Boston Strangler movie: The chilling true story behind one of America's most notorious serial killers

The release of Matt Ruskin's Boston Strangler is around the corner. The film features Keira Knightley as journalist Loretta McLaughlin, who connected the disparate murders in early 1960s together, and Boston was introduced to a vicious serial killer. The film explores her story and the hunt for the killer. The Boston Strangler killed a total of 13 women. While a man called Albert DeSalvo did confess to the crimes, it has been theorised that more than one person committed the crimes. The film's synopsis says that it, "follows Loretta McLaughlin (Keira Knightley), a reporter for the Record-American newspaper, who becomes the first journalist to connect the Boston Strangler murders."

It adds, "As the mysterious killer claims more and more victims, Loretta attempts to continue her investigation alongside colleague and confidante Jean Cole (Carrie Coon), yet the duo finds themselves stymied by the rampant sexism of the era. Nevertheless, McLaughlin and Cole bravely pursue the story at great personal risk, putting their own lives on the line in their quest to uncover the truth."

The film also stars Carrie Coon, Alessandro Nivola, Chris Cooper, David Dastmalchian, and Morgan Spector.

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But who was the real Boston Strangler? Read on to find out.

Boston Strangler and his reign of terror

The Boston Strangler, as mentioned above, was a serial killer who terrorised the city of Boston, Massachusetts in the early 1960s. The killer is believed to have murdered at least 13 women between 1962 and 1964, although some estimates put the number as high as 19. The case received widespread media attention and became one of the most notorious unsolved crimes in American history.

The killer's modus operandi was to gain entry to the victim's home by posing as a maintenance worker, salesman, or other innocent person. He would then strangle the victim with a ligature, often leaving behind a distinctive pattern of marks on the neck. In some cases, he would also sexually assault the victim before or after the murder.

The hunt of the Boston Strangler

The investigation into the Boston Strangler case was one of the largest and most complex in American history. Despite the efforts of hundreds of law enforcement officials, including the FBI, the killer was never definitively identified. Over the years, a number of suspects were identified and investigated, including Albert DeSalvo, a career criminal who confessed to being the Boston Strangler in 1967.

DeSalvo's confession, however, was fraught with inconsistencies and many experts believe that he was not actually responsible for the killings. In fact, DeSalvo was never officially charged with any of the murders and was instead convicted of unrelated crimes, including rape and armed robbery.

In the years since the Boston Strangler case, a number of theories have been put forward about the identity of the killer. Some experts believe that the murders were the work of multiple individuals, while others argue that the killer was a single person with a history of violence against women.

Despite the lack of a definitive resolution to the case, the Boston Strangler remains one of the most infamous serial killers in American history. The case has been the subject of numerous books, movies, and TV shows, and continues to fascinate and haunt people to this day.

The Boston Strangler movie releases on March 17 on Hulu.

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