Boston Strangler: The Untold Story (2008) Movie Script
Hello, Dr. Arlen?
It's Albert.
Albert De Salvo?
I must say,
I didn't expect to hear from you.
How've you been?
Actually, I've been doing well.
You know,
Walpole ain't so bad after all.
Well, I'm very happy to hear that.
But listen, if you wouldn't mind
relieving me of my curiosity,
why you calling me?
I got some things
I wanna get off my chest.
I'm sure they have mental
health professionals there
who can help you.
This is different.
I want to tell the truth
about the Boston Strangler murders.
I see.
Look, Albert...
let's not do this
over the phone, all right?
I'll arrange to meet you
at 9 A. M. Tomorrow morning.
I'll set up a private therapy room.
We can talk there.
That'd be great.
Thanks, Doc.
Hey, thanks a lot, huh?
Now, now.
That's enough for now.
Come on, Jennifer, don't stop me now.
I'm begging here.
It's late.
I had to get up early.
Just a while longer.
Stop your groveling, Romeo.
It don't look so sexy on you.
You're right.
You're right.
I shall be like a knight of the round table
and ride off into the cold, dark night.
Farewell, young maiden.
You okay?
Well, if I'm not, can I come in?
Send the King my best.
Mrs. Jennifer Foster.
Mrs. Jennifer Mitchum Foster.
No, too long.
Jennifer Foster.
Jen Foster.
Mrs. Jennifer Foster.
Such a klutz.
- No! Stop!
- Mrs. Jennifer...
Foster.
No! No!
Captain, would you look at this?
A front-page guide
to the Strangler murders
right there in black and white
for every criminal in Boston to read.
Why don't we just hand the investigation
over to Miss Fineman?
It's my fault.
I let out the information.
I'm sorry, John.
I've just been under
all sorts of pressure
to get this case solved.
Winfield is threatening
to take over.
Not just our department,
but every department in the county.
So I figured, what the hell?
Why not get everybody involved?
But you know what you done, Cap?
You compromised
my entire investigation.
Investigation, John?
We've got no investigation.
We've got no fingerprints,
no witnesses.
Nothing!
Captain Parker, the lineup's set.
They're waiting on you,
Detective Marsden.
Let's just get this over with.
It's all right, they can't see you.
Okay, okay.
Just take your time.
The joker with the sunglasses
is Albert De Salvo.
A couple years ago,
he was charged with assault.
Spent 11 months at Middlesex
before they let him go on parole.
Who's the serious one on the end?
Frank Asarian.
I'm really surprised
he's even out on the streets.
He's got a record a mile long.
It's him on...
He's over there on the far right.
He's on the end.
It's him. That's him.
Oh, my God, it's...
He grabbed me.
He grabbed me
and he punched me across the face.
I can never forget his face.
I'll never forget his face.
Look at him.
He even looks like a criminal.
Where are you?
I know you're in there!
Look at him.
I hope he burns in hell.
I'm gonna come back for you!
You know that?
- Get over here.
- Where's my lawyer?
Have a seat, fellas.
Finish filling out your paperwork
and you're free to go.
And what if I can't read?
Sir, if you need help,
we'll find you an assistant.
Yeah, I'd rather you assist me.
I'm sure you would.
What are you looking at, penguin?
He's a fucking penguin,
walking around in a suit and tie.
That's a tuxedo, asshole.
- What?
- It's a tuxedo.
Penguins always look
like they have tuxedos on, asshole.
You trying to make an ass of me?
Don't you think I know that?
It's allitera-fuckin-ation.
I didn't mean nothing of it, all right?
Don't make no difference.
Got that burn in my stomach.
Gotta find some food,
if you know what I mean.
You have a good one.
Keep your eyes forward, Asarian.
- Keep moving.
- I'm going.
- What are you looking at?
- Keep moving.
- You're not even done!
- Someone stole my sunglasses.
I don't care about that.
You gotta finish the paperwork.
Come home and help me do it, will ya?
Oh, Jesus.
Hi, Mary Beth!
Oh, hi, girls.
How are ya?
Good.
Hey, beautiful day, huh?
Yeah.
Hey, I got a new office
here on campus.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
I've been meaning to introduce myself,
but I just been really busy
with the agency.
Agency?
Yeah, things are easing up a bit.
Ever since Jackie
took over the White House,
they've been making me search for girls
who look just like her.
Are you in the fashion business?
You could say that.
I'm a modeling scout.
- Modeling scout?
- Yeah.
You know, I find girls.
I measure them.
I photograph them,
and then I introduce them to the agency.
Oh, sounds interesting.
You know,
now that I have a moment alone with you,
you do sort of have the type of build
the agency is looking for.
What size are you?
Thanks. Actually, I'm a 4.
No friggin' way.
You're not a 4.
Yes, I am.
I gotta get to work.
Wait!
You can measure me,
and I'll prove it to you.
What, you'll prove it to me, huh?
- Yeah.
- Well, it's a cut-throat industry.
Are you sure you can handle that?
Don't know if I don't try.
- That's true.
- Yeah.
- Uh...
- Oh, sorry. Susan.
Susan, why don't you follow me
to my office?
You know, on second thought,
it's probably not a good idea,
you know, getting measured
in a strange man's office.
Maybe another time, huh?
Well... Hey, follow me.
My room's just upstairs.
Come on.
- You sure?
- Yeah, come on.
Measure me upstairs.
Okay, I got a few minutes.
- Let's make it fast, huh?
- Okay.
- It's too beautiful outside, right?
- Yeah.
So, what agency
did you say you're from?
The Black and White modeling agency.
It's downtown.
I'll give you my card.
How much does it pay
if they accept me?
- Forty dollars an hour.
- Forty dollars an hour?
- Mm-hmm.
- Are you kidding me?
I could pay my entire
tuition at that rate.
Forty dollars is just
for the modeling in town.
They pay you more
if they fly you out of town.
Plus they pay all your expenses.
- Really?
- Mm-hmm. Sure. Yeah.
Lots of girls fly back and forth
to Paris on a regular basis.
- Paris!
- Mm-hmm.
Oh!
Here's my apartment.
Okay.
Do you mind?
No, not at all.
- Thirty-four inches.
- Really?
I thought I was 32 inches.
No, you're a... You're 34.
Well, what's my cup size?
How do you measure that?
Well, there's no physical
measurement for cup size.
You have to...
Well, you know, by hand?
Yeah?
You're the professional.
Uh, to get an accurate
measurement, I have to...
Oh, yeah. Okay.
You have a gentle touch.
Well?
- What's my cup size?
- Just a moment.
You really should know by now.
Sorry. You're a C-cup,
definitely a C-cup.
What did you say your name was?
It was Johnson.
It's Mr. Johnson.
You can call me Gary.
And where's the agency?
What's the address?
It's downtown, 71st Street... 853.
Wouldn't the address be in the 70s?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, 753.
You know,
I'm sure you're a good student and all,
but maybe modeling
is just not for you.
Maybe you're just
not cut out for it.
Maybe you're not really
a modeling agent.
- Oh, yeah?
- Yeah.
- I think you should go now.
- Really?
In fact, maybe I should just
- go ahead and call the cops.
- You're not gonna do that.
- You're not going anywhere.
- Ow!
Quit it!
The agency doesn't like girls
who talk back, you know?
They put girls like you
right back on a plane
and send you where you came from.
Where do you think you're going, huh?
I know there's no way out of here.
What are you gonna do, jump?
Huh?
What, do you got wings?
My boyfriend will be here any minute.
When I was stationed in Germany,
I used to hear that one all the time,
only it was in German.
Shut the fuck up.
There's money in my dresser.
You can have it all.
Top drawer.
Left side.
Just please go away.
Please just leave me alone!
Why don't you go ahead
and do me a favor
and come on out of there,
so I don't have to come get you, huh?
Open the door.
Open the fucking door.
Open the fucking door.
Open the fucking door, bitch!
Open the fucking door!
Would have been here an hour ago.
Traffic's all backed up
on Comm Avenue.
Oh, it's all right.
Been upstairs?
- Yeah, I been up there.
- How's it look?
It's not a pretty picture.
You'll see.
- What's up, guys?
- Hey, John. How are you?
Hey, John.
Samans.
Beverly Samans.
Early 20s.
This one is not strangled,
even though the stocking
is up around her neck.
She was stabbed in the neck.
Well, that's creative.
And the killer left her body splayed out
for all the world to see.
Dress pulled up, legs wide open.
Mr. Marsden.
When are you gonna catch
the Strangler?
Stranglers.
There's clearly more
than one man at work here.
And how can you be
so sure of that, John?
How can you be so sure
it's just one man?
How long have you been
doing this, John, huh?
It's called M.O.
Sexual assault.
Strangled by stockings,
break-ins, no witnesses,
etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
I can keep going, John.
Well, forgive me, Mr. Winfield,
but his M.O. Isn't that clear.
The first five were elderly.
The sixth was young and black.
- Mary Brown and now...
- Beverly Samans.
Beverly Samans, it appears,
were stabbed to death.
Doesn't sound like
one particular M.O. To me.
John, I need you to listen to me,
because I'm trying to be
painfully crystal clear to you,
so I can get through
that thick skull of yours.
I'm running for
a Senate seat next year, John.
And the last thing I need
is a crime-happy dick
hop-bopping around town
telling everyone
that there are multiple murderers
running rampant in my streets.
The city's position
is that there's just one.
Just one.
And I intend to catch this one monster
and send his ass so deep in jail
the devil himself can't find him.
Therefore, my city will be happy
about life again.
You understand me, John?
You can have
any theory that you want.
The fact is, you got no jurisdiction
over my department.
And my department
will continue the search
for multiple killers.
You trying to oppose me, John?
I don't work for you, Art.
I work for the people.
You know, it's amazing
you've lasted this long.
Apparently, you have someone
taking care of you on the force.
'Cause I've never seen
a more naive detective.
Enough of this nonsense.
- Good day, Mrs. Lucino.
- Thank you, Albert.
How's that beautiful wife of yours?
She's doing okay,
if you mean adjusting and all.
Thanks for asking, huh?
Us Italians and Germans
were partners in the war.
It's a good match.
Makes for beautiful kids.
Thank you, Mrs. Lucino.
Michael and Judy certainly are beautiful.
But the war's been over for almost
We may be Italian,
but always be proud
to be an American.
Hey, I didn't join the military
to fight for Mussolini,
or the Nazis for that matter.
Of course, Albert,
you're a decent young man.
- See you on Sunday?
- Yes, ma'am.
Hey, be careful out there, huh?
That Boston Strangler?
Don't worry.
I've got protection.
You certainly do.
- Good day, Mrs. Lucino.
- You, too.
Claudia?
Claudia, where are you?
Claudia!
Clad... Claudia!
Michael?
Where are you?
Where the fuck are you?
Claudia! Michael! Judy!
- Where are the kids?
- At your mother's house.
Don't you remember anything?
I brought you some
flowers and chocolates.
That was Munich, Albert.
This is Boston.
The romance is over.
Be a man.
I am a man.
No, Albert.
You are not a man until you can act
like a responsible husband and father.
Claudia, I go to work every day
to bring home money
for you and the kids, right?
Half the time you tell me you're at work,
you're having a beer at the bar.
Or worse,
you're screwing other women.
Claudia, come on now.
Albert, don't you realize
that I can feed the children
breakfast, lunch, and dinner
for the price of all your beer?
Baby, please, huh?
I swear to God, I can make it better.
I swear to God.
When, Albert?
When?
You dragged me all the way
across the Atlantic Ocean.
