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CHICAGO 鈥� A wave of mysterious deaths among those who consumed tainted Extra Strength Tylenol in the Chicago area in the early 1980s sparked panic and fear nationwide, particularly among nearby states.

The deaths, which totaled seven in all, are at the center of the Netflix docuseries, " ," which takes viewers behind the scenes of the investigation, featuring interviews with investigators and family members of the victims.

The crimes remain unsolved.

The string of mysterious deaths began on Sept. 29, 1982, the morning after 12-year-old Mary Mary Kellerman took a single Extra Strength Tylenol capsule to relieve a sore throat.

Family and medical professionals were left stunned. Kellerman was an otherwise healthy child.

Days later, six more victims were reported dead -鈥� each with similar symptoms.

Panicked, law enforcement and public safety officials rushed to find the source of contamination.

The answer came when public health nurse Helen Jensen put the pieces of the puzzle together. Three of the victims belonged to the same family 鈥�- and each had taken Extra Strength Tylenol from the same bottle.

The bottle tested positive for cyanide, as did the bottles belonging to the four other victims. The bottles were traced back to two different facilities: one in Pennsylvania and one in Texas.

Yet the victims who consumed the tainted capsules lived in the Chicago area.

The 鈥淭ylenol Murders鈥� docuseries presents multiple theories on who was responsible for the deaths, including one man who wrote Johnson & Johnson, the company that manufactures Tylenol, a letter claiming responsibility for the deaths 鈥� and demanding $1 million.

James W. Lewis, who was interviewed in the docuseries just before his death, admitted to writing the letter. He said he did so with the motivation of framing his wife's previous employer.

He used the alias Richard Richardson to write the letter.

Lewis denied any involvement in the Tylenol deaths.

Physical evidence fell short to charge Lewis for the deaths related to the tainted Tylenol and instead charged him with extortion, which led to a conviction and a 10-year prison sentence.

Others interviewed in the docuseries question whether Johnson & Johnson played a role. No charges have been filed against the company.

In the wake of the deaths, Johnson & Johnson issued a massive recall of Extra Strength Tylenol and implemented a new tamper-free cap on all bottles of Tylenol.

For many viewers, the "Tylenol Murders" represents a blast from the past, when danger lurked in the medicine cabinets of most households around the country.

Archives from Minnesota and North Dakota newspapers in 1982 and 1983 show the fear was widespread. The mystery consumed everyday Americans, from the northern to southern borders.

A front page story in the Fargo Forum reflected that fear. With the string of deaths coming just one month after Halloween, suddenly wrapped candy didn鈥檛 seem so safe.

The Tylenol deaths also led to a string of cop-cat crimes 鈥� and cases in which Americans feared they, too, had consumed tainted products.

Tylenol and its manufacturer were able to withstand the public relations storm, and the fear surrounding tainted medications faded.

What caused the deaths remains unknown, and a topic of contention among victims' family members and investigators.

The three-part Tylenol Murders docuseries can be streamed now on Netflix.