The Brutal Crimes of the Boston Strangler – Full Timeline Explored as Oxygen TV Unveils The Boston Strangler: Unheard Confession
The Boston Strangler case dominated the nation in the early 1960s, representing one of the first high-profile serial killer investigations in recent U.S. history. Between June 1962 and January 1964, 13 women in the Greater Boston area were strangled to death in their apartments, often without any evidence of a break-in.
The victims ranged in age from 19 to 85 and were usually alone when they were attacked, causing widespread fear among women who began to avoid opening their doors to strangers. Albert DeSalvo, a criminal with a history of factory work, admitted to the murders in 1964 but was never prosecuted because there was not enough evidence at the time.
He was sentenced to life in prison for other unrelated sex offenses and was murdered in prison in 1973. Years later, in 2013, DNA evidence linked him to at least one murder, sparking another wave of controversy over whether he was fully involved.
Oxygen’s latest two-hour True Crime documentary, The Boston Strangler: Unheard Confessionpremiered on Oxygen on October 26, 2025.
The Boston Strangler: Unheard Confession: Summer of Terror
The Boston Strangler’s activities began in mid-June 1962, with victims in the form of elderly women living alone. On June 14, Anna Slesers, 55, was discovered strangled with her nylon stockings in her Back Bay apartment; the door remained open. Two weeks later, on June 28, Mary Mullen, 85, was found strangled on the floor of her living room in Brighton.
On June 30, Nina Nichols, 68, was strangled in a similar manner in her Brighton home. She had been released from the hospital a few hours earlier. On June 30, Helen Blake, 65, was found half-naked and strangled in Lynn. The trend reappeared in August: Ida Irga, 75, was strangled on August 19 in the North End, and Jane Sullivan, 67, two days later in Dorchester.
These early murders featured features such as manual strangulation and apartment burglaries, but no valuables were stolen. Police also reported no forced entry, increasing public panic as Boston women installed new locks and stayed alone away from their homes.
According to CBS News, five victims had been identified by the end of the summer, leading to the creation of a multi-agency task force commissioned by the Massachusetts attorney general.
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A Changing Pattern: Casualties in Late 1962 and Early 1963
Over the fall, the Boston Strangler changed the age of his target, changing the crime profile. On December 5, 1962, Sophie Clark, 20 years old and a nursing student, was discovered naked and strangled in her Fenway apartment, the first to be assaulted with overtly sexual overtones. Only a month later, on December 31, Patricia Bissette, 23, was found under her bed at Fenway, strangled and lying with her arms outstretched.
The year opened with Mary Brown, 69, murdered on March 9, 1963, in Lawrence, just beyond Boston proper, with a ligature wrapped around her neck. Beverly Samans, 23, was stabbed 22 times and strangled on May 6 in Cambridge. His door was locked from the inside, unlike the other cases. She had also been tied up. These killings added variations such as stabbings and more overt posing, but still did not involve forced entry, according to CBS News.
Media attention increased, dubbing the killer the “Phantom Fiend”, and protective products such as guard dogs were sold in the region. The cases were linked by police through the victims’ constant loneliness and strangulation patterns, although some doubted the existence of a lone perpetrator due to the changing brutality.
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The latest attacks The Boston Strangler: Escalation late 1963 and early 1964
The killings reached a peak of intensity towards the end. On September 8, 1963, Evelyn Corbin, 58, was naked and strangled in Salem, her body lying on the bed and a pillow covering her face. Joann Graff, 23, was strangled with several nylon stockings on November 23, while her naked body lay on the bed.
The last victim, 19-year-old Mary Sullivan, was found on January 4, 1964, in Beacon Hill; she was strangled with stockings, sexually assaulted after her death with a broomstick and sat with a note nearby. The crimes included more sexual violence and damage, with apartments in ruins. Public panic reached a fever pitch when women organized neighborhood patrols, and many moved temporarily, according to CBS News.
Police canvassed thousands of leads, focusing on DIYers because of the non-threatening method of entry. After Sullivan’s murder, no further strangler-related deaths occurred, although the case remained unsolved for months.
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Capture and Confession: DeSalvo’s role appears in 1964-1967
The Boston Strangler’s arrest in October 1964 on an unrelated assault charge led to his admission as a strangler. Behind bars, he explained 11 murders to a fellow inmate, listing details such as evidence hidden at the crime scene that matched police reports.
Questioned by a task force was DeSalvo, 33, who previously committed sex crimes with “Measuring Man” in which he posed as a tailor offering to measure women for sewing and then assaulted them. He said he broke into homes posing as a repairman before attacking. Yet he was not tried for the murders due to gaps in the evidence; in 1967, he was instead convicted of theft and robbery and sentenced to life imprisonment.
DeSalvo argued for an insanity defense based on his confession, but was unsuccessful. According to NPR, his story pieced together the cases for authorities, although critics have pointed out discrepancies in the victims’ descriptions.
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Legacy and breakthrough: doubts, death and DNA from 1973
The Boston Strangler was fatally stabbed in prison on November 25, 1973, by a convicted killer whose identity remains unknown, ending immediate pursuit of his story. Doubts persisted, with a forensic re-examination carried out in 2001 ruling him out of murder due to DNA discrepancies. The case was reopened in 2000 with the help of new forensic experts.
As of July 2013, Sullivan’s scene DNA matched DeSalvo’s profile, reinforcing his place in his death and implying broader involvement. Boston police said he was likely responsible for all 13 killings, although not all scenes provided definitive tests. The break was based on Y-STR testing of family samples, showing the strength of DNA in cold cases.
According to CBS News, the families are still searching for answers, as the documentary examines previously unreleased tapes for additional information.
Watch The Boston Strangler: Unheard Confession streaming on Oxygène.
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Edited by Toshali Kritika