Why would you do that?
So you could be a bum?
- Albert.
- Hmm?
Do you remember the promise
that you told me back in Germany?
- Mm-hmm.
- That you told my parents?
Mm-hmm.
- I promise...
- Albert.
Albert.
Albert.
Albert!
Stop it!
- Albert!
- What?
Stop it!
I got needs!
I'm a fucking man!
You're my wife!
Fuck you!
Don't you ever touch me again!
Is this the treatment I get
for being a man?
I got fucking needs, damn it!
Again. Different knot.
- You sure about that?
- Positive.
The first five were tied into a bow.
This one was tied into a knot first,
then the bow was tied.
And while we're scratching our asses,
there are women dying all over the city.
And there's nothing we can do about it.
There is, if I can help it.
Hey, Captain, hand me
those tweezers, will you?
Thanks.
What are you gonna do with that?
This is evidence, Captain.
I'm gonna save it.
Maybe we can match it up to the killer
under a microscope.
Not in my lifetime.
Anything?
Do we have anything?
Not a thing, sir.
There was not a fingerprint
anywhere in this apartment.
Witnesses?
Not a one.
As far as I can tell,
nobody heard or saw anything.
- Family been notified?
- Yes, they have.
Find out if she had
any ongoing disputes.
Find every friend and family member
and get them down
to the precinct for questioning.
Don't you worry, sweetheart.
We're gonna figure this out...
if it's the last thing we do.
John, maybe we should
let Forensics come in
and do their thing.
Why don't you head back to the office?
I don't need to head back
to the damned office.
You know, that attitude
is the reason we can't find
these girls' killers.
Everybody wants this to just go away.
Sweep it under the carpet.
Well, it's not going away.
It's not going away
'cause the killing isn't just gonna stop.
People kill each other.
All we are is animals
in a fucking suit and a tie.
No difference.
And all of you detectives
need to think about
why you're on the force.
What about you, Spinelli?
Why are you here?
What's motivating you?
What motivates me?
Job stability?
Job stability. There it is.
It ain't about catching the bad guy
any more than it was
when my father was a cop.
It's about job stability.
We're all just trying to provide
for our families here.
- Every one of us, that's what...
- Yeah, yeah.
You know what, Joe?
Maybe you should have been a bricklayer,
'cause they get great fucking benefits.
- Oh, get...
- Hey, hey, hey!
John. John.
Try that again,
I'm gonna make sure
you're cleaning convicts' cells
for the rest of your career.
You got me?
You got me, Joe?
# Just a moment, sir #
# A moment of your time #
# Been dreaming of you #
# Is that such a crime? #
# I know that I'm foolish #
# To look back on #
# A romance that ended slowly #
# But I can't forget her touch #
# Or that crazy smile
that meant so much #
# All I'm left with #
# Are wishes #
Hello?
Mark?
Is that you, honey?
I don't remember giving you a key.
Mark?
Honey?
Mark, this isn't funny.
Oh, my God!
- Stop! You're hurting me!
- Shh.
If you only make a sound,
I'm gonna tear out your tongue
and you will never speak again,
do you understand?
Good.
You know, I wasn't intending
on being so rough and all.
But seeing you is a fighter,
I'm going to have to make sure
you ain't capable of using those hands.
Ah!
Oh, you smell good.
Oh, please stop.
That was the wrong decision.
Oh, please!
I was going to make love to you.
If you only just behaved.
# 'Cause the only wish I have #
# Is you #
Winfield is calling it the seventh one.
The Strangler?
Well, it's got all the ear markings.
Matches the M.O.,
but on close inspection
there are some incongruities.
Really?
Like what?
John, she's strangled
with the stocking all right.
But that bow is not tied
like we'd expect.
It's a copycat.
The first five were killed
by the same guy.
Sophie Clark and this girl
were killed by jack-offs
who actually read the papers.
New Year's Eve.
At least we know the Strangler
doesn't take holidays off.
Well, technically,
it's not a holiday until tomorrow.
Technically, it is tomorrow.
Hold on. Who are you?
And how the hell did you get access
to my crime scene?
I'm Jana Fineman.
I'm with The Record.
Oh, you're with The Record.
You're a reporter.
We prefer to think of ourselves
as public disseminators.
It's our duty to inform the public.
Well, you know what?
I'd prefer to think of you
as somebody who's gone.
Donovan, get her out of my face.
Detective Marsden, would you mind
commenting on why, after seven murders,
you have no leads, no witness,
no evidence?
How do you know
what evidence we've got?
All right?
The Department is not in the habit
of sharing details on investigations
with the papers.
Not to be disrespectful,
but our sources tell us
that you have nothing
to go on at this point.
I don't give a damn
about your sources.
- Get her out of here.
- And the Strangler's out there.
She's going, she's going,
she's almost gone, she's gone.
Fellow citizens
of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts,
someone please call into my show.
I want to hear from you.
Someone tell me
what is going on in this town.
Why can't the cops find this guy?
He's strangling women all over town.
The list... It's just despicable.
Anna Slesers, she's 55 years old.
She was the first to die.
She was strangled
with the cord of her bathrobe...
her very own bathrobe
around her neck...
on June 14th, 1962.
A nylon stocking was used to kill
68-year-old Nina Nicols on June 30th.
And Helen Blake, age 65,
was found the same day.
A stock...
How was the party?
Lt'd have been a lot better
if you'd have been there.
You'll catch him, John.
Don't lose focus.
I can't catch him.
Of course you can.
You're the top detective on the force.
It's not that I don't believe
in myself, babe.
I can't catch him because
I don't think it's one man.
The M.O. Changed drastically
between Jane Sullivan
and Sophie Parker.
Jane was 67, Sophie was 19.
But they were all strangled.
The first five were the same guy.
But I'm a hundred percent
sure that he stopped.
The last two were copycats.
Basically, the papers
have printed a how-to book
on the Boston Strangler.
Just follow these instructions,
and you, too, can be the Strangler.
Have you told anyone else how you feel?
Michelle, this is not how I feel.
John, I'm not questioning you.
Calm down.
This is your wife you're talking to here.
Sorry, babe.
I'm a bit tense.
Yeah, no kidding.
This is political.
The papers, the public, the mayor,
and the attorney general
all want it to be one man.
Nobody wants to hear there's a...
There's murderers
running rampant out there.
Well, we can't solve anything tonight.
So why don't you...
you just focus on investigating me?
Why don't you get over a little bit.
All right! All right, simmer down.
Look, I know it's odd for all of us
to be here in the same room,
but perhaps Mr. Winfield
can enlighten us.
Morning, gentlemen.
Let's try and act like professionals.
Now, as you all know,
there's been 12 Strangler murders
without any real leads.
Now, I know you all
have been working very hard
investigating your cases,
but it's simply not working.
I've got so much pressure up my ass,
I'm about to crap out of my mouth.
So I have devised a way
to give us a chance
to catch this murdering bastard.
As of today,
the entire Boston Strangler case
will be handled by a new bureau
of the Commonwealth.
This bureau will be called
the Strangler Bureau.
Every department,
and I mean every department,
will be working together...
...providing the bureau
with every shred of evidence,
witness testimony, etcetera.
The head of this new bureau will be
Mr. Fred Addison.
What? Addison?
Are you kidding?
Oh. What is this,
a joke or something?
Wh-What does he know
about law enforcement, huh?
Has... Has he ever been on the street?
No offense, Mr. Addison, but, uh...
what the hell does he know
about police business?
Sergeant Donnely,
are you questioning my judgment?
Do I look like a joke to you?
I suggest you put a sock
in it right here and right now,
or you will be at home with your wife
baking cookies and doing laundry.
- You understand me?
- Yes, sir.
Does this look like a fucking
classroom to you, Mr. Smith?
Put your hand down.
No questions will be answered
until I'm finished.
I will tie your hands to your belt
if you try that shit again.
Also leading this bureau
will be Detective Philip Bloom,
Special Officer John Marsden
of the Boston State Police,
and Andrew Tunney of the Mass State.
Alongside these fine gentlemen
will be a medical advisory
made up of experts
from around the state.
Finally...
...the press will be informed
of a $10,000 reward
for any information
leading to the capture of the Strangler.
You all look as if you want to kill me.
You have questions,
Mr. Addison will take them.
He's your man.
I just delivered the message.
Fred.
Now, gentlemen,
we all have to work together on this,
and we will explore every option possible
to gather as much information as we can
to capture this criminal.
Now, I'd like you all
to meet me back here today
at precisely 2 P. M.
To discuss further details.
Good morning.
All right, ladies.
You heard him.
Yeah. Great.
- See you back here at 2.
- See you later.
Why don't you go see
if he's got anything.
Look, we'll try to keep you
up on speed here on this.
I'm sorry.
John, maybe we can have a talk.
Your office or mine?
Whoa! You all right?
Yep. Got it.
Here it is, Mr. Addison.
All 37,000 pages.
Well done, Richie.
I would imagine that everything
is collated and labeled
to my exact specifications.
Uh, you betcha.
And the computer folks have their copy?
Yes, sir.
Delivered it this morning.
Not 370?
That's right, Mr. Marsden.
This is every single bit
of information about the cases
organized into one master book.
And the scientists over at MI have been gracious enough
to help compile all of the information
on their mainframe computers.
Computer? Whoa.
What the hell are you going
to do with a computer?
Organization, Mr. Marsden.
Organization.
Well, Mr. Addison,
takes a hell of a lot more
than computers
and organization
to solve a case.
Well, whatever it takes,
Mr. Marsden,
you haven't found it, have you?
How the hell would you know?
Freakin' Poindexter.
Well, it looks like MIT's going to be
solving all our cases.
- No, no, don't.
- No, no!
- That's a one-way street!
- They'll never see me!
No one's been on
a one-way street except you!
- Shut up!
- Shut up!
Albert, you can't
go down this way.
It's a one-way street!
Albert, you're taking
our lives in your hands.
- Pull over!
- You're going to kill us all, Albert.
- Michael, tell him to stop!
- Shut up! Shut up!
- Sondra, just shut the hell up!
- Everybody, be cool!
- It was Johnson. Mr. Johnson.
- Paris? Ohl
I done some...
I done some bad things, man.
- I got some problems...
- What kind of bad things?
You've got the cops after you, Albert!
Some fucking problems
with the broads, you know that!
Got that burn in my stomach.
Are you in the fashion business?
I made some mistakes, okay?
Mike, can you...
Oh, shit!
Shit! I'm sorry, guys.
Oh, fuck. God!
I'm a prick! I'm an asshole!
- It's all right.
- Let's get out.
Come on, let's go outside.
Let's get out of here before...
No, no.
Where you guys going?
- Where you going?
- Albert.
What did you do, Albert?
- Claudia, don't you go anywhere.
- You're always doing this, Albert.
Don't you go anywhere!
- Why did you do this?
- Mikey!
- You're bleeding!
- What have you done, Albert?
Now look what you've gone and done.
You're a mental case,
Albert De Salvo.
A mental case!
Claudia, don't you go anywhere!
- Don't you leave me!
- What'd you do, Albert?
Don't you fucking leave me!
Enough of this!
I'm sick of this!
I don't want to be here
when the cops get here.
Just give yourself up.
- Mikey!
- Come on, Albert.
Mikey, you're bleeding.
I'm sorry, Mike!
What'd you do? What'd you do?
I did some bad shit, man.
You're innocent till proven guilty, right?
You... They got nothing on you!
They're coming right now.
I'm in trouble.
- Mikey!
- Innocent till proven guilty!
What am I going to do?
- Mikey!
