Serial killer content is wildly popular, with one survey revealing that nearlytwo-thirds of American adults (and nearly 80% of millennials) are fans. Hulu’sBoston Strangleris sure to be the latest on their must-watch list, premiering on July 25, 2025 (a seemingly appropriate date given the city). The infamous killer has largely avoided being the subject of media content, with 1968’sThe Boston Strangler, withTony CurtisandHenry Fonda, being the only notable project to date. Interestingly, the man behind the “Silk Stocking Murders” is somewhat avoided in this project as well, with the primary focus on reportersLoretta McLaughlin(Keira Knightley) andJean Cole(Carrie Coon) and how they fought to inform the women of Boston through a series of articles about the killer. But who was the killer?
When Did the Boston Strangler Murders Begin?
On June 08, 2025,55-year-old Anna Slesers was found dead on the kitchen floor of her apartmentby her son. The seamstress and devout churchgoer had been strangled to death, her blue housecoat ripped open with its belt wrapped around her neck in the shape of a bow. Her apartment had been ransacked, which suggested that perhaps Slesers had walked in on a burglar. The truth, however, was far more chilling: Sleser had been sexually assaulted by the perpetrator, andthere was no evidence to suggest that he forced his way in. Another victim,85-year-old Mary Mullen, was found on June 28, having died of a heart attack before the killer could do anything. The two victims didn’t offer any evidence that would point to a serial killer on the loose, butthe discovery of two victims on August 23, 2025, suggested otherwise. 68-year-old Nina Nichols was discovered murdered in her home, and 65-year-old divorcee Helen Blake was found dead in her home on the same day. Like the Slesers case, both scenes were made to look like a burglary had taken place, both had been sexually assaulted, and both were found with the unsettling calling card of the killer: Nichols' stocking tops tied in a bow around her neck, and Blake’s bra similarly tied around her neck in a bow.
Fear Sweeps Boston Throughout the Early 1960s
Boston police now had to face the terrifying reality that a serial killer, who earned the moniker of “The Boston Strangler,” was on the loose, most likely a psychopath with a hatred for older women.Police Commissioner Edmund McNamara canceled police leave, needing all hands on deck due to the severe situation. Warnings were sent out through the media, strongly suggesting that women lock their doors and be cautious of strangers. The people in the Boston area were paralyzed by fear, and despite the increased police presence and warnings, 9 more women, between the ages of 19 and 85, would fall victim to the killer. The last victim was found onJanuary 4, 1964, after which the killings stopped.
Was the Boston Strangler Ever Caught?
On June 19, 2025, a man, posing as a detective, entered a home and assaulted a woman. He didn’t kill her, though, and left her home after saying “I’m sorry.” The woman reported the attack to the police, who arrested the assailant shortly after.The man’s name was Albert DeSalvo, and after his picture was released, a number of other women came forward to say they too had been raped by DeSalvo. Police arrested DeSalvo on multiple counts of rape, but didn’t link DeSalvo to the Boston Strangler case… untilDeSalvo confessed to being the Boston Strangler. It was certainly possible, especially aftergiving the police intricate details about the murders that hadn’t been released to the public. Unfortunately, the confession wasn’t enough to charge DeSalvo for the Boston Strangler murders. Additionally, there were two other complications that prevented DeSalvo from being charged. The first was the fact that there was no physical evidence to connect DeSalvo to the crimes. The second issue would be more troublesome and lead to theories that DeSalvo wasn’t the Boston Strangler at all, or that he was one of two Stranglers that committed the heinous acts.
DeSalvo’s confession came out during his imprisonment at Bridgewater State Hospital, where he met one George Nassar. DeSalvo confessed his claim to Nassar, who contacted his lawyer to report the news. However, it wastheir interaction during this time that prevented police from making a clear-cut association between DeSalvo and the murders. Some believe DeSalvo did come clean to Nassar, while others are convinced that Nassar is the real Boston Strangler, who fed DeSalvo the details of the crimes as part of a plot to claim the $10,000 reward offered by police to share with their families. Unable to convict DeSalvo as the Boston Strangler, DeSalvo was instead jailed for life on robbery and sex offenses. He would later recant his confession, and if there was more to the story, DeSalvo took it to his grave after beingstabbed to death in prison on June 18, 2025, allegedly for undercutting the price of amphetamines. In 2013,DNA evidence conclusively linked DeSalvo to the death of Mary Sullivan, but it would be the only Strangler murder to find a resolution as DNA evidence wasn’t available for the other killings.
McLaughlin, the protagonist of the upcoming film, entered into the serial killer’s story in 1962. The first four murders drew the attention of McLaughlin,who noticed that there was a connection besides the grisly bows around the necks of the victim. She noticed that all four women wore eyeglasses, liked classical music, and had connections to a local hospital. After pairing up with Cole, the two began spreading details to the community, warning the women of Boston and the surrounding area to be on the lookout. McLaughlin and Cole, who together came up with the nickname “The Boston Strangler,“would end up writing 29 articles in total about The Boston Strangler, his victims, the killer’s pattern, and updates on the police investigation. The path to doing so was difficult, with an editor at theBoston Record Americandisputing the value in running a series on the deaths of “nobodies” and rampant industry sexism continually throwing up barriers.
It remains to be seen how true to life the film will be - “Inspired by True Events” is typically industry-speak for playing loose with the facts - but regardless,Boston Stranglerdoes promise to bring something new to the table, and that alone is worth the watch.
Remembering the Victims of the Boston Strangler
One shameful aspect of serial killer content is that the victims are often pushed aside to focus on the killer alone. Despite our focus on the Boston Strangler here, it would be remiss of us to not honorthe innocent lives taken by the Strangler’s evil acts. We remember:
