From 1962 to 1964, a killer known as the Boston Strangler attacked and murdered women, leaving the city in fear. Albert DeSalvo later confessed, but was he really the one? DNA testing years later gave some answers, but some people still have doubts.
A City in Fear
Between 1962 and 1964, women in Boston lived in fear. A mysterious killer was breaking into homes, attacking, and strangling women.
At least 11 women were murdered, but some believe the real number was higher. People locked their doors, afraid they might be next.
The first known victim was a 55-year-old woman, She was found dead in her apartment on June 14, 1962.
She had been sexually assaulted and strangled. Over the next few months, more women were found murdered in the same way. Most of them were older, between 65 and 85 years old.
The entire city was terrified. The police chief put almost every officer on the case, calling the killer the “mother killer.” People were afraid to be alone, and women stopped answering their doors to strangers.
In December 1962, almost everything changed. A young woman was murdered, and a few weeks later, another victim, a 23-year-old woman, was found strangled.
Now, the killer was attacking women of all ages. By January 1964, the number of victims had risen to 13, and Massachusetts Attorney General Edward Brooke personally took over the investigation.
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Shocking Confession
In 1965, out of nowhere, a man, Albert DeSalvo confessed to the murders. He was already in a state mental hospital for burglary and sexual assault, but no one had connected him to the Boston Strangler before.
His confession stunned everyone. But there was one big problem—there was no physical evidence linking him to the murders.
He was never officially charged for the killings because police couldn’t prove he was actually at the crime scenes.
Instead, he was convicted of sex crimes and sentenced to life in prison. His lawyer, F. Lee Bailey, argued that his confession was unreliable and that DeSalvo might have been lying.
Even though he wasn’t convicted of the murders, he became famous as the Boston Strangler. In 1968, Hollywood even made a movie about him called The Boston Strangler.
Was DeSalvo Really the Killer?
From the beginning, some people didn’t believe DeSalvo was the Boston Strangler. His confessions had mistakes—he got details wrong, and some things he said didn’t match what really happened. Some people thought police might have told him the right answers without realizing it.
Even some of the women who survived the attacks said he wasn’t the man who attacked them. That made people wonder:
- Was DeSalvo lying for attention?
- Was there another killer out there?
- Did the police get it wrong?
The truth became even more mysterious when DeSalvo was murdered in prison in 1973. Some people believe he was killed to keep him quiet—but about what, no one really knows.
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DNA Testing Brings New Clues
For years, no one knew for sure if DeSalvo was guilty or not. Then, in 2001, scientists tested DNA from the murder of Mary Sullivan, the last victim of the Boston Strangler. The results were shocking: DeSalvo’s DNA didn’t match.
That made people doubt his confession even more. But in 2013, investigators decided to test again using new technology. This time, they got a different answer—DeSalvo’s DNA was a perfect match to Mary Sullivan’s murder.
After that, police said he “most likely” killed the other victims too. But some people still aren’t convinced.
A Mystery That Still Haunts Boston
Even with DNA evidence, some believe DeSalvo wasn’t the only killer—or maybe he wasn’t the Strangler at all. Could someone else have committed some of the murders? Could DeSalvo have confessed just to be famous?
We may never know the full truth. But one thing is for sure—the Boston Strangler case shook the city and left people scared, confused, and searching for answers for decades.
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