- Come on, just turn yourself in!
- I'm f...
- Please, Albert. Please.
- I can't do it.
- Just, please turn yourself in.
- Innocent till proven guilty!
- What am I going to do?
- Mikey! I'm f...
- Just turn yourself in.
We have you surrounded.
- Turn off the ignition.
- What's Ma going to think?
Step out of the car
and put your hands up.
- Come on! What'd you do?
- Shit! Get out of here! Go now! Go!
...you cannot get away.
You are under arrest, Mr. De Salvo.
God damn it!
Start, you fuckin' thing!
Damn itl
Keep looking straight ahead,
Mr. De Salvo.
I'm looking, I'm looking.
So this is the loony bin, eh?
It ain't so bad.
Little faster, Mr. De Salvo.
All right, all right.
So where do they keep
the broads in this joint?
Just keep walking.
Hey, hey, how long
this guy been in here?
Ain't none of your business.
Ah, just asking.
I thought I said no roommates!
Shit.
You better clean up
on that sink over there.
Nice to meet you, too.
Gorgeous, huh?
Hey.
Hey.
I know you.
No, you don't know me.
Nah.
I know you.
I never forget a face.
Yeah?
I don't either, and, uh,
you don't look too familiar to me.
That's because you ain't
paying attention.
You can't remember nothing
if you ain't watching.
February of last year.
Yeah, that's it.
You're... You're the little joker in the lineup.
I ain't never been in no lineup.
Sure, you have.
The bitch chose me.
Thought I was the Boston
fucking Strangler or something.
Imagine that.
A nice guy like me.
The Boston Strangler.
Now, wait a minute now.
Yeah.
Now I remember.
Yeah, that's right.
Man, was I glad she chose you.
When I was walking
out of the jail that day,
I met this little honey...
Ah, I'm just saying.
I'm really happy for you.
Uh, no offense.
I don't mean no disrespect.
I'm just saying, you know.
Those were some serious charges, huh?
You're telling me.
How'd you beat the rap?
Had a winning ticket
on a horse at the track.
Perfect alibi.
Sure, yeah.
It's perfect.
So, uh, which bed is mine?
It don't bother me.
I don't sleep in the bed.
Yeah? Where do you sleep?
You sleep with the fish?
I don't really sleep much.
And when I do...
I sleep on the floor.
Hey, wait.
What is that, some...
Some Buddhist shit, huh?
Hey, oh, whoa, whoa.
Nah.
Bad back.
So...
what are you in here for?
Why you in here, Al?
How do you know my name?
Memorized it.
Where?
On the lineup card.
From a year ago?
Come on.
I ain't that smart, Al.
You see, while I was at the police station
I stole the lineup card
just in case my alibi didn't hold up.
Because if it didn't hold up,
I was going to make up some cockamamie
story about being one of yous.
Oh, now that's freakin' brilliant.
You're like your very own lawyer, huh?
- What, you study law?
- Nah.
What were you, a copper?
Nah.
Just always thinking, you know?
Can never stop thinking.
You gotta think like a rat
if you want to stay
out of shitholes like this.
What are you in here for anyway?
I shot a guy.
Six times in the head, point blank.
Holy shit.
For what?
Before that?
I stabbed him five times.
Go tell your grandmother
you got some hankering.
Um, no.
I don't want to go.
- No, you're not going to...
- What do you mean?
I'm not going to talk
about this any further.
You're not going to Mary Ann's party.
I don't care what you say.
- I'm going.
- You're not going.
I don't like that woman's morals.
Why? It's just a party.
You can't go, Wendy.
I talked to your father.
You're gonna find out
how you're not gonna go.
You're not going to go anywhere
for two years. Get in the car.
Fine.
Ma, what's happening?
- I don't know.
- That guy's bleeding.
- Ma, go help him!
- Oh, my God.
Get on your knees.
Mom, go! Go!
Stay calm, stay calm.
- But he has a gun!
- Don't look, honey.
Beg me for your life!
Beg me. Beg me not to shoot you.
On your knees.
Don't kill me.
Please don't kill me.
Take the money.
Don't kill me.
No!
Lock your door.
That's much better.
Much better.
Unfortunately, beggars can't be choosers.
No! No!
God! Oh, my God!
Mom, go, please!
- It's okay.
- Go! Please!
No! No!
He tried to be a hero.
I was just robbing the store.
That damned clerk
wouldn't open up the register.
So you just stabbed him?
You're damn right I did.
What, you're telling me
you never killed nobody?
I mean, no, no, not really.
What does that mean?
What do you mean, "not really"?
Well, there was this one woman.
You know, I...
I think I scared her, you know?
She... I think she had a heart attack
right there. She dropped dead.
That ain't murder.
You're funny.
I mean, you know, I...
I'm just saying,
if I hadn't snuck up on her,
would she still be going to church
this Sunday, you know?
I mean, I didn't call
an ambulance or anything,
so I figured I killed her.
And that's why they locked you up?
No.
What for?
I like the broads, you know?
Tell me who doesn't like the broads.
Tell me who doesn't like the broads.
John, go to sleep.
I heard a noise.
So what?
This is the noisiest neighborhood
in all of Boston.
Now go to sleep.
You're a cop, for God sakes.
What are you afraid of?
I worry about you
when we're not together.
I can take care of myself.
Oh, yeah?
You can take on a 6'2",
Yeah, sure.
I could take him on.
I'd kick him in the balls,
and then I'd bite out his jugular,
just like you taught me to.
Right.
John...
it's quarter past 5.
Go on back to bed.
Did you hear that?
Now you're losing it, John.
I didn't hear nothing.
Look, it's the Strangler case.
It's getting to you.
It's not getting to me.
You're only human, John.
Murdering people gets to people.
Ain't nothing strange about that.
Somebody's getting murdered
out there right now,
and there's not a damn thing
I can do about it.
Two years I've been working
on this case,
and I got nothing.
- I can't solve this thing.
- No one can.
- I'm not nobody, Michelle.
- You solved ten cases
since this investigation's been going on.
- This is different.
- How?
This is the biggest case
we've ever had.
This is bigger than Jack the Ripper.
What?
I've heard enough.
I'm sleeping downstairs.
What's the matter?
You're scaring me, John.
That's what's the matter.
Is it really necessary for you
to walk me all the way there?
It's for your protection, sir.
Yeah, you're a cheater.
Mr. De Salvo, you have a visitor.
- Oh, get the cards.
- I got it.
Get the cards.
Mr. Whitmore.
I'd like you to meet
the newly infamous,
famous the world over,
soon to be a wealthy man,
Albert De Salvo.
Certainly is a pleasure
to meet you, Mr. Whitmore.
Frank's told me a lot about you.
This is the Boston Strangler?
In the flesh, Mr. Whitmore.
Can you believe it?
Not really, no.
All right.
- Let's get down to business.
- Okay.
You know, the city has spent
millions of dollars
trying to track you down.
The D.A. Created a special task force
just for that purpose.
For three years they've
been looking for you.
Not a trace.
It's pretty impressive.
It sure is.
Albert is like a cat.
He can sneak in and out
of any apartment in Boston
without being noticed.
No witnesses.
Ever.
Then why confess? Hmm?
Family man, wife,
kids, a dog,
probably even a goldfish.
No one even suspected you.
Guess you could say
it was a career move.
Ha. A career move.
Look, Mr. Whitmore.
We got client-attorney
privileges here, right?
- I mean...
- Frank, you know the score.
Anything you say in this room
stays in this room.
That's the way it goes.
Guaranteed confidential.
Good, because...
the way that we see this,
Winfield is offering $10,000 per murder.
Now, that's over $100,000.
See, I tell Frank,
Frank tells the cops,
and we split the reward money.
Simple.
And you?
You become a world-famous litigator.
I mean, any publicity
is good publicity, right?
It's gonna be messy.
It's a huge story.
I mean, the press and the public,
they're gonna want to crucify...
crucify him.
They're gonna have
the grave already dug.
Unless...
Unless what?
Unless you claim insanity.
For me or for him?
See, I'm going to jail for life anyway.
So we cop an insanity plea,
they don't execute me,
and I live out the rest
of my life in a hospital.
And the best part is,
our families get
to keep the cash.
Jesus.
I mean, I'll do it.
- Perfect.
- That's great.
- Perfect.
- Thank you, Mr. Whitmore.
Thank you, thank you.
Now, one condition.
Sure, yeah, whatever.
If you guys get the reward,
we split it three ways.
- Three ways.
- Oh, whoa, whoa.
Three friggin' ways?
What is this? Frank!
Calm down.
Mr. Whitmore.
Frank, I'm doing this for free.
It's pro bono.
I don't see a dime off of this.
It's the least you can do.
Before you know it,
there's nothing left.
Wait. Hold on.
There will be plenty of money, Al.
We can't do it without him.
Don't you see?
The plan is already in motion.
There's no turning back.
He's the only one that can keep you
out of the electric chair.
Hey, Mr. De Salvo.
I don't think you realize
what the public really thinks of you.
They don't want to just
see you get electrocuted.
They want to tear you to pieces.
They want to string you up
from the nearest lamppost
and cut your guts out.
That's what they want to do to you.
Now, you let me handle the legals,
I'll make sure that you live a long,
comfortable life.
Mr. Whitmore, the thing is, see,
I got kids,
and I got a wife
who I know still loves me.
And I got a family.
I'm the one taking a chance here, right?
I'm the one taking a risk.
That's it.
Al, it's gonna be fine.
Either way,
there's no going back
to the way things was.
So why not let Mr. Whitmore here
make sure you go somewhere
that's comfortable?
And don't he deserve
some of the money, too?
I mean, I know him.
He works real hard.
He'll do anything and everything
in his power to take care of you.
Al, come on.
We're running out of time here.
You're running out of time.
So...
Do we have a deal or what?
Got a deal.
Frank, I'll be in touch.
Okay.
- That's what I'm talking about.
- Okay.
Guard!
Detective Marsden.
Sorry, uh...
You know Albert De Salvo?
Yeah, sure I do.
Measuring Man. Green man.
Why, what's up?
Well, come on.
Spit it out, for Pete's sake.
Albert De Salvo confessed
to being the Boston Strangler.
He confessed to what?
To the Boston Strangler.
I mean, isn't that great?
We got our man.
That's it.
He confessed.
It's over. It's finally... It's over.
I thought you'd be happy,
Detective Marsden.
I thought you'd be jumping
for joy right now.
In fact, everybody else
is downstairs celebrating.
They're shaking hands.
- Are they?
- Yeah.
So you coming downstairs
and celebrate?
Yeah, of course I am.
As a matter of fact, I'm gonna
come down and buy you a drink.
I'll be right down.
You got it, sir.
Michael, Sondra,
I want you to meet
a very good friend of mine.
This is Frank Asarian.
Frank, this is my brother Michael
and my sister-in-law Sondra.
My pleasure.
My pleasure.
Al, it's a family meeting.
No, it's all right.
Frank is my family in here.
Come on, let's sit down.
- So?
- I just don't get it.
I just don't know what to say.
There is nothing to say.
I made some mistakes.
Some mistakes?
You call killing innocent women mistakes?
Listen, Albert,
we just don't understand
how or when all this happened.
I mean, I know that you got your problems
with the broads and all,
but murder?
Look, you don't understand, okay?
There's a lot to the story
I ain't telling you, okay?
It's very complicated.
All I can say, though, is
I'm gonna make a whole lot
of money off of this deal.
And I'm already pretty famous, right?
You're not famous, Albert.
You're infamous.
It's different.
Sondra.
