Key dates at a glance
Timeline of the Boston Strangler
| Date or Period | Event | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| June 1962 | First murders attributed to the Boston Strangler (Mary Sullivan, others) | Start of the 13 attributed killings; establishes the active window |
| 1962–1964 | Series of 13 strangulation killings in Boston area | Time span used for suspect and theory building |
| May 1965 | Albert DeSalvo arrested for unrelated offenses; later linked to confessions | Identification of a suspect, not yet proven |
| 1967 | Albert DeSalvo convicted for serial murders; sentenced to life | Case status: conviction, but contested and not tied to all 13 victims |
| 2013 | DNA links DeSalvo to one crime scene (Mary Sullivan) | Case status: active historical investigation; partial forensic link|
| 2023 | DNA from crime scene compared to known samples; no full match | Current status: unresolved elements remain; case is closed in conviction but open in full attribution |
What people mean when they ask “when was the Boston Strangler”
The question “when was the Boston Strangler” typically seeks either the timeframe of the killings or clarity about when a person was identified or convicted. It is usually a status or timeline question rather than a singular date query. To give a fact-based answer, it must address both the series of crimes and the status of investigations.
1962–1964: The killings
The series of murders attributed to the Boston Strangler began in June 1962 and continued through 1964. At least 13 women, primarily older residents of Boston and surrounding communities, were found strangled in their apartments. The pattern suggested a single offender who gained access to private residences, often during daytime or early evening. No single date marks a “start” recognized universally; the series is dated by the first police linkage and the last confirmed killing.
- June 1962: Mary Sullivan is found strangled
- 1962–1964: 13 attributed victims
- 1964: Pattern of daytime break-ins
Profiles in context: typical victim and offender features
Offender profiles in historical cases rely on documented behaviors rather than modern psychological certainty. Key points include:
- Offender selected accessible apartments and appeared to stalk victims
- Method involved ligature strangulation and forced entry
- Age estimates at time of crimes ranged widely in witness accounts
1965–1967: Suspect identification and trial
Albert DeSalvo emerged as a suspect after arrests for unrelated offenses in 1965. He provided detailed statements that police linked to the Strangler, though those statements were not corroborated by contemporaneous evidence at every stage. In 1967, he was tried and convicted for a series of murders, with the court tying him to some but not all 13 victims. This established a case status of conviction, but it did not end all doubt about the full attribution of the crimes.
2013: Forensic linkage and partial confirmation
In 2013, law enforcement announced that DNA from one crime scene matched DeSalvo’s nephew, providing a forensic link to at least one victim, Mary Sullivan. This did not prove DeSalvo was responsible for all murders, but it confirmed the possibility of his involvement in specific cases and updated the case status to partially verified by DNA. The investigation remained open on broader questions of full attribution.
2023 and today: Current status
As of 2023, DNA comparisons between crime-scene evidence and available reference samples yielded no full matches, leaving some elements unresolved. The Boston Strangler case is closed in the sense of a conviction and a historical timeline, but it remains open in the sense of full factual closure for every victim. The status is best described as a historically solved series with contested specifics, rather than a cold case in active pursuit of a new suspect.
Status explained: closed vs. cold
Status clarity matters in legacy cases. A closed case may mean a suspect was tried and convicted; a cold case implies active reinvestigation without resolution. The Boston Strangler fits neither extreme neatly. It is closed in timeline and conviction status but open in complete attribution, requiring careful language when describing when events occurred and what the case status means today.
Summary timeline
| Date or Period | Event | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| June 1962 | First attributed murder (Mary Sullivan) | Marks the start of the series window |
| 1962–1964 | 13 attributed killings | Time span defining the case |
| May 1965 | DeSalvo arrested on unrelated charges; later linked via confessions | Identification of a suspect |
| 1967 | DeSalvo convicted | Legal resolution for some murders |
| 2013 | DNA links DeSalvo to Mary Sullivan | Partial forensic confirmation |
| 2023 | No full DNA match across all scenes | Unresolved elements remain |
Status and timeline takeaways
- The killings occurred mainly between June 1962 and 1964
- A suspect was identified and convicted in 1967
- DNA has linked DeSalvo to at least one victim but not all
- The case is closed as a matter of conviction but open in full attribution
- Today the status is best understood as a historically documented series with contested details