Looking Back - The Boston Strangler

On this day in 1967 Albert DeSalvo was jailed for life after being found guilty of assault and armed robbery against four women in Connecticut. A few years earlier, between June 1962 and January 1964, the US city of Boston had been gripped with fear when 13 single women aged between 19 and 85 were sexually assaulted and strangled in their own homes. Several of the victims were found with ribbon round their neck. The killer became notorious as the 'Boston Strangler'. The case against DeSalvo was a curious one. Whilst awaiting trial for rape DeSalvo was held in a Massachusetts psychiatric hospital and during his trial his lawyer claimed he had told fellow inmates that he had murdered the women. DeSalvo's lawyer tried to prove he was the killer, at the same time claiming he was insane and and should be sent to a psychiatric hospital rather than prison. Despite claiming to be the killer DeSalvo was not charged with any murders because of lack of evidence. Casey Sherman, nephew of Mary Sullivan, the last woman murdered, claimed that DeSalvo had confessed because it would lead to a lucrative book and film deal. The nephew and DeSalvo's family also claimed he did not match the description of the suspect, police believed more than one person was involved and there was no physical evidence to link him to the crimes. However, a prosecutor who worked on the investigation claimed that during interviews DeSalvo had described, in detail, facts about the killings not known to the public. The judge said "This defendant must be incarcerated as long as he shall live or until psychiatric science can cure him". Shortly after being sentenced DeSalvo escaped from the Massachusetts hospital where he was being held, he was then sent to Walpole State Prison. It was whilst he was in prison, in 1973 that DeSalvo was stabbed to death, no one was convicted of his murder. As a final bizarre twist DeSalvo's body was exhumed in December 2001 and tests showed his DNA did not match evidence found on the body of Mary Sullivan, the 'Stranglers' last victim. So, was DeSalvo the 'Boston Strangler' or did his actions allow the real killer to walk free?