Look, I know we never seen eye to eye
on a few things, okay?
But any sort of fame
is all right by me, you know?
I just don't get it.
There's reward money.
Frank's gonna collect that.
There's gonna be television interviews.
There's gonna be book deals.
I even got a call about a movie.
Listen, they want to make
a friggin' movie about me.
And guess who's gonna play me.
- Tony friggin' Curtis.
- This is crazy.
You kill people,
and all you can think about
is being a movie star?
The way we're looking at it is that
I'm already gonna be in jail
for life for other crimes.
Why not make the best out of it?
And Frank's come up with
this really good plan for my incarceration.
Tell them, Frank. Go ahead.
Well, uh...
we decided with our lawyer,
Stuart Whitmore,
to go for an insanity plea.
Mr. Whitmore made a deal
with the attorney general
that nothing Albert says
about the Boston Strangler case
can be used against him.
I mean, they already got him
in the court of public opinion anyway.
So why bother trying him in court?
So they're gonna try him
for the Green Man offenses.
Al, what's going on here?
Is Asarian here
your legal representation, too?
He's a smart guy, okay?
So just let him speak, Mike, all right?
Come on. Go ahead, Frank.
As I was saying,
Mr. Whitmore's gonna suggest to the jury
that Albert's completely insane.
And instead of going to Walpole,
he's gonna go to a country club
run by the state.
It's brilliant.
It's friggin' brilliant.
Michael, I've had enough.
They're demented.
Why are you giving up so easy?
Let them prove you guilty.
This is an opportunity.
I got a chance here to make the name
Albert De Salvo mean something.
I mean, Ma worked her whole life
for us to mean something.
No, this ain't what she meant, Albert.
I'd rather just be a plumber
my whole life...
than to be in the mess
you're in right now.
I love you, Albert.
I'll visit you every week.
I promise.
Maybe next time we can
just play some cards
or something like the old days.
Yeah.
Yeah, sure, Mike.
Just like the good old days, huh?
Don't worry, Al.
You're making the right decision.
He ain't in your predicament.
He don't know.
He's a plumber.
Yeah, you're right, Frank.
He doesn't know my predicament.
No.
She mapped it all out.
Look at all the details she got here.
You'd think she committed the murders.
Now, listen to this.
There was a pack of cigarettes
sitting on the ground
underneath a pink chair
with flowers on it.
Mmm. Yeah, see.
This is the kind of information we need.
We need to know the murders
in more detail than anyone else.
Exactly.
Look, right here it says,
"Ida Irga was wearing a blue robe
with flowers sewn on it. "
Not pictures,
but actual knitting.
That's what I'm talking about.
What are you doing?
I gotta look at it.
I gotta see it.
I gotta let the pictures sink in.
What the fuck are you talking about?
What?
I've got a, you know, photogenic memory.
You've got a photographic memory,
you moron?
What, are you serious?
Why didn't you tell me?
What? I thought everyone had one.
What are you talking about?
This is like a gift from God.
Do you know what that means?
No.
Just look at that one,
look at that one.
I'm looking, I'm looking.
Oh, my God.
They're gonna...
You're gonna know better
than the murderer.
Well, look, right here,
you see these pictures right here?
Just look at it, just look at it.
- All right.
- Okay, okay?
I got... Oh, my God.
- You got it?
- I got it.
Perfect. Look at that.
Okay.
Next, next.
We're gonna... That fast?
- Come on.
- Here you go.
- Okay.
- Jesus Christ.
So, you're Albert De Salvo.
Certainly is a pleasure
to meet someone so famous.
The most famous person
I ever met was Miss Ohio of 1957.
Uh...
I didn't agree to no lie detector test.
Relax, Albert, it's a tape recorder.
For the record,
we're going to record your confession.
I ain't afraid of no lie detector,
I'm just saying we never agreed on that.
Don't worry about it, Albert.
We all have secrets.
We're only interested in the ones
you're confessing to.
Ready?
Sure.
Mr. De Salvo...
No, please, call me Al.
Let's get this thing started off
on the right foot, eh?
I couldn't agree more.
Albert,
when was the first time
you met Anna Slesers?
Well, I wouldn't say
I actually met her.
- She was just a pretty girl that...
- Pretty girl?
But Anna Slesers was 55 years old.
Yeah, yeah. Anna Slesers.
But she was a real looker for 55.
See, I was, uh...
I was hiding in the closet, right?
And I watched her walk inside.
Usually, I'm hiding in
the bedroom or something,
but this time I was hiding
in the foyer closet.
And, uh, she was, uh,
she was holding a bag from Gimbels.
Oh, well, that's strange.
Because I'm sure that
it was a bag of groceries.
Yeah, that's right,
it was a bag of groceries.
Uh, you know, there's meat,
milk, the normal stuff.
James, are you home?
So after she finished putting
the food and stuff away,
I stayed in the closet.
You do remember that you
killed her in the bedroom.
You're talking about
Anna Slesers, right?
Yes.
Right. Yeah.
So she walked into the bedroom
and I followed her, very quietly.
Sh-sh-she didn't know I was there.
James?
Ahh!
Ahh, ahh!
Stop! Help! Help me!
Help me! Ah!
Ahh! Help!
Help! Someone help me!
Ah, God! Help!
Ah! Oh!
Oh, God!
Help me! Stop!
So when did you use the stocking
to strangle her?
Where'd you get it?
See...
See, now you're trying
to trick me, Mr. Addison.
I remember this one very clearly.
So I took the tie to the robe,
I wrapped it around her neck.
And I'm pulling on it,
and I'm pulling on it.
She's fighting me
and fighting me, right?
I mean, she even scratched me
with her nails.
It was terrible.
But, I mean, it was necessary and...
Okay, that's lots of information.
We might have to go
back a few steps, though,
just to make sure we got it all right.
I mean, we got it all.
You know how judges are.
Sure. I understand.
So...
Let's take a step back.
You said that on the night
of the Slesers murder,
you hid in the closet,
and then you followed her
into the bedroom.
Is that right?
Yeah, yeah, sure.
That's exactly what happened.
I'm sorry, Al.
Sorry?
Is that all you've got to say?
You see, I'm the one
who's gonna go to Walpole.
The appeal is already in motion.
Did you see the faces
on those jurors?
You see them?
Those God-fearing people?
They hated me.
They want to see me fry.
They sent me right to the chair.
We'll appeal it.
It's just...
Everybody's all in a frenzy
about the Strangler.
It's too soon.
Oh, yeah?
Is that your professional opinion?
At least you'll be
with Frank in Walpole.
Frank's going to the freakin' electric chair,
and you know it!
That's on appeal, too.
Look, Albert, you're still going
to get your money.
You're going to get your book deal,
your movie deal.
All of that is still coming through.
But Walpole!
For Christ's sake, Walpole!
They will fucking kill me there!
I'm gonna die there!
Albert?
This is your life.
You did this! Not me.
Not anyone else.
I've done everything that I could.
Everything.
Do you want me to appeal the verdict?
I don't know. I don...
Does Frank think I shou...
For God's sake, for once,
forget about Frank!
I'm your attorney!
I am!
Listen to me.
We can appeal this thing
and get you in an institution.
Okay?
Is that what you want?
Yeah.
Yeah, maybe you're right.
By the time the court hears the appeal,
this whole Strangler thing will be...
old news.
Right?
Yeah.
Right.
Stay strong.
Lay low.
Everything will be fine.
This is my world.
And we'll get you out of it, Al.
Need a little money
while you're in here, hmm?
Forty will last you.
Not enough for the fucking casket.
Albert Henry De Salvo,
the 35-year-old mental patient
who says he murdered 13 women
as the Boston Strangler,
was found guilty tonight
of armed robbery,
assault, and sex offenses
involving four women.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment.
De Salvo's lawyer,
who had asked a jury of 12 men
to find the defendant
not guilty by reason of insanity,
told newsmen bitterly, quote, unquote,
"Massachusetts has burned another witch.
"No fault of the jury's, of course.
It's the fault of the law. "
His case was built on
the argument that De Salvo
was a schizophrenic personality.
Although the 13 murders
committed in the Boston area
from mid-1962 to early 1964
were not a part of his trial,
De Salvo's lawyer tried to inject testimony
relating to them.
He said he felt these
crimes were so monstrous
that the jury must agree
that his client was insane.
But the court refused to permit testimony
relating to the stranglings.
De Salvo, a former military policeman
and former middleweight boxing champion
of the Armed Forces in Germany,
stood erect and wan as the jury foreman,
F. Hunter Rowley of Concord,
a brokerage firm analyst,
reported him "guilty"
on each count of a 10-count indictment.
The jury deliberated three hours...
I just can't take it no more, you know?
I just can't take no more.
It's time, man.
Six years is enough time.
I'm a changed man, you know.
I ain't the same man I used to be.
I help the old people now,
I work in the infirmary,
I haven't had a drink since
I broke out of Bridgewater.
Now what's the difference
if I tell the real story now?
What's the difference
if I tell that I ain't the Boston Strangler?
That I never was the Boston Strangler.
I don't need the fame no more.
And I ain't seen a dime
from any of this mess,
not a freakin' dime!
You know,
maybe if I tell the truth,
my family will talk to me, you know?
You can't say nothing.
Nothing, to nobody.
And that's for the rest of your life.
But why, Frank? Why?
What's the difference?
Because I'm telling you not to.
I'm in this too, you know?
I don't want no problems,
no press, no nothing.
There's no sense in rehashing the past.
In my book,
it's over.
You're talking like you got something
you don't want me to know, Frank.
You hiding something?
You better shut up, boy!
Before I grab your head
and I bust it against those bars.
Sounds like you got a secret.
Sounds like you've been holding
on to something for all these years.
I'm done talking.
I've said enough.
You can do with it
whatever the fuck you want.
Do you even know what you have done?
You're running out of time.
Why you giving up so easy?
I got needs,
I'm a fucking man!
You're my wife!
I ain't the same man I used to be.
Guard?
Hello, Dr. Arlen?
It's Albert.
Albert De Salvo.
I must say,
I'm surprised to hear from you.
How have you been?
Actually, uh, I've been doing well.
You know,
Walpole ain't so bad after all.
Well, I'm very happy to hear that.
But listen, if you wouldn't mind
relieving me of my curiosity,
why are you calling me?
I got some things
I want to get off my chest.
Well, I'm sure they have
mental health professionals
there who can help you.
No, no, this is different, Dr. Arlen.
I want to tell the truth
about the Boston Strangler murders.
I see.
Look, uh, Albert,
let's not do this over
the phone, all right?
I'll arrange to meet you
at 9 A. M. Tomorrow morning.
I'll set up a private therapy room.
We can talk there.
That'd be great.
Thanks, Doc.
Thanks a lot, huh?
Who's over there?
Who's there?
Who are ya?
Ah! Oh! What are you doing?
What are you doing?
What the fuck are you doing?
You gonna fucking talk now?
Fucking snitch!
Guard, we're done here.
Albert H. De Salvo,
who became known
as the Boston Strangler,
was found stabbed to death
at Walpole State Prison this morning.
The prison authorities said
that the 40-year-old inmate's body
was discovered in his cell bed
in the prison's hospital wing
at 7:00 A. M.
De Salvo, who worked as
an orderly in the hospital,
was said to have died
of multiple stab wounds.
The Norfolk County District Attorney
said tonight that a possible suspect
had been questioned,
but that no arrest had been made.
Although De Salvo confessed
the details of the slayings
of 13 women from the Boston area
to a psychiatrist,
and became widely known
as the Boston Strangler...
