2020 fans, this is Dick Lair, host of Truth and Lies, The Boston Strangler, and this week

we're bringing you the second episode of our new three-part series about a murder case from the

1960s that was never closed. If you've missed any of these episodes, you can find the whole series

and more Truth and Lies stories by following Truth and Lies, The Boston Strangler, using the link

in our episode description. A word of warning, there are descriptions of violence in this episode

that some listeners may find disturbing. Boston, January 1964, multiple women have been found dead

in their apartments, most of them strangled with their own clothing, belts, robes, nylon stockings.

They've been sexually violated, their bodies staged in degrading positions.

By the time the body of the last victim, Mary Sullivan, was found, newspapers reported at the time

that when it came to identifying a suspect, police were at a total loss. The press coverage was

relentless and the public was on edge. One newspaper featured an article comparing the Boston

Strangler to Jack the Ripper, the serial killer who targeted women in London's East End. The article

said the fear in Boston resembled that of late 19th century London when at least five women were

slashed to death. It also pointed out Jack the Ripper was never caught. From ABC Audio, this is Truth

in Lies, the Boston Strangler. I'm Dick Lair, this is Episode 2, The Search.

By January 1964, the Strangler had eluded capture for 18 months. The situation was urgent

and the threat wasn't just isolated to the city of Boston. The killer had struck in surrounding

communities too, sometimes venturing 25 miles away from the city. So the Massachusetts Attorney General

stepped in. Attorney General Edward Brooke was one of the highest ranking and one of the few

black public officials in the country at the time. He was a Republican who won in an overwhelmingly

Democratic state and would go on to be elected to the US Senate. Before becoming Attorney General,

Brooke had successfully fought corruption in city departments. He took over the Boston Finance

...