Albert DeSalvo

Albert DeSalvo came from a violent and abusive home. His father 'Frank DeSalvo' beat his wife and kids frequently. 'Frank DeSalvo' was in jail twice and his parents finally divorced in 1944. As a teenager Albert was arrested for breaking and entering. At 17 he joined the army and was stationed in Germany, where he met his wife, a German girl whom he brought back with him to the US. In 1955 while posted at Fort Dix, New Jersey he was charged with molesting a 9 year old girl. No charges were pressed and he was honourably discharged in 1956. He was arrested twice more for robbery when he became short of cash. Albert then began his "measuring man" crimes. He would pose as a talent scout and approach women with a measuring tape. He would then take vital measurements and in the process fondle his unsuspecting victims. No charges were made despite complaints as no violent assault had occurred. On March 17, 1960 he was again arrested for burglary when he confessed to the "measuring man" crimes. He was sent to prison for 11 months. After coming out he began his "green man" crimes as he wore green clothes while perpetrating the crimes. Over a period of 2 years in the neighbouring states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticutt and Rhode Island he raped around 300 women. The "Green Man" raped up to 6 victims in one day. The "Boston Strangler" crimes involved 11 women who were killed between June 14, 1962 and July 1964. They were raped and strangled with one victim being stabbed. The ligature around their neck had a bow. Victims ranged in age from 19 to 85 years. There was only 1 black victim, the rest white. There was a $110,000 reward for any information leading to his arrest. On November 3, 1964 Albert was arrested for a "Green Man" crime, as one of the victims described it resembled a "Measuring Man" crime. He was put in Brigdewater state hospital for observation. There a fellow inmate George Nassar turned him in as the "Boston Strangler". However a sole survivor from February 1963 couldn't pick him up from a police line up. A psychic Peter Hurkos too felt that it was someone else. Psychiatrists claimed that the "Boston Strangler" had a mother fixation * which was why some of the victims were quite elderly, but DeSalvo liked his women young. In 1967 His lawyer F. Lee Bailey cut a deal for life imprisonment for the "Green Man" crimes. In 1973 DeSalvo was found stabbed to death in his prison by a fellow inmate. Whether he was the real "Boston Stangler" will probably never be known!