1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,760 Speaker 1: Membership, peace, apply after free trial, cancel anytime. Can I 2 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:04,920 Speaker 1: be real with you for a second. That goal you 3 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 1: have to exercise and eat better? You really can do it, 4 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:11,200 Speaker 1: but nobody is going to do it for you. Nobody 5 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 1: is going to push you out of bed to work out, 6 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:16,239 Speaker 1: Nobody is going to make you eat better. But here's 7 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:19,800 Speaker 1: the thing. Nobody has to because you can do it 8 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 1: if you have the right tools and a community that 9 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:26,120 Speaker 1: cares about helping you get results. And that's us beach Body. 10 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 1: Two and a half million people each doing the Beach 11 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: Body program that fits our own goals over eighty to 12 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 1: choose from some that take just twenty minutes a day, 13 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:37,639 Speaker 1: nutrition plans that teach you how to eat healthy and 14 00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: still enjoy food. What we all have in common is 15 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:43,520 Speaker 1: we know it's not easy, so we help each other. 16 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 1: It's as convenient as your TV or laptop, but you 17 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:49,520 Speaker 1: need to decide that you're worth it. That's why I'm 18 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:53,520 Speaker 1: inviting you to try our amazing Beachbody fitness and nutrition programs. 19 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 1: Let us help you succeed. Here's al Go to beachbody 20 00:00:57,000 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: dot com to claim your free membership and start feeling great. 21 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 1: You're listening to Unexplained, Season five, episode eighteen, Learning to 22 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:26,759 Speaker 1: See Part two. Peter Herkos arrived at T. F. Green 23 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 1: Airport in Providence, Rhode Island, on Wednesday, January twenty ninth, 24 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: nineteen sixty four, just after eight pm, accompanied by Jim Crane, 25 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 1: a wealthy speculator who'd offered to provide security for Peter 26 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 1: as a favor. Waiting for them at the airport was 27 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 1: Massachusetts Assistant Attorney General John Bottomley and Detective Sergeant Leo Martin. 28 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: With the authorities keen to avoid any unwanted press, Herkos 29 00:01:56,480 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: and Crane were quickly whisked through arrivals and out into 30 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:05,559 Speaker 1: the bitterly cold night air toward a waiting vehicle. From there, 31 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 1: they were taken to the Green Inn Motel in Lexington 32 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 1: and checked in under false names. This would be their 33 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:16,560 Speaker 1: base for the next week, where the police could utilize 34 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 1: Peter in secret, with doctor Andrea poo Harrich also present 35 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 1: throughout their time at the motel to supervise the proceedings. 36 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 1: It was early the following morning when Detective Julian Soshnik 37 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:34,639 Speaker 1: from the Strangler Task Force arrived at Peter's room carrying 38 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:38,800 Speaker 1: two large boxes and a stack of envelopes. Inside the 39 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 1: boxes were a series of items that once belonged to 40 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 1: the murdered women, and inside the envelopes over three hundred 41 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 1: photographs of the various crime scenes. With Peter sitting opposite him, 42 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 1: Soshnik removed each batch of photos from the envelopes one 43 00:02:55,639 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 1: by one and placed them carefully faced down in piles 44 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 1: on the coffee table, as per Peter's instructions. Then Peter 45 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:07,080 Speaker 1: leant forward and placed a finger on the back of 46 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:11,560 Speaker 1: one of the piles. This is phony, he shouted, suddenly 47 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:15,800 Speaker 1: shooting up from the seat, pointing at Soshnik. Why are 48 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 1: you playing tricks? Detective Soshnik shuffled uncomfortably in his seat, 49 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: then got up and removed a photo from the pile. 50 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:27,200 Speaker 1: It was an image of an unrelated crime that he'd 51 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:30,960 Speaker 1: placed there as a test, as he tried to explain, 52 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 1: he just wanted to see if Peter could be trusted. 