In 1982, a horrifying act of sabotage shocked the nation and led to the deaths of seven people. Someone had tampered with and laced Tylenol capsules with potassium cyanide.
For Honors Chemistry teacher Kathy Nakamatsu, the true crime story of the Tylenol killings fascinated her and was more than a news headline; it was the moment at which her two passions merged: science and true crime. She says her fascination with the case was part of the reason she ultimately became a chemistry teacher. To this day, she continues to follow and be fascinated by many true-crime cases.
True crime, the category of non-fiction that focuses on real-life crimes, details the actions of those involved and affected by crimes, while also investigating the perpetrator’s motives. Stories under this genre have enthralled millions of people — countless books, TV shows, podcasts and YouTube channels have been dedicated to the topic.
Nakamatsu remembers growing up wanting to know how and why humans devolved into the world of evil and crime. Particularly, she immersed herself in Stephen King novels, many of which explore horror and crime. Additionally, she took interest in true crime through television, watching “America’s Most Wanted,” a TV show that featured reenactments of dangerous fugitives’ actions.
Later, she got hooked on “Once Upon A Crime,” a true crime podcast that came out in 2016 that delves into some of the world’s most gripping cases.
“I highly recommend it,” Nakamatsu said. “There’s the drama, and then usually you get some kind of resolution — somebody gets caught, and they get punished.”
In terms of true crime books, Nakamatsu considers “In Cold Blood” by Truman Capote an essential read. She’s especially drawn to how Capote blends true crime with novelistic storytelling in the 1966 book, which leaves readers with the impression that they’re reading in real time. The book, based on the real-life murder of a Kansas family in 1959, remains one of her top non-fiction recommendations.
Within the complex storytelling of true crime, Nakamatsu takes particular interest in the backstories of key figures. In her experience, the victims’ stories are usually first introduced, followed by the backstory about the people who commit the crimes. She’s especially fascinated by the criminals’ backgrounds and how they became the people they are — especially notorious figures like Ted Bundy, who admitted to raping and killing at least 30 women in the 1970s and may have murdered dozens more.
His grandfather was known for having a violent temper, and many speculate that Bundy may have suffered physical or emotional abuse at his grandfather’s hands. This, in addition to Bundy initially thinking his mother was his sister as a child, could have paved way to Bundy’s turning into a vicious serial criminal.
Nakamatsu’s fascination with true crime has also inspired her to write her own fictional murder stories.
One of such unpublished stories opens with a man found dead whose fingers are glued to the piano in the opening chords of a piece by Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff.
Nakamatsu’s passion for the genre has also led her to be more involved with the community. Every month, she meets with a True Crime book club that picks a new novel to read every meeting. One of the group’s favorites is “If You Tell” by Gregg Olsen — a book about three sisters who survived an abusive mother and had to help cover up her murders.
For Nakamatsu, true crime is a genre that combines her interests, knowledge and imagination.
“I’ve always had an overactive imagination since I was a child, which fueled both my interest in true crime, as well as my ability to create these scenes myself,” Nakamatsu said.
