Crime House 24/7: True Crime This Week

Episode: Boston Crime Scenes

Host: Vanessa Richardson
Date: January 11, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode of "True Crime This Week," Vanessa Richardson examines two of Boston's most notorious crimes: the Boston Strangler murders (1962–1964) and the infamous 1950 Brinks armoured car heist. The theme this week is “Boston Crime Scenes,” and Vanessa dives deep into the facts, the mysteries, and the historical context of both cases. The episode offers a narrative rich in forensic details, witness accounts, law enforcement challenges, and the enduring questions that linger over these dark moments in Boston’s history.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. The Boston Strangler Murders

(03:51–33:44)

The Crime Spree Unfolds

• Timeline: Between 1962–1964, 13 women aged 19–75 were murdered in their Boston homes.
• Modus Operandi: Victims were sexually assaulted, strangled (usually with their own clothing), and left partially nude. Little to nothing was stolen, and there were often no signs of forced entry.
• City in Fear: Panic engulfed Boston, with women changing their routines, taking self-defense classes, and fortifying their apartments.

Details of Major Victims & Patterns

• Anna Slers (55), June 14, 1962 (05:44): Found by her son, Anna was strangled with her bathrobe cord, sexually assaulted, and found in a ransacked apartment.
• Nina Nichols (68), and Helen Blake (65): Both found in their apartments, both attacked on the same day—signaling escalation.
• Sophia Clark (21), December 5, 1962: Her murder broke previous victim patterns (she was young, Black, and had roommates). A neighbor gave police a description of a suspicious man.
• Evelyn Corbin (58), September 1963: Crime scene included a doughnut left behind, seemingly taunting investigators.
• Mary Sullivan (19), January 4, 1964: The last known victim, found with a New Year’s card placed at the scene.

“Three weeks later, on December 31, 23-year-old Secretary Patricia Bissette didn’t show up for work...there they found her dead in bed, strangled with several of her own stockings.” (13:05)

Police Response & Public Pressure

• Split jurisdiction among multiple police departments slowed progress.
• Attorney General Edward Brooke established the “Strangler Bureau” to centralize efforts and develop psychological profiles.

“In 1962, the term serial killer hadn’t even been invented yet. Detectives were used to solving murders where the killer was somebody who knew the victim personally…The Boston Strangler’s victims didn’t socialize much, especially not with men. This suggested that he was a stranger to them.” – Vanessa Richardson (09:23)

Suspects, Confessions & Controversy

• Albert DeSalvo: Arrested in 1964 for sexual assaults as the “Green Man,” DeSalvo later confessed to being the Boston Strangler while awaiting trial. His confession was enabled by infamous defense attorney F. Lee Bailey.
  • Described details from the crime scenes, but some believed he was coached or took the fall for someone else.
  • Prison psychiatrist and others doubted DeSalvo was capable of murder; he had a photographic memory, possibly aiding his confession's accuracy without actual culpability.
  • Witness Marcela Lolka did not identify DeSalvo as the man present during one of the murders but recognized his cellmate, George Nassar, raising doubts about DeSalvo's guilt.

“While evaluating DeSalvo at Bridgewater, doctors learned he had a photographic memory...if DeSalvo read those details, he probably remembered them and recited them back to detectives.” (27:33)

• DeSalvo’s Death: In 1973, DeSalvo was murdered in prison under mysterious circumstances after threatening to reveal "the real Boston Strangler’s" identity.

Notable Quotes

• Vanessa Richardson (25:02):

  “DeSalvo’s old lawyer, John Ashkerson, agreed. DeSalvo had an uncanny ability to remember the most minute details of things he’d only seen or read once.”

• DeSalvo’s Poem, cited by Vanessa Richardson (32:45):

  “Today he sits in a prison cell. Deep inside only a secret he can tell. People everywhere are still in doubt. Is the Strangler in prison or roaming about?”

2. The Brinks Armored Car Heist (1950)

(34:16–50:43)

The Robbery

• Date: January 17, 1950
• Heist Summary: Seven masked, armed men stormed the secure Brinks vault, tied up five employees, and stole $2.7 million (equivalent to over $36 million today).
• Precision: No signs of forced entry on five locked doors; robbers wore gloves and masks and left few clues aside from a dropped chauffeur’s cap and ropes.