53 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 1: Grabbing the first photo from a pile without looking at it, 54 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 1: he held it up to the detective. This is a 55 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 1: dead woman, her legs far apart like this, said Peter, 56 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 1: theatrically throwing himself to the ground in a strange exaggerated pose. 57 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 1: The startled, Soshnik looked on in amazement her coos had 58 00:03:56,560 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 1: positioned himself identically to the body in the image. After 59 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 1: finally calming down, Peter began picking his way through the photographs, 60 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 1: describing details of each murder as they apparently came to him, 61 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: while Soshnik captured it all with the tape recorder. Sometimes 62 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:25,679 Speaker 1: Peter would sit naturally deep in concentration as he held 63 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: the objects in his hands or studied another photograph. Other times, 64 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 1: whenever he found it difficult to concentrate, or if he 65 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: found the presence of the others in the room too distracting, 66 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 1: he covered his eyes with washcloths and wrapped a towel 67 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:44,719 Speaker 1: around his head to block out the light. It was 68 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:48,000 Speaker 1: a condition of the Assistant Attorney General that members of 69 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: the task force keep an eye on Peter the entire time, 70 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:55,279 Speaker 1: even when he was sleeping, just in case any crucial 71 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 1: evidence cropped up, but also to make sure he wasn't 72 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 1: messing them around. It was a few nights in after 73 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:07,159 Speaker 1: another eighteen hours spent working with the items with little 74 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 1: headway made that day that an exhausted Peter decided to 75 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 1: try something different. After preparing himself for bed, He opened 76 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 1: one of the boxes of items and took out a 77 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:22,159 Speaker 1: blows and a nightgown that it belonged to one of 78 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 1: the victims, then took them into bed with him and 79 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 1: promptly went to sleep. It was sometime around two forty 80 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:38,040 Speaker 1: am that he began talking in his sleep, Hello, Enginero 81 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 1: W two d K one, W two d K one. 82 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 1: Sophia Mortar, Sophia Mortar. The others present looked about in confusion. 83 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:56,720 Speaker 1: An hour later it started again. I take the shoes off, 84 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 1: here is the body. I undress her. I go to 85 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 1: the church. I do nothing wrong, the words tumbling from 86 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 1: Peter's mouth in a strange, exaggerated, high pitched voice. Then 87 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:14,920 Speaker 1: Peter's usual voice returned. Killed that bastard, he shouted, as 88 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: he went on to seemingly have a fight with someone 89 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:20,800 Speaker 1: in his sleep, who he later identified as the killer. 90 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:25,800 Speaker 1: Moments later, Peter announced that he was inside the man's 91 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 1: residence in his dream, describing it as a junk pile 92 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 1: in which oddly there was a spring bed with no 93 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:36,839 Speaker 1: mattress on it. There was a diary there too, he said, 94 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 1: there would reveal everything about the murderer's crimes. Then he 95 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:44,839 Speaker 1: mumbled something about how the women let the man in 96 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:47,719 Speaker 1: because he claimed to be selling shoes, and then he 97 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 1: would grab them when they least expected it. It was 98 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:56,680 Speaker 1: just approaching three thirty am when Peter screamed, suddenly, get 99 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,720 Speaker 1: out of my mind, then shot up awake with a 100 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:04,040 Speaker 1: look of great torment on his face. Peter jumped quickly 101 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 1: out of bed and lit a cigarette, appearing rattled by 102 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 1: the experience. After pacing the room for a few minutes, 103 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 1: he took a final drag, then stubbed out the cigarette 104 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 1: and went back to sleep. The following morning, Peter attempted 105 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 1: to describe the man he'd seen in his dream. He 106 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 1: is not too big, maybe five foot seven or eight, 107 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 1: a high hairline with thin hair, a mark or spot 108 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 1: on his left arm, and something wrong with his thumb. 