Ever notice how serial killer cases from decades ago still give us the creepy crawlies today? I certainly do. The Boston Strangler case haunts me more than most – not just because of the 13 women who lost their lives between 1962 and 1964, but because of how it transformed an entire city’s sense of safety overnight.
Picture this: You’re a single woman living in Boston in the early 60s. You hear a knock at your door. Do you answer it? (Spoiler alert: NOPE. Not unless you want to star in your own personal horror movie.)
When Boston Became a City of Locks
Before Albert DeSalvo (the man who eventually confessed to the murders), Boston women rarely thought twice about opening their doors to strangers. After the first few stranglings? Locksmith businesses boomed faster than a true crime podcast after a Netflix documentary drops.
Women started purchasing tear gas, installing deadbolts, and developing buddy systems that would make kindergarten teachers proud. The city transformed from open-door neighborly to “trust no one” practically overnight.
I’ve spent countless nights reading witness statements from that era (yes, while Ryan snores beside me, completely unbothered by the nightmare fuel I’m consuming). The collective trauma is palpable in every interview – like a city-wide case of PTSD that lingered for decades.
The Investigation Mess That Changed Everything
If you think police departments communicate seamlessly today, the Boston Strangler investigation will make your jaw hit the floor. The murders spanned multiple jurisdictions, and—prepare yourself—the different police departments barely shared information with each other. It was about as coordinated as a toddler’s ballet recital.
This investigative disaster actually led to something positive: massive reforms in how departments handle cross-jurisdictional cases. Massachusetts Attorney General Edward Brooke eventually formed a special task force that became the model for future serial crime investigations.
The Boston Strangler investigation essentially wrote the book on how NOT to handle serial crimes – a lesson law enforcement still references today.
DeSalvo: Guilty or Fall Guy?
Here’s where I go full conspiracy theorist (sorry not sorry): I’m not entirely convinced DeSalvo acted alone – or maybe even at all. The variation in victim profiles and murder methods has always seemed suspicious to me.
Some victims were sexually assaulted, others weren’t. Some were strangled with nylon stockings, others with different materials. The age range spanned from 19 to 85. That’s not exactly a consistent M.O., which is unusual for serial killers who typically stick to a “type.”
The plot thickens when you consider George Nassar, DeSalvo’s prison mate who some believe may have coached DeSalvo’s confession. Was DeSalvo seeking fame? Was he covering for someone? Was Nassar involved?
It took until 2013 – FIFTY YEARS later – for DNA evidence to finally link DeSalvo to the last Strangler victim, 19-year-old Mary Sullivan. But what about the other 12 victims? The DNA breakthrough only confirmed one murder, leaving a giant question mark hanging over the rest.
(Would I have survived this crime spree? Probably. I have trust issues and three deadbolts. My husband thinks it’s excessive. I call it preparation.)
The Lessons We’re Still Learning
The Boston Strangler case fundamentally changed how we think about personal safety. Here’s what sticks with me:
1. Trust your gut – Many victims opened their doors because the killer claimed to be a maintenance worker or delivery person. That weird feeling in your stomach? Listen to it.
2. Police coordination matters – The lack of information sharing between departments likely extended the Strangler’s reign of terror. Today’s task forces exist largely because of these failures.
3. Serial killers aren’t always what they seem – The media portrayal of DeSalvo as a monster overshadowed the complex reality that he might not have acted alone (or at all for some victims).
4. DNA changes everything – Without modern forensic techniques, we’d still be completely in the dark. Even with them, we only have confirmation on one victim.
The Boston Strangler case isn’t just a fascinating true crime story – it’s a masterclass in how fear reshapes society and how investigation techniques evolve from catastrophic failures.
Next time you double-check your locks before bed, remember: that habit didn’t come from nowhere. It came from lessons written in the painful history of cases exactly like this one.
Now excuse me while I go install a fourth deadbolt. You know, just in case.