Introduction to Boston Strangler

Book excerpt: The Boston Strangler was a notorious serial killer who terrorized Boston, Massachusetts, in the early 1960s. The killer was responsible for the deaths of at least 13 women between June 1962 and January 1964, and possibly more. The victims ranged in age from 19 to 85, and all were strangled with articles of their own clothing. The killer also sexually assaulted some of his victims. The media coverage of the killings and the investigation into the perpetrator became a cultural phenomenon at the time. The case inspired numerous books, movies, and television shows, and it remains one of the most infamous and mysterious murder cases in American history. The identity of the Boston Strangler was the subject of much speculation and investigation for years after the killings. Several men were considered to be suspects, but it was ultimately Albert DeSalvo who confessed to the murders in 1965. DeSalvo was a handyman in the Boston area who had a history of sexual assaults and other crimes. He claimed that he had committed the murders during a series of burglaries, but his confession was later disputed by some experts who argued that he may not have been the true killer. The mystery of the Boston Strangler continues to captivate true crime enthusiasts and historians alike, and the case remains one of the most intriguing and disturbing murder mysteries of the 20th century.