The Boston Strangler

The Boston Strangler

From Compact Murder by Compact Murder

February 27, 2026 · 20 min · Episode 70

About this episode

This episode examines the Boston Strangler case, including the murders, investigation, and the controversial confession of Albert DeSalvo.

Between 1962 and 1964 , a series of murders targeting women inside their own homes gripped Boston, Massachusetts , with fear. The victims ranged widely in age, but the crimes shared disturbing similarities: no forced entry, sexual assault, and death by strangulation. As panic spread, the press gave the unknown killer a name that would endure for decades, the Boston Strangler . In 1965 , Albert DeSalvo confessed to the murders while already in custody for unrelated crimes. He was never tried for the killings themselves, and for years the case rested on confession rather than proof. In 2013 , DNA testing, confirmed after DeSalvo's exhumation, linked him conclusively to the murder of Mary Sullivan , but left open the question of whether he was responsible for all the deaths attributed to the Strangler. In this episode, we examine the murders, the investigation under pressure, the confession that divided opinion, and why the Boston Strangler remains one of America's most debated serial murder cases. Visit our website: Compact Murder Find us on our social media sites: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube #bostonstrangler #truecrimehistory #serialkiller #1960scrime #americantruecrime…

People in this episode

Host: Compact Murder

Topics covered

  • Boston Strangler
  • true crime
  • serial murder
  • investigation
  • DNA testing
  • confession

Keywords

  • Boston Strangler
  • true crime history
  • serial killer
  • 1960s crime
  • unsolved mystery
  • forensic DNA

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Boston, Mary Sullivan

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