Long before Albert DeSalvo confessed to being the Boston Strangler, he was Boy #402, one of the subjects of an exhaustive study of the lives of juvenile delinquents. Now, author Dick Lehr has uncovered a trove of researchers’ notes about DeSalvo’s early life dating back to the 1940s.
Explore the Globe clippings below to see how the newspaper covered DeSalvo’s early crimes, his trial in a series of assaults, and his death.
March 19, 1961 ― DeSalvo is arrested on suspicion of “casing” homes
May 3, 1961 — DeSalvo is sentenced for assault, attempted breaking and entering
Nov. 6, 1964 — DeSalvo is arrested in an another assault case
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Jan. 7, 1967 ― As his assault trial begins, DeSalvo says he’s the Boston Strangler
January 15, 1967 — Diverging portraits of DeSalvo emerge from prosecutors, neighbors
Jan. 19, 1967 — DeSalvo is convicted, sentenced to life in prison
Nov. 26, 1973 — DeSalvo is stabbed to death in prison
Christina Prignano can be reached at christina.prignano@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @cprignano.