## Definition
The Boston Strangler is the name given to the perpetrator of a series of murders that terrorized Boston, Massachusetts, between 1962 and 1964. Thirteen women, ranging in age from 19 to 85, were sexually assaulted and strangled in their homes. The murders were linked by similar methods: the victims were found with nylon stockings tied in a bow around their necks, and there was no evidence of forced entry, suggesting the killer may have posed as a repairman or delivery person. The case was one of the most notorious crime sprees in American history and remains controversial, with questions about whether a single perpetrator committed all the murders or whether multiple killers were involved.
## Why It Matters
The Boston Strangler case matters because it changed how American society thought about crime, safety, and gender. The murders targeted women who lived alone — a demographic that was growing in the early 1960s as more women became independent. The case generated intense media coverage and widespread fear, leading to changes in home security, neighborhood watch programs, and police procedures. The case also raised questions about the justice system: Albert DeSalvo, a factory worker who confessed to the murders, was never convicted of them (he was imprisoned for other crimes and later recanted his confession). Modern DNA evidence has linked DeSalvo to at least one of the murders, but the full truth remains disputed. The Boston Strangler is a case study in the limits of certainty.
## Example
Albert DeSalvo was arrested in 1964 for a series of sexual assaults known as the “Green Man” rapes. While in custody, he confessed to the Boston Strangler murders in extensive detail, describing crime scenes that had not been made public. However, there were inconsistencies in his confessions, and some investigators doubted he committed all the murders. DeSalvo was convicted of the Green Man rapes and sentenced to life in prison. He was stabbed to death in 1973 under mysterious circumstances. In 2013, DNA evidence linked DeSalvo to the murder of Mary Sullivan, the last victim. But whether he acted alone, whether he committed all thirteen murders, and whether his confession was genuine or the product of mental illness remain debated among true crime researchers.
## Internet Angle
The Boston Strangler is a staple of true crime internet culture. Podcasts like *My Favorite Murder* and *Casefile* have covered the case; YouTube documentaries analyze the evidence; and Reddit’s r/UnresolvedMysteries regularly debates DeSalvo’s guilt. The case has also been dramatized in film: *The Boston Strangler* (1968) starring Tony Curtis, and a 2023 film of the same name starring Keira Knightley as the journalist who investigated the case. The internet has revived interest in the case, with amateur sleuths poring over evidence, debating theories, and keeping the victims’ memories alive. True crime content is controversial — critics argue it exploits tragedy — but it has undeniably brought cold cases back into public consciousness.
## Related Terms
– **Albert DeSalvo**: The man who confessed to being the Boston Strangler
– **True crime**: The genre of media that covers cases like the Boston Strangler
– **Cold case**: The investigative status of the murders
– **Green Man**: The name given to DeSalvo’s earlier series of sexual assaults
– **My Favorite Murder**: The true crime podcast that has covered the case
– **Nylon stocking**: The signature detail of the murders
Word count: ~460