Albert Henry DeSalvo, born on September 3, 1931, and deceased on November 25, 1973, was an American individual who gained notoriety as a convicted rapist and serial killer operating primarily in the Boston, Massachusetts, area. He became infamously associated with the chilling crimes attributed to the "Boston Strangler," a moniker given to the perpetrator responsible for the brutal murders of thirteen women across the Boston metropolitan region between June 1962 and January 1964, a period that instilled widespread fear and panic throughout the community.

DeSalvo's path to notoriety involved a complex legal trajectory. In 1967, he was already incarcerated for life, having been convicted of a series of separate and distinct sexual assault offenses, often referred to as the "Green Man" or "Measuring Man" attacks, which terrorized the region prior to the Strangler murders. It was while imprisoned for these crimes that DeSalvo purportedly confessed to being the elusive "Boston Strangler," providing detailed accounts of the murders to his attorney, the prominent defense lawyer F. Lee Bailey. However, this confession, while extensive, was met with considerable skepticism and remained highly disputed for decades due to a critical lack of corroborating physical evidence directly linking him to all crime scenes at the time. This uncertainty fueled an ongoing debate about the precise number of victims and which specific crimes he was truly responsible for, casting a long shadow over the case for many years.

The profound impact of these crimes on public consciousness was such that in 1968, a dramatic film titled "The Boston Strangler" was released, further embedding the narrative into popular culture. The movie notably featured acclaimed actor Tony Curtis in the challenging role of Albert DeSalvo, portraying his alleged involvement and the unfolding investigations.

A significant and long-awaited breakthrough in the long-cold case occurred much later, in July 2013. Advanced forensic science finally provided a definitive link. DNA analysis successfully matched seminal fluid discovered at the crime scene of Mary Sullivan, who was the youngest of the thirteen Boston Strangler victims and was raped and murdered in January 1964. This critical forensic evidence was initially matched to DNA obtained from DeSalvo's nephew, indicating a strong familial connection. This familial DNA match strongly implicated DeSalvo in Sullivan's murder and statistically excluded 99.9% of the male population, offering a powerful, albeit indirect, connection. To unequivocally confirm this crucial evidence, authorities took the decisive step to exhume Albert DeSalvo's remains later that same month. Subsequent direct DNA testing on his exhumed samples definitively corroborated the earlier familial match, conclusively linking Albert DeSalvo to the murder of Mary Sullivan beyond reasonable doubt.

Despite this conclusive forensic link to at least one of the Strangler murders, the broader question of whether DeSalvo was solely responsible for all thirteen "Boston Strangler" killings remains a subject of continued historical debate and ongoing discussion among true crime enthusiasts, law enforcement, and forensic experts. The case continues to be a poignant example of the evolving nature of criminal investigation and the persistent mysteries that can surround complex serial crimes.

Frequently Asked Questions About Albert DeSalvo and the Boston Strangler Case

Who was Albert Henry DeSalvo?

Albert Henry DeSalvo was an American convicted rapist who, while incarcerated for other sexual assault charges (including the "Green Man" attacks), claimed to be the "Boston Strangler," the serial killer responsible for the murders of thirteen women in Boston, Massachusetts, between 1962 and 1964. He was born in 1931 and died in 1973.

What was the "Boston Strangler" case?

The "Boston Strangler" case refers to a series of thirteen brutal murders of women that occurred in the Boston area from June 1962 to January 1964. These crimes caused widespread panic and fear, as victims were typically found strangled in their apartments, often with no signs of forced entry, leading to the belief that the perpetrator gained access by charm or deception.

Was Albert DeSalvo definitively proven to be the Boston Strangler for all victims?

Forensic DNA evidence definitively linked Albert DeSalvo to the murder of Mary Sullivan, one of the thirteen victims, in 2013. However, despite his earlier confession to all thirteen murders, the lack of definitive physical evidence directly linking him to the other twelve victims at the time of his initial imprisonment has led to continued debate about whether he was responsible for all of the "Boston Strangler" killings, or if there were other perpetrators involved in some of the cases. The conclusive DNA match only pertains to Mary Sullivan's murder.

How was DNA evidence used to link DeSalvo to the murders?

In July 2013, seminal fluid found at the scene of Mary Sullivan's murder, a case that had remained cold for decades, was re-examined using advanced DNA profiling techniques. This forensic analysis led to a match with DNA obtained from DeSalvo's nephew, indicating a strong familial link. To provide absolute certainty, authorities took the critical step of exhuming Albert DeSalvo's remains later that month, and direct DNA testing of his samples definitively matched the evidence from the crime scene, conclusively linking him to Mary Sullivan's death.