Reign of terror: 1962 - 1964
Motive: Sex
Crimes: It was estimated by the investigators that DeSalvo (the "Green Man") had committed sexual assaults on more than 300 women. DeSalvo (the Boston Strangler) murdered 13 women:
| Date | Victim | Age | Method |
| 14/06/62 | Anna Slesers | 55 | Strangled |
| 28/06/62 | Mary Mullen | 85 | Heart failure as DeSalvo attacks |
| 30/06/62 | Nina Nichols | 68 | Strangled |
| 30/06/62 | Helen Blake | 65 | Strangled |
| 19/08/62 | Ida Irga | 75 | Strangled |
| 20/08/62 | Jane Sullivan | 67 | Strangled |
| 05/12/62 | Sophie Clark | 20 | Raped and strangled |
| 31/12/62 | Patricia Bissettte | 23 | Raped and strangled |
| 19/03/63 | Mary Brown | 69 | Battered over the head with a metal pipe |
| 06/05/63 | Beverly Samans | 23 | Raped and stabbed 22 times |
| 08/09/63 | Evelyn Corbin | 58 | Raped and strangled |
| 23/11/63 | Joann Graff | 23 | Raped and strangled |
| 04/01/64 | Mary Sullivan | 19 | Raped and strangled |
Sentence: DeSalvo was tried and convicted of armed robbery, breaking and entering, theft, assault and sexual crimes against four women. He was sentenced to life imprisonment.
He was never tried for the murders, as the only evidence against him was his own confessions.
Interesting facts: There was no physical evidence at any of the crime scenes - there was no evidence of forced entry in any of the houses, which at first made the police believe that the victims knew their killer. To this end, attempts were made to establish a link between the victims. None were found, as the victims were chosen at random.
The houses were ransacked as if the motive had been theft. However nothing was stolen. The bodies were found with very tight ligatures tied round their necks, tied with a bow under the chin. Their bodies were left nude in obscenely exposed positions. The body of Mary Sullivan was found with a card reading Happy New Year leaning against her foot. She had been violated with a broom.
DeSalvo was arrested after he had broken into a woman's house and indecently assaulted her. After she had helped to produce an artist's impression of her attacker, a police officer recognised the suspect. Once arrested, the picture was released to neighbouring states. It became apparent that DeSalvo had been at work sexually assaulting women all over New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut, and was known as the Green Man, due to the fact that he usually wore green trousers. Whilst in custody he confessed to a cell mate that he was the Boston Strangler.
Following his conviction, he was sentenced to life imprisonment at Bridgewater State Hospital. After a month of being there, he escaped, leaving a note apologising for the trouble he was causing and saying that his escape was a protest as he was note receiving proper psychiatric care. He gave himself up after 36 hours and was transferred to Walpole maximum security prison.
DeSalvo was murdered in prison on 26th November 1973. He had been stabbed 16 times by an unknown assailant.