“The men moved quickly and efficiently, as though they’d been training for this moment.” (34:57)

Investigation and Suspects

• The robbers left almost no evidence. The getaway truck was later found cut up and discarded.
• FBI suspected local criminals Anthony Pino and Joseph McGinnis, but both had airtight (and suspiciously convenient) alibis, witnessed by a police officer.
• Attention turned to James O’Keefe, an associate of Pino—he became a key suspect after being arrested for unrelated crimes.

Betrayal and the Gang's Downfall

• O’Keefe, while imprisoned, extorted his fellow robbers for legal defense money, threatening to talk. Attempts on his life followed his release.
• Surviving multiple murder attempts, O’Keefe ultimately gave the FBI the full story:
  • Planning started as early as 1947.
  • Robbers made keys to all doors by removing locks and having a complicit locksmith replicate them.
  • They waited months before dividing and laundering the loot.
• Just before the statute of limitations expired, O’Keefe’s testimony led to arrests of the remaining conspirators.

The Aftermath

• All gang members were convicted; O’Keefe received a lighter sentence and went into witness protection.
• Most of the $2.7 million was never recovered; only $57,000 turned up years later, hidden in a wall.
• The mystery of the missing money and the audacity of the crime cemented the “Brinks job” as a legend.

“The men who broke into the vault that night in January of 1950 thought they were committing the perfect crime. Even though they were caught, they did create the perfect mystery.” – Vanessa Richardson (50:43)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On police difficulties, Boston Strangler case:

  “The Boston PD had been widely criticized for failing to catch the killer. So in January of 1964, newly elected Massachusetts Attorney General Edward Brooke established a task force to nab him once and for all.” (17:37)

• On DeSalvo’s confessions:

  “Shortly before he was sent to Bridgewater, DeSalvo had asked his old lawyer, John Ashkerson, what would happen if he confessed to the Boston Strangler killings. DeSalvo seemed to think that if he confessed, he could make a lot of money selling the rights to his life story.” (21:56)

• On the Brinks robbers’ patience:

  “They’d started planning for the daring robbery in 1947, three years before the break in occurred. During that time, Pino and McGinnis recruited O’Keefe and nine other men to take part in the heist...” (45:20)

• On the persistence of unsolved mysteries:

  “Even after all the guilty parties were locked up, one question remained: Where was the money?” (50:20)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Boston Strangler Case

  • Anna Slers murder detailed: 05:44
  • Panic and citywide fear: 10:00
  • DeSalvo’s background & confession: 20:00
  • Confession doubts & alternate suspects: 26:00
  • DeSalvo’s prison death & mystery: 32:45

• Brinks Heist

  • Robbery details: 34:16
  • FBI investigation and suspects: 37:30
  • O’Keefe’s extortion and attempts on life: 43:30
  • Heist planning and execution: 45:00
  • O’Keefe’s testimony and convictions: 48:00
  • The fate of the missing money: 50:00

Episode Takeaway

Vanessa Richardson closes by reflecting on the role of confessions in both stories—one sparking enduring doubt (DeSalvo and the Strangler murders), the other ending a meticulously planned gang operation (O’Keefe and the Brinks job). She comments on the power of words in Boston’s criminal history:

“It goes to show that in a tough town like Boston, words can carry a lot of weight.” (50:50)

Summary

• Two historic Boston crimes explored: the unresolved mystery of the Boston Strangler and the audacious, almost-perfect Brinks heist.
• Detailed breakdown of police work (and missteps), criminal methods, confessions, and their aftermaths.
• Both cases highlight the challenges of investigating complex crimes—how confessions can close a case or deepen a mystery, and how even a perfect plan can unravel through human error.
• Enduring questions remain: Was DeSalvo truly the Boston Strangler? Where is the Brinks money?

Listeners are left with a fascinating window into Boston's criminal past, its unsolved mysteries, and the twists of fate, investigation, and confession that shape true crime history.