Naman Shrestha
The tragic Tylenol murders involved the untimely and sudden deaths of seven different individuals across the Chicago area in September and October 1982. One of the victims was a mother of four beloved children — Mary Reiner. While the three-part true crime docuseries, ‘Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders,’ focuses on the investigative pursuit of the authorities to apprehend the perpetrator, it also focuses on Mary’s demise and the impact it had on her family and friends through the exclusive and insightful interviews.
Mary Reiner Was a Devoted Wife and a Doting Mother of Four
On April 15, 1955, Mary Magdalene Fearon was born to Howard and Kathryn Keating Fearon in Villa Park in DuPage County, Illinois. While growing up in the inner western suburb in Chicagoland, she had no shortage of love. Lovingly referred to as Lynn by her loved ones, she was cocooned in the warmth of not only her parents but also her seven siblings, who totally doted on her. Described as 100 percent Irish, Mary was proud of her roots. The bright and kind-hearted individual lived life on her own terms. She found her life partner when her paths crossed with Edwin Reiner, and the two felt an instant spark. One thing led to another, and they tied the knot in the presence of their family and friends.
Over the years, Ed and Mary welcomed four children into their lives — two daughters and two sons. Together, the family of six resided in their beautiful home in Winfield. One another’s biggest cheerleaders, Ed and Mary lived like best friends who were deeply in love. Their world revolved around each other and their kids. Mary was an excellent cook who dedicated her time to ensuring her family was treated to delectable treats. One of her daughters, Michelle Rosen, shared that she enjoyed making corned beef and egg noodles that the family would relish thoroughly. The mother of four would often take time out to play softball or go for a bowling session. She could also play drums quite well.
As the final week of September 1982 rolled around, the Reiner household was packed with laughter and wide smiles as Mary and Ed were blessed with their fourth child a week ago. Meanwhile, their firstborn and second child were 9 and 8 years old, respectively, while their third youngster was just 22 months old. Everything seemed to be going great when their world came crashing down on September 30, 1982, when Mary Reiner was tragically taken away from the lives of her husband and kids forever.
Authorities Found Indirect Connections Between Mary Reiner and Roger Arnold
Just a few days after adding a fourth child to her loving family, 27-year-old Mary Reiner was looking forward to raising the newborn and introducing him to the world. On the afternoon of September 29, 1982, she went to Frank’s Finer Foods in Winfield, Illinois, and purchased a 50-count bottle of regular Tylenol capsules to relieve post-birth discomfort. After returning to her Winfield house, she reportedly ingested two capsules, soon after which, she collapsed and fell to the floor in front of her 8-year-old daughter, Michelle Rosen. Mary’s husband soon arrived home to find his wife in a critical state.
As the paramedics arrived, she was immediately rushed to Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield. For the following hours, the mother of four was kept on life support, with her loved ones hoping that she would come out of that situation alive. Unfortunately, she was removed from life support the following morning and pronounced dead at the hospital. It turned out that she was one of the seven victims of the Tylenol murders. The investigation revealed that the Tylenol capsules ingested by Mary Reiner and other victims were laced with a fatal dosage of cyanide, making them deadly.
As the detectives tried to get to the bottom of the case and apprehend the perpetrator responsible for the tampering with the Tylenol capsules, they found a dock worker named Roger Arnold and her wife linked to Mary Reiner and her father. They learned that Roger used to work with her father at a warehouse while Roger’s wife was being treated at a psychiatric hospital across the street from Frank’s Finer Foods, where Mary had purchased the deadly capsules. Ultimately, Roger was arrested and convicted of murder, but not of the Tylenol murders. He had reportedly killed John Stanisha, for which he was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Unfortunately, the Tylenol murders, including that of Mary Reiner, remain unsolved.
Read More: Adam and Theresa Janus: Who Were the Tylenol Murder Victims? How Did They Die?