Subtitled By J.R. Media Services, Inc.
Burbank, CA
It's Albert.
Albert De Salvo?
I must say,
I didn't expect to hear from you.
How've you been?
Actually, I've been doing well.
You know,
Walpole ain't so bad after all.
Well, I'm very happy to hear that.
But listen, if you wouldn't mind
relieving me of my curiosity,
why you calling me?
I got some things
I wanna get off my chest.
I'm sure they have mental
health professionals there
who can help you.
This is different.
I want to tell the truth
about the Boston Strangler murders.
I see.
Look, Albert...
let's not do this
over the phone, all right?
I'll arrange to meet you
at 9 A. M. Tomorrow morning.
I'll set up a private therapy room.
We can talk there.
That'd be great.
Thanks, Doc.
Hey, thanks a lot, huh?
Now, now.
That's enough for now.
Come on, Jennifer, don't stop me now.
I'm begging here.
It's late.
I had to get up early.
Just a while longer.
Stop your groveling, Romeo.
It don't look so sexy on you.
You're right.
You're right.
I shall be like a knight of the round table
and ride off into the cold, dark night.
Farewell, young maiden.
You okay?
Well, if I'm not, can I come in?
Send the King my best.
Mrs. Jennifer Foster.
Mrs. Jennifer Mitchum Foster.
No, too long.
Jennifer Foster.
Jen Foster.
Mrs. Jennifer Foster.
Such a klutz.
- No! Stop!
- Mrs. Jennifer...
Foster.
No! No!
Captain, would you look at this?
A front-page guide
to the Strangler murders
right there in black and white
for every criminal in Boston to read.
Why don't we just hand the investigation
over to Miss Fineman?
It's my fault.
I let out the information.
I'm sorry, John.
I've just been under
all sorts of pressure
to get this case solved.
Winfield is threatening
to take over.
Not just our department,
but every department in the county.
So I figured, what the hell?
Why not get everybody involved?
But you know what you done, Cap?
You compromised
my entire investigation.
Investigation, John?
We've got no investigation.
We've got no fingerprints,
no witnesses.
Nothing!
Captain Parker, the lineup's set.
They're waiting on you,
Detective Marsden.
Let's just get this over with.
It's all right, they can't see you.
Okay, okay.
Just take your time.
The joker with the sunglasses
is Albert De Salvo.
A couple years ago,
he was charged with assault.
Spent 11 months at Middlesex
before they let him go on parole.
Who's the serious one on the end?
Frank Asarian.
I'm really surprised
he's even out on the streets.
He's got a record a mile long.
It's him on...
He's over there on the far right.
He's on the end.
It's him. That's him.
Oh, my God, it's...
He grabbed me.
He grabbed me
and he punched me across the face.
I can never forget his face.
I'll never forget his face.
Look at him.
He even looks like a criminal.
Where are you?
I know you're in there!
Look at him.
I hope he burns in hell.
I'm gonna come back for you!
You know that?
- Get over here.
- Where's my lawyer?
Have a seat, fellas.
Finish filling out your paperwork
and you're free to go.
And what if I can't read?
Sir, if you need help,
we'll find you an assistant.
Yeah, I'd rather you assist me.
I'm sure you would.
What are you looking at, penguin?
He's a fucking penguin,
walking around in a suit and tie.
That's a tuxedo, asshole.
- What?
- It's a tuxedo.
Penguins always look
like they have tuxedos on, asshole.
You trying to make an ass of me?
Don't you think I know that?
It's allitera-fuckin-ation.
I didn't mean nothing of it, all right?
Don't make no difference.
Got that burn in my stomach.
Gotta find some food,
if you know what I mean.
You have a good one.
Keep your eyes forward, Asarian.
- Keep moving.
- I'm going.
- What are you looking at?
- Keep moving.
- You're not even done!
- Someone stole my sunglasses.
I don't care about that.
You gotta finish the paperwork.
Come home and help me do it, will ya?
Oh, Jesus.
Hi, Mary Beth!
Oh, hi, girls.
How are ya?
Good.
Hey, beautiful day, huh?
Yeah.
Hey, I got a new office
here on campus.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
I've been meaning to introduce myself,
but I just been really busy
with the agency.
Agency?
Yeah, things are easing up a bit.
Ever since Jackie
took over the White House,
they've been making me search for girls
who look just like her.
Are you in the fashion business?
You could say that.
I'm a modeling scout.
- Modeling scout?
- Yeah.
You know, I find girls.
I measure them.
I photograph them,
and then I introduce them to the agency.
Oh, sounds interesting.
You know,
now that I have a moment alone with you,
you do sort of have the type of build
the agency is looking for.
What size are you?
Thanks. Actually, I'm a 4.
No friggin' way.
You're not a 4.
Yes, I am.
I gotta get to work.
Wait!
You can measure me,
and I'll prove it to you.
What, you'll prove it to me, huh?
- Yeah.
- Well, it's a cut-throat industry.
Are you sure you can handle that?
Don't know if I don't try.
- That's true.
- Yeah.
- Uh...
- Oh, sorry. Susan.
Susan, why don't you follow me
to my office?
You know, on second thought,
it's probably not a good idea,
you know, getting measured
in a strange man's office.
Maybe another time, huh?
Well... Hey, follow me.
My room's just upstairs.
Come on.
- You sure?
- Yeah, come on.
Measure me upstairs.
Okay, I got a few minutes.
- Let's make it fast, huh?
- Okay.
- It's too beautiful outside, right?
- Yeah.
So, what agency
did you say you're from?
The Black and White modeling agency.
It's downtown.
I'll give you my card.
How much does it pay
if they accept me?
- Forty dollars an hour.
- Forty dollars an hour?
- Mm-hmm.
- Are you kidding me?
I could pay my entire
tuition at that rate.
Forty dollars is just
for the modeling in town.
They pay you more
if they fly you out of town.
Plus they pay all your expenses.
- Really?
- Mm-hmm. Sure. Yeah.
Lots of girls fly back and forth
to Paris on a regular basis.
- Paris!
- Mm-hmm.
Oh!
Here's my apartment.
Okay.
Do you mind?
No, not at all.
- Thirty-four inches.
- Really?
I thought I was 32 inches.
No, you're a... You're 34.
Well, what's my cup size?
How do you measure that?
Well, there's no physical
measurement for cup size.
You have to...
Well, you know, by hand?
Yeah?
You're the professional.
Uh, to get an accurate
measurement, I have to...
Oh, yeah. Okay.
You have a gentle touch.
Well?
- What's my cup size?
- Just a moment.
You really should know by now.
Sorry. You're a C-cup,
definitely a C-cup.
What did you say your name was?
It was Johnson.
It's Mr. Johnson.
You can call me Gary.
And where's the agency?
What's the address?
It's downtown, 71st Street... 853.
Wouldn't the address be in the 70s?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, 753.
You know,
I'm sure you're a good student and all,
but maybe modeling
is just not for you.
Maybe you're just
not cut out for it.
Maybe you're not really
a modeling agent.
- Oh, yeah?
- Yeah.
- I think you should go now.
- Really?
In fact, maybe I should just
- go ahead and call the cops.
- You're not gonna do that.
- You're not going anywhere.
- Ow!
Quit it!
The agency doesn't like girls
who talk back, you know?
They put girls like you
right back on a plane
and send you where you came from.
Where do you think you're going, huh?
I know there's no way out of here.
What are you gonna do, jump?
Huh?
What, do you got wings?
My boyfriend will be here any minute.
When I was stationed in Germany,
I used to hear that one all the time,
only it was in German.
Shut the fuck up.
There's money in my dresser.
You can have it all.
Top drawer.
Left side.
Just please go away.
Please just leave me alone!
Why don't you go ahead
and do me a favor
and come on out of there,
so I don't have to come get you, huh?
Open the door.
Open the fucking door.
Open the fucking door.
Open the fucking door, bitch!
Open the fucking door!
Would have been here an hour ago.
Traffic's all backed up
on Comm Avenue.
Oh, it's all right.
Been upstairs?
- Yeah, I been up there.
- How's it look?
It's not a pretty picture.
You'll see.
- What's up, guys?
- Hey, John. How are you?
Hey, John.
Samans.
Beverly Samans.
Early 20s.
This one is not strangled,
even though the stocking
is up around her neck.
She was stabbed in the neck.
Well, that's creative.
And the killer left her body splayed out
for all the world to see.
Dress pulled up, legs wide open.
Mr. Marsden.
When are you gonna catch
the Strangler?
Stranglers.
There's clearly more
than one man at work here.
And how can you be
so sure of that, John?
How can you be so sure
it's just one man?
How long have you been
doing this, John, huh?
It's called M.O.
Sexual assault.
Strangled by stockings,
break-ins, no witnesses,
etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
I can keep going, John.
Well, forgive me, Mr. Winfield,
but his M.O. Isn't that clear.
The first five were elderly.
The sixth was young and black.
- Mary Brown and now...
- Beverly Samans.
Beverly Samans, it appears,
were stabbed to death.
Doesn't sound like
one particular M.O. To me.
John, I need you to listen to me,
because I'm trying to be
painfully crystal clear to you,
so I can get through
that thick skull of yours.
I'm running for
a Senate seat next year, John.
And the last thing I need
is a crime-happy dick
hop-bopping around town
telling everyone
that there are multiple murderers
running rampant in my streets.
The city's position
is that there's just one.
Just one.
And I intend to catch this one monster
and send his ass so deep in jail
the devil himself can't find him.
Therefore, my city will be happy
about life again.
You understand me, John?
You can have
any theory that you want.
The fact is, you got no jurisdiction
over my department.
And my department
will continue the search
for multiple killers.
You trying to oppose me, John?
I don't work for you, Art.
I work for the people.
You know, it's amazing
you've lasted this long.
Apparently, you have someone
taking care of you on the force.
'Cause I've never seen
a more naive detective.
Enough of this nonsense.
- Good day, Mrs. Lucino.
- Thank you, Albert.
How's that beautiful wife of yours?
She's doing okay,
if you mean adjusting and all.
Thanks for asking, huh?
Us Italians and Germans
were partners in the war.
It's a good match.
Makes for beautiful kids.
Thank you, Mrs. Lucino.
Michael and Judy certainly are beautiful.
But the war's been over for almost
We may be Italian,
but always be proud
to be an American.
Hey, I didn't join the military
to fight for Mussolini,
or the Nazis for that matter.
Of course, Albert,
you're a decent young man.
- See you on Sunday?
- Yes, ma'am.
Hey, be careful out there, huh?
That Boston Strangler?
Don't worry.
I've got protection.
You certainly do.
- Good day, Mrs. Lucino.
- You, too.
Claudia?
Claudia, where are you?
Claudia!
Clad... Claudia!
Michael?
Where are you?
Where the fuck are you?
Claudia! Michael! Judy!
- Where are the kids?
- At your mother's house.
Don't you remember anything?
I brought you some
flowers and chocolates.
That was Munich, Albert.
This is Boston.
The romance is over.
Be a man.
I am a man.
No, Albert.
You are not a man until you can act
like a responsible husband and father.
Claudia, I go to work every day
to bring home money
for you and the kids, right?
Half the time you tell me you're at work,
you're having a beer at the bar.
Or worse,
you're screwing other women.
Claudia, come on now.
Albert, don't you realize
that I can feed the children
breakfast, lunch, and dinner
for the price of all your beer?
Baby, please, huh?
I swear to God, I can make it better.
I swear to God.
When, Albert?
When?
You dragged me all the way
across the Atlantic Ocean.
Why would you do that?
So you could be a bum?
