The Suspect For The Boston Strangler Murders Described The Women Killed In Detail
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The new film Boston Strangler, available to stream on Hulu and Disney+ documents the real murders that took place in Boston in the 1960s. The film, which stars Keira Knightly and Carrie Coon, follows the journalists who broke the story of the serial murders that took place in the city, and the hysteria that surrounded the case, particularly for women living in Boston at the time.
Although there is one solid suspect for the infamous killings, there is still a lot of speculation if the man supposedly responsible actually murdered all of the women linked to the Boston Strangler case.
Women's Health gathered everything to know about the Boston Strangler case, from what happened, to who may be responsible.
What did the strangler do?
The "Boston Strangler" refers to the brutal murders of 11 single women between the ages of 19 and 85 in Boston, per ABC News (other sources report 13 murders). The murders, which took place over the course of nearly two years, were thought to be done by the same person because of the many similarities between them.
All of the women killed in what were coined as "The Silk Stocking Murders" at the time, per The Crime Museum, were raped and left naked with the murder weapon—a stocking or pillow case—ornamentally tied around their neck like a bowtie. Their bodies were found "as if on display for a pornagraphic snapshot," per The Crime Museum. Mary Sullivan, the last woman killed in the Boston Strangler murders, was found with a "Happy New Year" card leaning against her foot.
Many believed that the women willingly allowed the killer to enter their apartments because they either knew them, or the killer disguised themself as a repairman or delivery man.
Albert DeSalvo confessed to the murders.
Albert DeSalvo was a known criminal in the Boston area in the 1960s. A few years before the Boston Strangler murders occurred, DeSalvo confessed to being the "Measuring Man," a man who went around to women's houses, claiming to be from a modeling agency, and sexually assaulted women while taking their measurements.
DeSalvo was also linked and arrested for a series of crimes that were committed by someone deemed "The Green Man" because he wore green while breaking into homes, per The Crime Library. After getting arrested on this charge, DeSalvo admitted to breaking into over 400 apartments and assaulting 300 women within a four-state area.
Shortly after his confession, DeSalvo was sent to a mental hospital for psychiatric observation. While there, he met George Nassar. Supposedly, DeSalvo told Nassar that he was responsible for the Boston Strangler murders. Nassar informed his lawyer, F. Lee Bailey, of DeSalvo's confession.
There was speculation about DeSalvo's confession.
According to the Crime Museum and other sources, many believed that DeSalvo's confession was planned between Nassar and DeSalvo, or simply by Nassar, for the reward money.
However, DeSalvo was able to describe the women he supposedly killed in detail, per Crime Library. At the time of his confession, investigators were unable to physically link DeSalvo to the Boston Strangler murders.
DeSalvo's wife, while "not surprised" by the other crimes he was accused of, did not believe he was capable of the Boston Strangler killings, per Crime Library. Gertrude Gruen, a survivor of an assault by the man believed to be the Boston Strangler, doubted DeSalvo was the killer, but felt "something frighteningly familiar" about George Nassar, per The Crime Museum.
DeSalvo was never actually charged for the Boston Strangler case, but was sent to prison for life due to his crimes under "The Green Man" case, per The Crime Museum.
Where is DeSalvo now?
DeSalvo was sent to MCI-Walpole to serve his life sentence in 1967, per The Crime Museum. Six years later, he was stabbed to death in his cell in 1973. Officials believed DeSalvo's death was due to his connection in a prison drug operation, per Crime Library.
The case was unsolved for nearly 50 years.
The case could not be linked to DeSalvo until 2013, when police were able to test DNA from DeSalvo's nephew, Tim DeSalvo. The DNA on a water bottle used by Tim DeSalvo matched DNA preserved from Mary Sullivan, the last woman killed in the Boston Strangler murders, per ABC News.
Police said that they could link DeSalvo to the Boston Strangler murders with "99.9 percent certainty," per ABC News.
After matching DNA with DeSalvo's nephew, investigators extracted DNA from DeSalvo's body—including his femur and teeth. The DNA matched the DNA left behind on Mary Sullivan, per The Crime Museum.
You can stream the film Boston Strangler on Hulu or Disney+ on March 17.
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