Who Is Jean Cole from "Boston Strangler" and Where Is She Today?

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

Content warning: This article contains references to murder some may find upsetting. Reader discretion is advised.

During the 1960s, 13 women with no clear connection were killed in the Boston, Massachusetts area. No one thought the murders were linked until two reporters from The Record American trusted their instincts, ignored the people who denied the crimes were being committed by one person, and started investigating the homicide cases themselves. Oh, and they were women, which in the 1960s meant dealing with blatant sexism from both the male editorial staff and male police department.

As shown in Hulu's new true crime movie, Boston Strangler, which premiered March 17, Loretta McLaughlin and Jean Cole worked together to report the news and inform the public about who was being targeted and possible ways the criminal was gaining access to his victims, ultimately helping to capture the assailant they deemed the "Boston Strangler," aka Albert DeSalvo.

Although DeSalvo confessed to the killings — he was never charged with the crimes in court. According to People, DeSalvo "was charged [in 1964] with several counts of assault, burglary and sex offenses, but was never charged in the case related to the Boston stranglings." He was sentenced to life in prison, but was stabbed to death by a fellow inmate, dying "under mysterious circumstances" in 1973.

Interestingly, DNA evidence tested in 2013 linked DeSalvo to the final victim, 19-year-old Mary Anne Sullivan, which led police to believe he was probably responsible for the other 12 murders as well. Many people, however, are still unconvinced the Boston Strangler was one person. Some people — as suggested in the movie — believe several murderers, including George Nassar, used the Boston Strangler's persona to cover up their crimes.

While the film is called Boston Strangler, it's more about the two powerful and brave women who investigated the murders terrorizing Boston.

In the movie, Loretta McLaughlin was the first of the two to start delving into the crimes, and Jean Cole was brought on by the paper to assist Loretta with the investigation. But, who was Jean and where is she today?

Jean Harris ("Cole" was her maiden name) married Boston Globe reporter Frank P. Harris and had two daughters, ten grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren by the time she passed away at 89 years old on August 8, 2015, according to her obituary posted by Finnerty & Stevens Funeral Home.

She was a longtime investigative reporter, working at The Record American and later the Boston Herald American. Her younger brother, Kevin Cole, who is a retired former Herald photo chief, told the publication Jean "put up with a lot of harassment back in those days as gruff City Desk editors and reporters felt women belonged in the back pages."

Nevertheless, Jean, as well as Loretta, stuck to their task of investigating the murders and, as Kevin put it, "'a few of the bosses' finally noticed [Jean] was producing and believed her" about the single serial killer theory.

Another way Jean left her mark on Boston was the fact she coined the term "Combat Zone" to describe the shady downtown district filled with peep shows and criminals. That area was to Boston as what Times Square in the 1970s and '80s was to New York City.

So, while you watch (or re-watch) Boston Strangler don't forget that the character actress Carrie Coon is playing was a real person who helped Boston catch a notorious serial killer, as well as paved the way for more women to be taken seriously as investigative reporters.

You Might Also Like

• 18 Best Leggings Brands That Will Make Your Butt Look Like an 11/10

• 37 Selena Gomez Hairstyles to Copy If You're Trying to Level-Up Your Hair Game

• 11 Waterproof Makeup Products You Have to Try