- Albert.
- Hmm?
Do you remember the promise
that you told me back in Germany?
- Mm-hmm.
- That you told my parents?
Mm-hmm.
- I promise...
- Albert.
Albert.
Albert.
Albert!
Stop it!
- Albert!
- What?
Stop it!
I got needs!
I'm a fucking man!
You're my wife!
Fuck you!
Don't you ever touch me again!
Is this the treatment I get
for being a man?
I got fucking needs, damn it!
Again. Different knot.
- You sure about that?
- Positive.
The first five were tied into a bow.
This one was tied into a knot first,
then the bow was tied.
And while we're scratching our asses,
there are women dying all over the city.
And there's nothing we can do about it.
There is, if I can help it.
Hey, Captain, hand me
those tweezers, will you?
Thanks.
What are you gonna do with that?
This is evidence, Captain.
I'm gonna save it.
Maybe we can match it up to the killer
under a microscope.
Not in my lifetime.
Anything?
Do we have anything?
Not a thing, sir.
There was not a fingerprint
anywhere in this apartment.
Witnesses?
Not a one.
As far as I can tell,
nobody heard or saw anything.
- Family been notified?
- Yes, they have.
Find out if she had
any ongoing disputes.
Find every friend and family member
and get them down
to the precinct for questioning.
Don't you worry, sweetheart.
We're gonna figure this out...
if it's the last thing we do.
John, maybe we should
let Forensics come in
and do their thing.
Why don't you head back to the office?
I don't need to head back
to the damned office.
You know, that attitude
is the reason we can't find
these girls' killers.
Everybody wants this to just go away.
Sweep it under the carpet.
Well, it's not going away.
It's not going away
'cause the killing isn't just gonna stop.
People kill each other.
All we are is animals
in a fucking suit and a tie.
No difference.
And all of you detectives
need to think about
why you're on the force.
What about you, Spinelli?
Why are you here?
What's motivating you?
What motivates me?
Job stability?
Job stability. There it is.
It ain't about catching the bad guy
any more than it was
when my father was a cop.
It's about job stability.
We're all just trying to provide
for our families here.
- Every one of us, that's what...
- Yeah, yeah.
You know what, Joe?
Maybe you should have been a bricklayer,
'cause they get great fucking benefits.
- Oh, get...
- Hey, hey, hey!
John. John.
Try that again,
I'm gonna make sure
you're cleaning convicts' cells
for the rest of your career.
You got me?
You got me, Joe?
# Just a moment, sir #
# A moment of your time #
# Been dreaming of you #
# Is that such a crime? #
# I know that I'm foolish #
# To look back on #
# A romance that ended slowly #
# But I can't forget her touch #
# Or that crazy smile
that meant so much #
# All I'm left with #
# Are wishes #
Hello?
Mark?
Is that you, honey?
I don't remember giving you a key.
Mark?
Honey?
Mark, this isn't funny.
Oh, my God!
- Stop! You're hurting me!
- Shh.
If you only make a sound,
I'm gonna tear out your tongue
and you will never speak again,
do you understand?
Good.
You know, I wasn't intending
on being so rough and all.
But seeing you is a fighter,
I'm going to have to make sure
you ain't capable of using those hands.
Ah!
Oh, you smell good.
Oh, please stop.
That was the wrong decision.
Oh, please!
I was going to make love to you.
If you only just behaved.
# 'Cause the only wish I have #
# Is you #
Winfield is calling it the seventh one.
The Strangler?
Well, it's got all the ear markings.
Matches the M.O.,
but on close inspection
there are some incongruities.
Really?
Like what?
John, she's strangled
with the stocking all right.
But that bow is not tied
like we'd expect.
It's a copycat.
The first five were killed
by the same guy.
Sophie Clark and this girl
were killed by jack-offs
who actually read the papers.
New Year's Eve.
At least we know the Strangler
doesn't take holidays off.
Well, technically,
it's not a holiday until tomorrow.
Technically, it is tomorrow.
Hold on. Who are you?
And how the hell did you get access
to my crime scene?
I'm Jana Fineman.
I'm with The Record.
Oh, you're with The Record.
You're a reporter.
We prefer to think of ourselves
as public disseminators.
It's our duty to inform the public.
Well, you know what?
I'd prefer to think of you
as somebody who's gone.
Donovan, get her out of my face.
Detective Marsden, would you mind
commenting on why, after seven murders,
you have no leads, no witness,
no evidence?
How do you know
what evidence we've got?
All right?
The Department is not in the habit
of sharing details on investigations
with the papers.
Not to be disrespectful,
but our sources tell us
that you have nothing
to go on at this point.
I don't give a damn
about your sources.
- Get her out of here.
- And the Strangler's out there.
She's going, she's going,
she's almost gone, she's gone.
Fellow citizens
of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts,
someone please call into my show.
I want to hear from you.
Someone tell me
what is going on in this town.
Why can't the cops find this guy?
He's strangling women all over town.
The list... It's just despicable.
Anna Slesers, she's 55 years old.
She was the first to die.
She was strangled
with the cord of her bathrobe...
her very own bathrobe
around her neck...
on June 14th, 1962.
A nylon stocking was used to kill
68-year-old Nina Nicols on June 30th.
And Helen Blake, age 65,
was found the same day.
A stock...
How was the party?
Lt'd have been a lot better
if you'd have been there.
You'll catch him, John.
Don't lose focus.
I can't catch him.
Of course you can.
You're the top detective on the force.
It's not that I don't believe
in myself, babe.
I can't catch him because
I don't think it's one man.
The M.O. Changed drastically
between Jane Sullivan
and Sophie Parker.
Jane was 67, Sophie was 19.
But they were all strangled.
The first five were the same guy.
But I'm a hundred percent
sure that he stopped.
The last two were copycats.
Basically, the papers
have printed a how-to book
on the Boston Strangler.
Just follow these instructions,
and you, too, can be the Strangler.
Have you told anyone else how you feel?
Michelle, this is not how I feel.
John, I'm not questioning you.
Calm down.
This is your wife you're talking to here.
Sorry, babe.
I'm a bit tense.
Yeah, no kidding.
This is political.
The papers, the public, the mayor,
and the attorney general
all want it to be one man.
Nobody wants to hear there's a...
There's murderers
running rampant out there.
Well, we can't solve anything tonight.
So why don't you...
you just focus on investigating me?
Why don't you get over a little bit.
All right! All right, simmer down.
Look, I know it's odd for all of us
to be here in the same room,
but perhaps Mr. Winfield
can enlighten us.
Morning, gentlemen.
Let's try and act like professionals.
Now, as you all know,
there's been 12 Strangler murders
without any real leads.
Now, I know you all
have been working very hard
investigating your cases,
but it's simply not working.
I've got so much pressure up my ass,
I'm about to crap out of my mouth.
So I have devised a way
to give us a chance
to catch this murdering bastard.
As of today,
the entire Boston Strangler case
will be handled by a new bureau
of the Commonwealth.
This bureau will be called
the Strangler Bureau.
Every department,
and I mean every department,
will be working together...
...providing the bureau
with every shred of evidence,
witness testimony, etcetera.
The head of this new bureau will be
Mr. Fred Addison.
What? Addison?
Are you kidding?
Oh. What is this,
a joke or something?
Wh-What does he know
about law enforcement, huh?
Has... Has he ever been on the street?
No offense, Mr. Addison, but, uh...
what the hell does he know
about police business?
Sergeant Donnely,
are you questioning my judgment?
Do I look like a joke to you?
I suggest you put a sock
in it right here and right now,
or you will be at home with your wife
baking cookies and doing laundry.
- You understand me?
- Yes, sir.
Does this look like a fucking
classroom to you, Mr. Smith?
Put your hand down.
No questions will be answered
until I'm finished.
I will tie your hands to your belt
if you try that shit again.
Also leading this bureau
will be Detective Philip Bloom,
Special Officer John Marsden
of the Boston State Police,
and Andrew Tunney of the Mass State.
Alongside these fine gentlemen
will be a medical advisory
made up of experts
from around the state.
Finally...
...the press will be informed
of a $10,000 reward
for any information
leading to the capture of the Strangler.
You all look as if you want to kill me.
You have questions,
Mr. Addison will take them.
He's your man.
I just delivered the message.
Fred.
Now, gentlemen,
we all have to work together on this,
and we will explore every option possible
to gather as much information as we can
to capture this criminal.
Now, I'd like you all
to meet me back here today
at precisely 2 P. M.
To discuss further details.
Good morning.
All right, ladies.
You heard him.
Yeah. Great.
- See you back here at 2.
- See you later.
Why don't you go see
if he's got anything.
Look, we'll try to keep you
up on speed here on this.
I'm sorry.
John, maybe we can have a talk.
Your office or mine?
Whoa! You all right?
Yep. Got it.
Here it is, Mr. Addison.
All 37,000 pages.
Well done, Richie.
I would imagine that everything
is collated and labeled
to my exact specifications.
Uh, you betcha.
And the computer folks have their copy?
Yes, sir.
Delivered it this morning.
Not 370?
That's right, Mr. Marsden.
This is every single bit
of information about the cases
organized into one master book.
And the scientists over at MI have been gracious enough
to help compile all of the information
on their mainframe computers.
Computer? Whoa.
What the hell are you going
to do with a computer?
Organization, Mr. Marsden.
Organization.
Well, Mr. Addison,
takes a hell of a lot more
than computers
and organization
to solve a case.
Well, whatever it takes,
Mr. Marsden,
you haven't found it, have you?
How the hell would you know?
Freakin' Poindexter.
Well, it looks like MIT's going to be
solving all our cases.
- No, no, don't.
- No, no!
- That's a one-way street!
- They'll never see me!
No one's been on
a one-way street except you!
- Shut up!
- Shut up!
Albert, you can't
go down this way.
It's a one-way street!
Albert, you're taking
our lives in your hands.
- Pull over!
- You're going to kill us all, Albert.
- Michael, tell him to stop!
- Shut up! Shut up!
- Sondra, just shut the hell up!
- Everybody, be cool!
- It was Johnson. Mr. Johnson.
- Paris? Ohl
I done some...
I done some bad things, man.
- I got some problems...
- What kind of bad things?
You've got the cops after you, Albert!
Some fucking problems
with the broads, you know that!
Got that burn in my stomach.
Are you in the fashion business?
I made some mistakes, okay?
Mike, can you...
Oh, shit!
Shit! I'm sorry, guys.
Oh, fuck. God!
I'm a prick! I'm an asshole!
- It's all right.
- Let's get out.
Come on, let's go outside.
Let's get out of here before...
No, no.
Where you guys going?
- Where you going?
- Albert.
What did you do, Albert?
- Claudia, don't you go anywhere.
- You're always doing this, Albert.
Don't you go anywhere!
- Why did you do this?
- Mikey!
- You're bleeding!
- What have you done, Albert?
Now look what you've gone and done.
You're a mental case,
Albert De Salvo.
A mental case!
Claudia, don't you go anywhere!
- Don't you leave me!
- What'd you do, Albert?
Don't you fucking leave me!
Enough of this!
I'm sick of this!
I don't want to be here
when the cops get here.
Just give yourself up.
- Mikey!
- Come on, Albert.
Mikey, you're bleeding.
I'm sorry, Mike!
What'd you do? What'd you do?
I did some bad shit, man.
You're innocent till proven guilty, right?
You... They got nothing on you!
They're coming right now.
I'm in trouble.
- Mikey!
- Innocent till proven guilty!
What am I going to do?
- Mikey!
- Come on, just turn yourself in!
- I'm f...