109 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:45,720 Speaker 1: Heard an accent, not American French. I think he has 110 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 1: something to do with a hospital. He is a homosexual 111 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,880 Speaker 1: and a misogynist. He takes their blood and washes his 112 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 1: hands in it. He has blue gray eyes and a 113 00:07:56,280 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 1: sharp pointed nose, a big Adam's apple too. He has 114 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 1: the energy of a twenty seven year old, but is 115 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 1: more like fifty two. After he kills he offers the 116 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: women to God. They are clean in his eyes because 117 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 1: he doesn't touch them after he's killed them. He has 118 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:18,080 Speaker 1: strange habits, like washing his hands in the toilet and 119 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 1: sleeping in his clothes. He practices extreme sexual things on himself. 120 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 1: As for the bed with no mattress, sometimes he sleeps 121 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:31,120 Speaker 1: naked on it as a penance for his crimes. If 122 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 1: he doesn't kill, he sleeps on the mattress, but if 123 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 1: he kills, he takes it off. He takes the victims 124 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:41,840 Speaker 1: shoes and keeps them in a basement, and sometimes he 125 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:45,560 Speaker 1: tries to sell them. Then Peter stopped and took a 126 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 1: moment to think, that is all I have, he said. 127 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 1: About the same time, Soschnik had the recording of Peter 128 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:57,840 Speaker 1: talking in his sleep from the night before sent to 129 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 1: Bottomley's office to see if any one could decipher a 130 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 1: meaning behind the term W two d K one or 131 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:09,440 Speaker 1: find any relevance to the other words he'd spoken. Later 132 00:09:09,520 --> 00:09:14,000 Speaker 1: that afternoon, he received a reply they hadn't been able 133 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 1: to find anything matching W two d K one, but 134 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 1: they did find a listing for a small ham radio 135 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 1: station operating out of New Jersey using the call sign 136 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:29,680 Speaker 1: W two D k Incredibly, it belonged to the cousin 137 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 1: of Sophie Clark, one of the victims whose murder they 138 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 1: were investigating. The language Peter had been speaking at the 139 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:43,080 Speaker 1: time was determined to be Portuguese, with the phrase Sophia 140 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 1: mortar translating as Sophie dead. This had been confusing at first, 141 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:52,800 Speaker 1: until it was later discovered that Sophie Clark's father was 142 00:09:52,880 --> 00:10:04,160 Speaker 1: Portuguese as well as the victims. Detective Soshnik also brought 143 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:07,319 Speaker 1: photos of potential suspects to Peter to see if he 144 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:11,440 Speaker 1: might have an opinion on them too. Peter discarded them more, 145 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:15,680 Speaker 1: telling Soshnik that none of them were the killer. Then 146 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 1: one afternoon, Peter was examining the crime scene photos once 147 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 1: more when he looked up suddenly, as if struck by 148 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:26,959 Speaker 1: an epiphany, then demanded a map of Boston and an 149 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:30,800 Speaker 1: object belonging to one of the victims be brought to him. 150 00:10:30,920 --> 00:10:34,080 Speaker 1: Soshnik hurriedly pulled out a comb from the box and 151 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:36,960 Speaker 1: handed it to him, along with a map of the city. 152 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:41,960 Speaker 1: Peter flipped it over, then quickly began tracing a line 153 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:45,439 Speaker 1: with the comb on the back of the map. Here, 154 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 1: he said, flipping the map back over here you find 155 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 1: the killer. Peter was pointing at the Newton, Boston area, 156 00:10:54,960 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 1: close to Boston College. Then another vision apparently came to him. 157 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:03,600 Speaker 1: I see him dressed like a priest. He said, he 158 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 1: has a French accent, and he's a pervert. Then Peter 159 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 1: bent his wrist in an offensive homophobic gesture, implying again 160 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 1: that the man was gay. Then he dropped down into 161 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:18,360 Speaker 1: an armchair and announced he was done for the day. 162 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:24,120 Speaker 1: The following morning, Detective Soschnik picked up her Cos and 163 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:27,840 Speaker 1: his chaperone, Jim Crane, from the Green Inn motel, and 164 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:32,160 Speaker 1: drove them into Boston to meet with Assistant day John Bottomley. 