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The Boston Strangler's Confession -Truth or Fiction? Part 1

© Brenda Gambrell

Between 1962 and 1964, eleven single woman, ranging in age from nineteen to eighty-five, were strangled to death inside their Boston area apartments. In 1965, Albert DeSalvo, 33, a blue-collar worker and Army veteran, while facing charges unrelated to the stranglings, admitted that he was the Boston Strangler.

Although the Boston community was content with deeming Desalvo the Boston Strangler, many are unaware that the case remains open, for DeSalvo was not convicted of the crimes. In fact, even after he confessed, he was never brought to trial due to lack of sufficient evidence. But rest assured, Strangler or not, DeSalvo did not walk free – he received a life sentence for armed robbery, breaking and entering, and sexual assault and battery.

It is obvious that this man was no angel, yet many believe, including DeSalvo’s brother and Casey Sherman, the nephew of the alleged final victim - Mary Sullivan, that he was not the actual Boston Strangler. Mary Sullivan’s remains have recently been exhumed, both families hoping that modern DNA tests will provide answers to their questions. The tests have thus far been inconclusive, but they will not rest until all evidence, including semen taken from the crime scenes, is released to them. They have reactivated a lawsuit against the State of Massachusetts that the evidence be released to the two families, continuously denied by the Attorney General because the case is considered unsolved.

The case may not have gone to trial, but even the FBI seemed satisfied with naming Desalvo the killer. (Click here to read the Boston Strangler FBI files.) First of all, DeSalvo confessed to killing all eleven woman, and two others on top of that. When questioned, he provided accurate crime scene details that even the police had to confirm, and when shown photographs of hundreds of woman, he selected each victim and mentioned the eleventh, which was purposely left out. On top of that, DeSalvo had a criminal track record and had already served time for his “measuring man” escapades, visiting the homes of beautiful woman and claiming to be from a modeling agency. He would tell them he needed their measurements for the agency’s owner and promised a generous salary. The flattered women allowed him to take their measurements with a promise that they would receive a call from the owner, but soon became suspicious when no one contacted them. Finally, DeSalvo was charged with rape, and even though unrelated to the stranglings, he appeared quite capable of committing the ghastly crimes.

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