- Please, Albert. Please.
- I can't do it.
- Just, please turn yourself in.
- Innocent till proven guilty!
- What am I going to do?
- Mikey! I'm f...
- Just turn yourself in.
We have you surrounded.
- Turn off the ignition.
- What's Ma going to think?
Step out of the car
and put your hands up.
- Come on! What'd you do?
- Shit! Get out of here! Go now! Go!
...you cannot get away.
You are under arrest, Mr. De Salvo.
God damn it!
Start, you fuckin' thing!
Damn itl
Keep looking straight ahead,
Mr. De Salvo.
I'm looking, I'm looking.
So this is the loony bin, eh?
It ain't so bad.
Little faster, Mr. De Salvo.
All right, all right.
So where do they keep
the broads in this joint?
Just keep walking.
Hey, hey, how long
this guy been in here?
Ain't none of your business.
Ah, just asking.
I thought I said no roommates!
Shit.
You better clean up
on that sink over there.
Nice to meet you, too.
Gorgeous, huh?
Hey.
Hey.
I know you.
No, you don't know me.
Nah.
I know you.
I never forget a face.
Yeah?
I don't either, and, uh,
you don't look too familiar to me.
That's because you ain't
paying attention.
You can't remember nothing
if you ain't watching.
February of last year.
Yeah, that's it.
You're... You're the little joker in the lineup.
I ain't never been in no lineup.
Sure, you have.
The bitch chose me.
Thought I was the Boston
fucking Strangler or something.
Imagine that.
A nice guy like me.
The Boston Strangler.
Now, wait a minute now.
Yeah.
Now I remember.
Yeah, that's right.
Man, was I glad she chose you.
When I was walking
out of the jail that day,
I met this little honey...
Ah, I'm just saying.
I'm really happy for you.
Uh, no offense.
I don't mean no disrespect.
I'm just saying, you know.
Those were some serious charges, huh?
You're telling me.
How'd you beat the rap?
Had a winning ticket
on a horse at the track.
Perfect alibi.
Sure, yeah.
It's perfect.
So, uh, which bed is mine?
It don't bother me.
I don't sleep in the bed.
Yeah? Where do you sleep?
You sleep with the fish?
I don't really sleep much.
And when I do...
I sleep on the floor.
Hey, wait.
What is that, some...
Some Buddhist shit, huh?
Hey, oh, whoa, whoa.
Nah.
Bad back.
So...
what are you in here for?
Why you in here, Al?
How do you know my name?
Memorized it.
Where?
On the lineup card.
From a year ago?
Come on.
I ain't that smart, Al.
You see, while I was at the police station
I stole the lineup card
just in case my alibi didn't hold up.
Because if it didn't hold up,
I was going to make up some cockamamie
story about being one of yous.
Oh, now that's freakin' brilliant.
You're like your very own lawyer, huh?
- What, you study law?
- Nah.
What were you, a copper?
Nah.
Just always thinking, you know?
Can never stop thinking.
You gotta think like a rat
if you want to stay
out of shitholes like this.
What are you in here for anyway?
I shot a guy.
Six times in the head, point blank.
Holy shit.
For what?
Before that?
I stabbed him five times.
Go tell your grandmother
you got some hankering.
Um, no.
I don't want to go.
- No, you're not going to...
- What do you mean?
I'm not going to talk
about this any further.
You're not going to Mary Ann's party.
I don't care what you say.
- I'm going.
- You're not going.
I don't like that woman's morals.
Why? It's just a party.
You can't go, Wendy.
I talked to your father.
You're gonna find out
how you're not gonna go.
You're not going to go anywhere
for two years. Get in the car.
Fine.
Ma, what's happening?
- I don't know.
- That guy's bleeding.
- Ma, go help him!
- Oh, my God.
Get on your knees.
Mom, go! Go!
Stay calm, stay calm.
- But he has a gun!
- Don't look, honey.
Beg me for your life!
Beg me. Beg me not to shoot you.
On your knees.
Don't kill me.
Please don't kill me.
Take the money.
Don't kill me.
No!
Lock your door.
That's much better.
Much better.
Unfortunately, beggars can't be choosers.
No! No!
God! Oh, my God!
Mom, go, please!
- It's okay.
- Go! Please!
No! No!
He tried to be a hero.
I was just robbing the store.
That damned clerk
wouldn't open up the register.
So you just stabbed him?
You're damn right I did.
What, you're telling me
you never killed nobody?
I mean, no, no, not really.
What does that mean?
What do you mean, "not really"?
Well, there was this one woman.
You know, I...
I think I scared her, you know?
She... I think she had a heart attack
right there. She dropped dead.
That ain't murder.
You're funny.
I mean, you know, I...
I'm just saying,
if I hadn't snuck up on her,
would she still be going to church
this Sunday, you know?
I mean, I didn't call
an ambulance or anything,
so I figured I killed her.
And that's why they locked you up?
No.
What for?
I like the broads, you know?
Tell me who doesn't like the broads.
Tell me who doesn't like the broads.
John, go to sleep.
I heard a noise.
So what?
This is the noisiest neighborhood
in all of Boston.
Now go to sleep.
You're a cop, for God sakes.
What are you afraid of?
I worry about you
when we're not together.
I can take care of myself.
Oh, yeah?
You can take on a 6'2",
Yeah, sure.
I could take him on.
I'd kick him in the balls,
and then I'd bite out his jugular,
just like you taught me to.
Right.
John...
it's quarter past 5.
Go on back to bed.
Did you hear that?
Now you're losing it, John.
I didn't hear nothing.
Look, it's the Strangler case.
It's getting to you.
It's not getting to me.
You're only human, John.
Murdering people gets to people.
Ain't nothing strange about that.
Somebody's getting murdered
out there right now,
and there's not a damn thing
I can do about it.
Two years I've been working
on this case,
and I got nothing.
- I can't solve this thing.
- No one can.
- I'm not nobody, Michelle.
- You solved ten cases
since this investigation's been going on.
- This is different.
- How?
This is the biggest case
we've ever had.
This is bigger than Jack the Ripper.
What?
I've heard enough.
I'm sleeping downstairs.
What's the matter?
You're scaring me, John.
That's what's the matter.
Is it really necessary for you
to walk me all the way there?
It's for your protection, sir.
Yeah, you're a cheater.
Mr. De Salvo, you have a visitor.
- Oh, get the cards.
- I got it.
Get the cards.
Mr. Whitmore.
I'd like you to meet
the newly infamous,
famous the world over,
soon to be a wealthy man,
Albert De Salvo.
Certainly is a pleasure
to meet you, Mr. Whitmore.
Frank's told me a lot about you.
This is the Boston Strangler?
In the flesh, Mr. Whitmore.
Can you believe it?
Not really, no.
All right.
- Let's get down to business.
- Okay.
You know, the city has spent
millions of dollars
trying to track you down.
The D.A. Created a special task force
just for that purpose.
For three years they've
been looking for you.
Not a trace.
It's pretty impressive.
It sure is.
Albert is like a cat.
He can sneak in and out
of any apartment in Boston
without being noticed.
No witnesses.
Ever.
Then why confess? Hmm?
Family man, wife,
kids, a dog,
probably even a goldfish.
No one even suspected you.
Guess you could say
it was a career move.
Ha. A career move.
Look, Mr. Whitmore.
We got client-attorney
privileges here, right?
- I mean...
- Frank, you know the score.
Anything you say in this room
stays in this room.
That's the way it goes.
Guaranteed confidential.
Good, because...
the way that we see this,
Winfield is offering $10,000 per murder.
Now, that's over $100,000.
See, I tell Frank,
Frank tells the cops,
and we split the reward money.
Simple.
And you?
You become a world-famous litigator.
I mean, any publicity
is good publicity, right?
It's gonna be messy.
It's a huge story.
I mean, the press and the public,
they're gonna want to crucify...
crucify him.
They're gonna have
the grave already dug.
Unless...
Unless what?
Unless you claim insanity.
For me or for him?
See, I'm going to jail for life anyway.
So we cop an insanity plea,
they don't execute me,
and I live out the rest
of my life in a hospital.
And the best part is,
our families get
to keep the cash.
Jesus.
I mean, I'll do it.
- Perfect.
- That's great.
- Perfect.
- Thank you, Mr. Whitmore.
Thank you, thank you.
Now, one condition.
Sure, yeah, whatever.
If you guys get the reward,
we split it three ways.
- Three ways.
- Oh, whoa, whoa.
Three friggin' ways?
What is this? Frank!
Calm down.
Mr. Whitmore.
Frank, I'm doing this for free.
It's pro bono.
I don't see a dime off of this.
It's the least you can do.
Before you know it,
there's nothing left.
Wait. Hold on.
There will be plenty of money, Al.
We can't do it without him.
Don't you see?
The plan is already in motion.
There's no turning back.
He's the only one that can keep you
out of the electric chair.
Hey, Mr. De Salvo.
I don't think you realize
what the public really thinks of you.
They don't want to just
see you get electrocuted.
They want to tear you to pieces.
They want to string you up
from the nearest lamppost
and cut your guts out.
That's what they want to do to you.
Now, you let me handle the legals,
I'll make sure that you live a long,
comfortable life.
Mr. Whitmore, the thing is, see,
I got kids,
and I got a wife
who I know still loves me.
And I got a family.
I'm the one taking a chance here, right?
I'm the one taking a risk.
That's it.
Al, it's gonna be fine.
Either way,
there's no going back
to the way things was.
So why not let Mr. Whitmore here
make sure you go somewhere
that's comfortable?
And don't he deserve
some of the money, too?
I mean, I know him.
He works real hard.
He'll do anything and everything
in his power to take care of you.
Al, come on.
We're running out of time here.
You're running out of time.
So...
Do we have a deal or what?
Got a deal.
Frank, I'll be in touch.
Okay.
- That's what I'm talking about.
- Okay.
Guard!
Detective Marsden.
Sorry, uh...
You know Albert De Salvo?
Yeah, sure I do.
Measuring Man. Green man.
Why, what's up?
Well, come on.
Spit it out, for Pete's sake.
Albert De Salvo confessed
to being the Boston Strangler.
He confessed to what?
To the Boston Strangler.
I mean, isn't that great?
We got our man.
That's it.
He confessed.
It's over. It's finally... It's over.
I thought you'd be happy,
Detective Marsden.
I thought you'd be jumping
for joy right now.
In fact, everybody else
is downstairs celebrating.
They're shaking hands.
- Are they?
- Yeah.
So you coming downstairs
and celebrate?
Yeah, of course I am.
As a matter of fact, I'm gonna
come down and buy you a drink.
I'll be right down.
You got it, sir.
Michael, Sondra,
I want you to meet
a very good friend of mine.
This is Frank Asarian.
Frank, this is my brother Michael
and my sister-in-law Sondra.
My pleasure.
My pleasure.
Al, it's a family meeting.
No, it's all right.
Frank is my family in here.
Come on, let's sit down.
- So?
- I just don't get it.
I just don't know what to say.
There is nothing to say.
I made some mistakes.
Some mistakes?
You call killing innocent women mistakes?
Listen, Albert,
we just don't understand
how or when all this happened.
I mean, I know that you got your problems
with the broads and all,
but murder?
Look, you don't understand, okay?
There's a lot to the story
I ain't telling you, okay?
It's very complicated.
All I can say, though, is
I'm gonna make a whole lot
of money off of this deal.
And I'm already pretty famous, right?
You're not famous, Albert.
You're infamous.
It's different.
Sondra.
Look, I know we never seen eye to eye
on a few things, okay?
