Family of possible Boston Strangler victim may get answers, closure after new DNA evidence

Published January 13, 2015

The family of a woman who may have been the Boston Strangler's last victim could be just days away from getting answers about her slaying.

Authorities said Thursday they have forensic evidence tying Albert DeSalvo to the 1964 slaying of 19-year-old Mary Sullivan. DeSalvo first confessed to being the Boston Strangler, but later recanted before his stabbing death in prison as he served a life sentence for other crimes.

Officials say DeSalvo's remains will be exhumed because testing of DNA from the scene of Sullivan's rape and murder produced a "familial match" with him. Such scientific advances only became possible recently, and police secretly followed DeSalvo's nephew to collect DNA from a discarded water bottle to help make the connection.

Plans are to exhume DeSalvo's body sometime this week.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/us/family-of-possible-boston-strangler-victim-may-get-answers-closure-after-new-dna-evidence