ok so this is my essay on a serial killer i had to do for class and devin wanted to read it because the killer is from where she lives ok so i guess if you like serial killers you can read it if u want???? but ya idk
The man who claims he murdered 13 women,
The elusive strangler, there he goes,
Where his wanderlust send him, no one knows
He struck within the light of day,
Leaving not one clue astray.
Young and old, their lips are sealed,
Their secret of death never revealed.
Even though he is sick in his mind,
He’s much too clever for the police to find.
To reveal his secret would bring him fame,
But burden his family with unwanted shame.
Today he sits in a prison cell,
Deep inside only a secret he can tell.
People everywhere are still in doubt,
Is the Strangler in prison or roaming about?”
This is a poem written by Albert De Salvo a few years before his death. De Salvo was born in Massachusettson September 3rd, 1931. He cam from a very violent home where his mother was constantly physically abused by his father while De Salvo and his siblings were verbally abused as well. De Salvo had a few run ins with the law at an early age. He then joined the army and was stationed inGermany for 8 years where he met his wife, Irmgard Beck. The moved back toAmerica together and had 2 children.
Between June 14 1962 and January 4, 1964, 13 women were assaulted and strangled to death in theBostonarea. De Salvo never forced his way into the women’s homes, he would pretend to be a model agency scout or say that his car broke down and he needed help. He would strangle the women with their own stockings, therefore dubbing him The Boston Strangler. However, there was not enough evidence to convict him of the murders. He was sent to aWestboroughStatePsychiatric Hospitalwhere he was diagnosed as a sociopath and was also sentenced 2 years in jail for assault and battery, along with breaking and entering. In September of 1965, De Salvo confessed to The Boston Strangler murders, as well as two others.
One theory that could be applied to De Salvo’s case is the feminism theory. He only attacked and killed women, so they were his only targets. Though, he did not have any specific age pattern. The victims ranged from 19-85 years of age. De Salvo once said, “I did this not as a sex act but out of hate for her. I don’t mean out of hate for her in particular, really, I mean out of hate for women.” He admitted that this was essentially a hate crime against women and he wasn’t going after anyone specifically, just any women who he could kill.
Another theory could be Frederick Skinner’s theory. De Salvo attacked and killed numerous women for almost 2 years without anyone knowing it was him. He estimates he broke into about 400 apartments and there are many more murders and attacks then just the original 13. Skinner’s theory can apply here because De Salvo did not get caught until he killed various women. Similar to how Skinner’s rats knew that if they pushed the button, they would get food. Since he was “getting away with it” he continued to do it.
A final theory that could be applied to The Boston Strangler murders is Erik Erikson’s theory. He says that events we experience during adolescence are crucial to our development. De Salvo was repeatedly abused and attacked as a child and also had to watch his mother be physically beaten often. An incident like this would certainly leave its mark on someone, especially at such a young age and could very easily affect one later on in life.
In conclusion, maybe De Salvo wanted to be in control as much as his father was many years ago. Maybe he had bad experiences with women and this was his way of revenge. Either way, none of us will never know because on November 26 1973, Albert De Salvo was found stabbed to death in his prison infirmary.
