Real Crime Stories/Paranormal Hauntings/Conspiracy Theories Book II

The Boston Strangler: Albert DeSalvo

The Boston Strangler is the name given to the murderer of 13 women in the Boston, Massachusetts area during the early 1960s. The crimes were attributed to Albert DeSalvo based on his confession, details revealed in court during a separate case, and DNA evidence linking him to the last victim. Since then, parties investigating the crimes have suggested that the murders (sometimes referred to as "the silk stocking murders") were committed by more than one person.

Names

Initially, the crimes were assumed to be the work of one unknown person dubbed "The Mad Strangler of Boston." The July 8, 1962 edition of the Sunday Herald, declared "A mad strangler is loose in Boston," in an article titled "Mad Strangler Kills Four Women in Boston." The killer was also known as the "Phantom Fiend" or "Phantom Strangler" due to his ability to get women to allow him into their apartments. In 1963, two investigative reporters for the Record American, Jean Cole and Loretta McLaughlin wrote a four-part series about the killer, dubbing him "The Boston Strangler." By the time that DeSalvo's confession was aired in open court, the name "Boston Strangler" had become part of crime lore.

Events

Between June 14, 1962, and January 4, 1964, 13 single women between the ages of 19 and 85 were murdered in the Boston area. Most were sexually assaulted and strangled in their apartments; police believe that one man was the perpetrator. With no sign of forced entry into their homes, the women were assumed to have let their assailant in, either because they knew him or because they believed him to be an apartment maintenance man, delivery man, or other serviceman. The attacks continued despite extensive media publicity after the first few murders, which presumably should have discouraged women from admitting strangers into their homes. Many residents purchased tear gas and new locks and deadbolts for their doors. Some women moved out of the area.

The murders occurred in several cities, including Boston, complicating jurisdictional oversight for the prosecution of the crimes. Massachusetts Attorney General Edward W. Brooke helped to coordinate the various police forces. He permitted parapsychologist Peter Hurkos to use his alleged extrasensory perception to analyze the cases, for which Hurkos claimed that a single person was responsible. This decision was controversial. Hurkos provided a "minutely detailed description of the wrong person," and the press ridiculed Brooke. The police were not convinced that all the murders were the actions of one person, although much of the public believed so. The apparent connections were widely discussed between a majority of the victims and hospitals.

Victims

Anna Elsa (Legins) Šlesers, 56, sexually assaulted with an unknown object and strangled with the belt on her bathrobe; found on June 14, 1962, in her third-floor apartment at 77 Gainsborough Street, Fenway, Boston.

Mary Mullen, 85, died from a heart attack; found on June 28, 1962, in her apartment at 1435 Commonwealth Ave., Boston. In his confession, DeSalvo said she collapsed as he grabbed her.

Nina Frances Nichols, 68, sexually assaulted and strangled with her nylon stockings; found on June 30, 1962, in her home at 1940 Commonwealth Ave., Boston.

Helen Elizabeth Blake, 65, sexually assaulted and strangled with her nylon stockings; found on June 30, 1962, in her home at 73 Newhall St., Lynn, Massachusetts.

Ida Odes Irga, 75, sexually assaulted and strangled; found on August 19, 1962, in her apartment at 7 Grove Street, Beacon Hill, Boston.

Jane Buckley Sullivan, 67, sexually assaulted and strangled with her nylon stockings; found on August 21, 1962, in her home at 435 Columbia Road, Dorchester, Boston.