But any sort of fame
is all right by me, you know?
I just don't get it.
There's reward money.
Frank's gonna collect that.
There's gonna be television interviews.
There's gonna be book deals.
I even got a call about a movie.
Listen, they want to make
a friggin' movie about me.
And guess who's gonna play me.
- Tony friggin' Curtis.
- This is crazy.
You kill people,
and all you can think about
is being a movie star?
The way we're looking at it is that
I'm already gonna be in jail
for life for other crimes.
Why not make the best out of it?
And Frank's come up with
this really good plan for my incarceration.
Tell them, Frank. Go ahead.
Well, uh...
we decided with our lawyer,
Stuart Whitmore,
to go for an insanity plea.
Mr. Whitmore made a deal
with the attorney general
that nothing Albert says
about the Boston Strangler case
can be used against him.
I mean, they already got him
in the court of public opinion anyway.
So why bother trying him in court?
So they're gonna try him
for the Green Man offenses.
Al, what's going on here?
Is Asarian here
your legal representation, too?
He's a smart guy, okay?
So just let him speak, Mike, all right?
Come on. Go ahead, Frank.
As I was saying,
Mr. Whitmore's gonna suggest to the jury
that Albert's completely insane.
And instead of going to Walpole,
he's gonna go to a country club
run by the state.
It's brilliant.
It's friggin' brilliant.
Michael, I've had enough.
They're demented.
Why are you giving up so easy?
Let them prove you guilty.
This is an opportunity.
I got a chance here to make the name
Albert De Salvo mean something.
I mean, Ma worked her whole life
for us to mean something.
No, this ain't what she meant, Albert.
I'd rather just be a plumber
my whole life...
than to be in the mess
you're in right now.
I love you, Albert.
I'll visit you every week.
I promise.
Maybe next time we can
just play some cards
or something like the old days.
Yeah.
Yeah, sure, Mike.
Just like the good old days, huh?
Don't worry, Al.
You're making the right decision.
He ain't in your predicament.
He don't know.
He's a plumber.
Yeah, you're right, Frank.
He doesn't know my predicament.
No.
She mapped it all out.
Look at all the details she got here.
You'd think she committed the murders.
Now, listen to this.
There was a pack of cigarettes
sitting on the ground
underneath a pink chair
with flowers on it.
Mmm. Yeah, see.
This is the kind of information we need.
We need to know the murders
in more detail than anyone else.
Exactly.
Look, right here it says,
"Ida Irga was wearing a blue robe
with flowers sewn on it. "
Not pictures,
but actual knitting.
That's what I'm talking about.
What are you doing?
I gotta look at it.
I gotta see it.
I gotta let the pictures sink in.
What the fuck are you talking about?
What?
I've got a, you know, photogenic memory.
You've got a photographic memory,
you moron?
What, are you serious?
Why didn't you tell me?
What? I thought everyone had one.
What are you talking about?
This is like a gift from God.
Do you know what that means?
No.
Just look at that one,
look at that one.
I'm looking, I'm looking.
Oh, my God.
They're gonna...
You're gonna know better
than the murderer.
Well, look, right here,
you see these pictures right here?
Just look at it, just look at it.
- All right.
- Okay, okay?
I got... Oh, my God.
- You got it?
- I got it.
Perfect. Look at that.
Okay.
Next, next.
We're gonna... That fast?
- Come on.
- Here you go.
- Okay.
- Jesus Christ.
So, you're Albert De Salvo.
Certainly is a pleasure
to meet someone so famous.
The most famous person
I ever met was Miss Ohio of 1957.
Uh...
I didn't agree to no lie detector test.
Relax, Albert, it's a tape recorder.
For the record,
we're going to record your confession.
I ain't afraid of no lie detector,
I'm just saying we never agreed on that.
Don't worry about it, Albert.
We all have secrets.
We're only interested in the ones
you're confessing to.
Ready?
Sure.
Mr. De Salvo...
No, please, call me Al.
Let's get this thing started off
on the right foot, eh?
I couldn't agree more.
Albert,
when was the first time
you met Anna Slesers?
Well, I wouldn't say
I actually met her.
- She was just a pretty girl that...
- Pretty girl?
But Anna Slesers was 55 years old.
Yeah, yeah. Anna Slesers.
But she was a real looker for 55.
See, I was, uh...
I was hiding in the closet, right?
And I watched her walk inside.
Usually, I'm hiding in
the bedroom or something,
but this time I was hiding
in the foyer closet.
And, uh, she was, uh,
she was holding a bag from Gimbels.
Oh, well, that's strange.
Because I'm sure that
it was a bag of groceries.
Yeah, that's right,
it was a bag of groceries.
Uh, you know, there's meat,
milk, the normal stuff.
James, are you home?
So after she finished putting
the food and stuff away,
I stayed in the closet.
You do remember that you
killed her in the bedroom.
You're talking about
Anna Slesers, right?
Yes.
Right. Yeah.
So she walked into the bedroom
and I followed her, very quietly.
Sh-sh-she didn't know I was there.
James?
Ahh!
Ahh, ahh!
Stop! Help! Help me!
Help me! Ah!
Ahh! Help!
Help! Someone help me!
Ah, God! Help!
Ah! Oh!
Oh, God!
Help me! Stop!
So when did you use the stocking
to strangle her?
Where'd you get it?
See...
See, now you're trying
to trick me, Mr. Addison.
I remember this one very clearly.
So I took the tie to the robe,
I wrapped it around her neck.
And I'm pulling on it,
and I'm pulling on it.
She's fighting me
and fighting me, right?
I mean, she even scratched me
with her nails.
It was terrible.
But, I mean, it was necessary and...
Okay, that's lots of information.
We might have to go
back a few steps, though,
just to make sure we got it all right.
I mean, we got it all.
You know how judges are.
Sure. I understand.
So...
Let's take a step back.
You said that on the night
of the Slesers murder,
you hid in the closet,
and then you followed her
into the bedroom.
Is that right?
Yeah, yeah, sure.
That's exactly what happened.
I'm sorry, Al.
Sorry?
Is that all you've got to say?
You see, I'm the one
who's gonna go to Walpole.
The appeal is already in motion.
Did you see the faces
on those jurors?
You see them?
Those God-fearing people?
They hated me.
They want to see me fry.
They sent me right to the chair.
We'll appeal it.
It's just...
Everybody's all in a frenzy
about the Strangler.
It's too soon.
Oh, yeah?
Is that your professional opinion?
At least you'll be
with Frank in Walpole.
Frank's going to the freakin' electric chair,
and you know it!
That's on appeal, too.
Look, Albert, you're still going
to get your money.
You're going to get your book deal,
your movie deal.
All of that is still coming through.
But Walpole!
For Christ's sake, Walpole!
They will fucking kill me there!
I'm gonna die there!
Albert?
This is your life.
You did this! Not me.
Not anyone else.
I've done everything that I could.
Everything.
Do you want me to appeal the verdict?
I don't know. I don...
Does Frank think I shou...
For God's sake, for once,
forget about Frank!
I'm your attorney!
I am!
Listen to me.
We can appeal this thing
and get you in an institution.
Okay?
Is that what you want?
Yeah.
Yeah, maybe you're right.
By the time the court hears the appeal,
this whole Strangler thing will be...
old news.
Right?
Yeah.
Right.
Stay strong.
Lay low.
Everything will be fine.
This is my world.
And we'll get you out of it, Al.
Need a little money
while you're in here, hmm?
Forty will last you.
Not enough for the fucking casket.
Albert Henry De Salvo,
the 35-year-old mental patient
who says he murdered 13 women
as the Boston Strangler,
was found guilty tonight
of armed robbery,
assault, and sex offenses
involving four women.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment.
De Salvo's lawyer,
who had asked a jury of 12 men
to find the defendant
not guilty by reason of insanity,
told newsmen bitterly, quote, unquote,
"Massachusetts has burned another witch.
"No fault of the jury's, of course.
It's the fault of the law. "
His case was built on
the argument that De Salvo
was a schizophrenic personality.
Although the 13 murders
committed in the Boston area
from mid-1962 to early 1964
were not a part of his trial,
De Salvo's lawyer tried to inject testimony
relating to them.
He said he felt these
crimes were so monstrous
that the jury must agree
that his client was insane.
But the court refused to permit testimony
relating to the stranglings.
De Salvo, a former military policeman
and former middleweight boxing champion
of the Armed Forces in Germany,
stood erect and wan as the jury foreman,
F. Hunter Rowley of Concord,
a brokerage firm analyst,
reported him "guilty"
on each count of a 10-count indictment.
The jury deliberated three hours...
I just can't take it no more, you know?
I just can't take no more.
It's time, man.
Six years is enough time.
I'm a changed man, you know.
I ain't the same man I used to be.
I help the old people now,
I work in the infirmary,
I haven't had a drink since
I broke out of Bridgewater.
Now what's the difference
if I tell the real story now?
What's the difference
if I tell that I ain't the Boston Strangler?
That I never was the Boston Strangler.
I don't need the fame no more.
And I ain't seen a dime
from any of this mess,
not a freakin' dime!
You know,
maybe if I tell the truth,
my family will talk to me, you know?
You can't say nothing.
Nothing, to nobody.
And that's for the rest of your life.
But why, Frank? Why?
What's the difference?
Because I'm telling you not to.
I'm in this too, you know?
I don't want no problems,
no press, no nothing.
There's no sense in rehashing the past.
In my book,
it's over.
You're talking like you got something
you don't want me to know, Frank.
You hiding something?
You better shut up, boy!
Before I grab your head
and I bust it against those bars.
Sounds like you got a secret.
Sounds like you've been holding
on to something for all these years.
I'm done talking.
I've said enough.
You can do with it
whatever the fuck you want.
Do you even know what you have done?
You're running out of time.
Why you giving up so easy?
I got needs,
I'm a fucking man!
You're my wife!
I ain't the same man I used to be.
Guard?
Hello, Dr. Arlen?
It's Albert.
Albert De Salvo.
I must say,
I'm surprised to hear from you.
How have you been?
Actually, uh, I've been doing well.
You know,
Walpole ain't so bad after all.
Well, I'm very happy to hear that.
But listen, if you wouldn't mind
relieving me of my curiosity,
why are you calling me?
I got some things
I want to get off my chest.
Well, I'm sure they have
mental health professionals
there who can help you.
No, no, this is different, Dr. Arlen.
I want to tell the truth
about the Boston Strangler murders.
I see.
Look, uh, Albert,
let's not do this over
the phone, all right?
I'll arrange to meet you
at 9 A. M. Tomorrow morning.
I'll set up a private therapy room.
We can talk there.
That'd be great.
Thanks, Doc.
Thanks a lot, huh?
Who's over there?
Who's there?
Who are ya?
Ah! Oh! What are you doing?
What are you doing?
What the fuck are you doing?
You gonna fucking talk now?
Fucking snitch!
Guard, we're done here.
Albert H. De Salvo,
who became known
as the Boston Strangler,
was found stabbed to death
at Walpole State Prison this morning.
The prison authorities said
that the 40-year-old inmate's body
was discovered in his cell bed
in the prison's hospital wing
at 7:00 A. M.
De Salvo, who worked as
an orderly in the hospital,
was said to have died
of multiple stab wounds.
The Norfolk County District Attorney
said tonight that a possible suspect
had been questioned,
but that no arrest had been made.
Although De Salvo confessed
the details of the slayings
of 13 women from the Boston area
to a psychiatrist,
and became widely known
as the Boston Strangler...
Subtitled By J.R. Media Services, Inc.
Burbank, CA