didn’t take the FBI long to wonder where David’s cash flow was coming from and they opened an investigation on him and his followers. This investigation sent another man to jail for wire fraud and convinced the investigators that much of David’s money, wether it be legal or illegally raised, was coming from followers who truly believed him to be a prophet.
July 30, 1978 Immanuel David borrowed a truck, drove into the mountains and connected a hose from the exhaust into the cab in order to commit suicide. There are no real theories as to why David took his life but sadly his death was the first but not the last.
August 3, 1978 Rebecca David took her seven children out on the balcony of their 11th floor suite and threw her younger children over the side as the older children willingly jumped. One of the younger children clung to the railing and fought, but Rebecca pulled him loose and threw him over the side.
Bystanders on the street watched in horror, begging the woman to stop. But as the last of the children fell the crowds response changed as anger took hold. They then started berating the woman and telling her to jump, which she did. In the end 6 of the children died as well as Rebecca.
The one surviving child Rachel, was hospitalized for months before being placed in a foster home. Rachel has said that she believes her father is God and will return to earth. She said she jumped willingly from the balcony and believed that her and her families death were ordained.
The 1982 Tylenol murders:
September of 1982, seven people in Chicago died after taking Tylenol. Click on the above link to read the full story of the murders and the mishandling of the unsolved case.