165 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 1: Bottomley was keen to meet with the man himself to 166 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 1: go over again what he claimed to know. While Peter 167 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:45,240 Speaker 1: and Jim sat waiting outside Bottomley's office, Detective Sergeant Leo 168 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 1: Martin approached them with a letter and asked Peter what 169 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:52,720 Speaker 1: he thought of it. Peter grabbed it from him and 170 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 1: without opening it, held it tightly in his hands. By God, 171 00:11:57,559 --> 00:12:07,719 Speaker 1: he said, this is from the murderer. The letter was 172 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:11,560 Speaker 1: addressed to the nurse director of the Boston College School 173 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:15,319 Speaker 1: of Nursing, the headquarters of which was located in almost 174 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:18,400 Speaker 1: the exact spot that Peter had pointed out on the 175 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 1: map of Boston only the day before, where he claimed 176 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 1: the killer would be found. According to journalist normal Lee Browning, 177 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 1: who wrote about Peter's life in her nineteen seventy one 178 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:35,199 Speaker 1: book The Psychic World of Peter Herkos, Peter never once 179 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 1: looked at the letter. It read as follows, Dear Madam, 180 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:44,200 Speaker 1: I have a difficulty. Perhaps you'll smile when you read 181 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:47,120 Speaker 1: about it, but I'm coming to you because I think 182 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:51,120 Speaker 1: you can help me. I'm a Boston College grad, and 183 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:53,559 Speaker 1: when I look at the years I've been out of school, 184 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 1: I stroke my longish beard. I've tried selling off and 185 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:01,040 Speaker 1: on for quite some time, and I'm still in the 186 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:04,880 Speaker 1: selling field. My reason for writing now is to say 187 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:07,720 Speaker 1: I am a bachelor, and for some time I've wanted 188 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:10,880 Speaker 1: to meet a good Catholic nurse who might have graduated 189 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 1: from nursing school about nineteen fifty. Even an undergrad about 190 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:18,720 Speaker 1: that time would be okay, one who is working near Boston. 191 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:22,000 Speaker 1: I've even had the idea of doing an article on 192 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 1: this class, interviewing as many as possible to learn their 193 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:29,959 Speaker 1: opinions and experiences in training and in the field since graduation, 194 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:35,960 Speaker 1: then offering the article to a nursing publication. Perhaps while interviewing, 195 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:38,560 Speaker 1: I might see a nurse who might like me as 196 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 1: much as I'd like her, and if so, we could 197 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:46,240 Speaker 1: begin a friendship that might lead to the altar. Chances 198 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:49,120 Speaker 1: may be, however, the very few nurses of the year 199 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty are eligible or might even consider me eligible. Okay, 200 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:57,840 Speaker 1: if there are such, maybe there is a better way 201 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 1: to meet them than the way I have suggested here. 202 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:03,120 Speaker 1: I'd be glad to call at the office to see 203 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:07,040 Speaker 1: you about this if you wish at any rate, may 204 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:10,600 Speaker 1: I hear from you? If you'd like to, you could 205 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:15,080 Speaker 1: call doctor Richard H. Wright of Beacon Street, Brookline. He's 206 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:19,240 Speaker 1: known me for many years. With every best wish, I 207 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:23,680 Speaker 1: am sincerely yours. The name of the man who wrote 208 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:27,200 Speaker 1: it has never been disclosed, though he is often referred 209 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 1: to as Thomas P. O'Brien. The letter had arrived that morning, 210 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:42,200 