Boston Strangler Ending Explained: Who was the Boston Strangler?

Introduction

The 2023 Hulu film Boston Strangler explores the infamous true-crime case that shook Boston in the early 1960s. Over two years, 13 innocent women were brutally murdered by a serial killer who came to be known as the Boston Strangler. The film follows Loretta, a reporter for the Record American newspaper, as she investigates the case and uncovers new information that challenges the accepted narrative.

Why does Detective DeLine from Michigan State Police call Loretta?

In 1965, three years after the first Boston Strangler murder, six women were brutally murdered in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Detective DeLine from Michigan State Police contacts Loretta, as the nature of each crime mimics that of the Boston Strangler, and no one knows the case better than her. DeLine asks Loretta if she still thinks Albert DeSalvo is responsible for the murders.

Who was Harrison, and why did Loretta meet him?

After DeSalvo’s death, Loretta visits the prison to see if she can learn more about what happened to him. While there, she is handed an address by a woman who reveals that the gentleman whose address is listed is named Harrison, and he attended Bridgewater with DeSalvo. Loretta visits Harrison and learns that DeSalvo, Daniel Marsh, and George Nassar treated Bridgewater simultaneously. Marsh and Nassar helped coach DeSalvo on the Boston Strangler murders and his confession.

Was Albert DeSalvo the Boston Strangler?

DeSalvo confessed to assistant General Attorney John Bottomley that he was responsible for the Boston Strangler murders. However, he couldn’t answer specific questions regarding some of the crimes, such as the color of the robe one of the victims wore the night of her murder and the layout of her apartment. Loretta believes Bottomley showed DeSalvo’s crime scene photos during his interviews to help him lie.

Was there more than one Boston Strangler killer?

Though it was never confirmed, the film implies that there could have been more than one Boston Strangler. Loretta explains her theory that many men during that time were Boston Strangler copycats and made their crimes look like the work of the infamous serial killer to get away with murder.

Conclusion

The Boston Strangler case remains one of the most perplexing true-crime cases, with many unanswered questions. Though the most likely conclusion is that DeSalvo was the Boston Strangler, there are still unresolved discrepancies in the case, such as why a witness identified George Nassar as the strangler or why DeSalvo couldn’t answer specific questions during his confession. While DNA did link DeSalvo to the 13th murder, the rest of the murders remain unsolved.