Speaker 1: sent to the police by a concerned member of Boston 211 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:46,960 Speaker 1: College who was struck by the writer's peculiar request, with 212 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:50,600 Speaker 1: Peter insisting it was written by the killer. John Bottomley 213 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 1: called doctor Richard Wright whose name the pseudonymous Thomas O'Brien 214 00:14:55,360 --> 00:15:00,320 Speaker 1: had given as a character reference to find out more Wright, 215 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:04,000 Speaker 1: who was surprised by the call, was also troubled by 216 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 1: the letter, as he went on to explain the so 217 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:11,560 Speaker 1: called Thomas was a long standing patient in his fifties, 218 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:15,160 Speaker 1: similar to the age of the man that Peter apparently 219 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 1: identified in his sleep, who had a history of severe 220 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 1: psychiatric illness. Things quickly escalated when, after looking back at 221 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:28,960 Speaker 1: their records, police discovered that a call had been made 222 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:32,560 Speaker 1: back in nineteen sixty two suggesting they look into Thomas 223 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 1: as a possible person of interest in relation to the 224 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:40,560 Speaker 1: sexual assault and murder of Anna Slessers. Without wasting any 225 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 1: more time, police soon procured an address for the man, 226 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:46,920 Speaker 1: who was found to be rooming at a boarding house 227 00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:50,800 Speaker 1: not far from the Back Bay area of Boston where 228 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 1: Anna Slessers lived. At the first attempt, Detective Soshnik, joined 229 00:15:56,520 --> 00:16:00,760 Speaker 1: by a Detective Tommy Davis and Officer Stephen Delaney, knocked 230 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:03,320 Speaker 1: on the man's door, only for him to open it 231 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:06,760 Speaker 1: and then promptly close it again, telling them he didn't 232 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 1: want to be disturbed. Though it was only the briefest 233 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:14,360 Speaker 1: of encounters, Soshnik couldn't help but be struck by how 234 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:18,400 Speaker 1: similar the man looked to what Peter had described, from 235 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 1: his thinning hair right down to his large, Adam's apple 236 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:27,400 Speaker 1: and sharp pointed nose. Now convinced more than ever that 237 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 1: he might be their man, the Strangler Task Force needed 238 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:34,080 Speaker 1: to figure out a way to find some evidence before 239 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:37,640 Speaker 1: making a formal arrest. Although they could take him in 240 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 1: for questioning, it would require something tangible to keep him 241 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:45,560 Speaker 1: in custody. Such a move would be risky, since if 242 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:48,360 Speaker 1: he failed to give them anything, if he was indeed 243 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:54,000 Speaker 1: the murderer, the man would soon be free to kill again. Thankfully, 244 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 1: the state provided a loophole by granting the police the 245 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 1: ability to have suspects committed to a psychiatric hospital for 246 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:04,440 Speaker 1: ten days provided a formal assessment who had been made 247 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:08,080 Speaker 1: of them. With the man removed from his apartment, the 248 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:10,320 Speaker 1: police would be free to search it for as long 249 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:13,200 Speaker 1: as they needed in order to find the evidence that 250 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 1: Peter was convinced would be waiting for them inside. The 251 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:21,960 Speaker 1: following day, the three men returned to Thomas's apartment with 252 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:25,480 Speaker 1: the warrant to search the premises and a doctor to 253 00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:30,639 Speaker 1: carry out the psychiatric assessment. Peter was also invited, but 254 00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:33,600 Speaker 1: told to wait in the car until the coast was clear. 255 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 1: This time, things went a little differently. Once again, Soshnik 256 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,920 Speaker 1: knocked on the man's door, this time brandishing a warrant 257 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 1: to search the property and bracing himself for the inevitable resistance. 258 00:17:55,240 --> 00:18:00,960 Speaker 1: Then the door opened. I'm so glad you came, said Thomas, suddenly, 259 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:06,080 Speaker 1: catching them all off guard. Then, without further ado, he 260 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:09,760 Speaker 1: pulled the door back wider and divided them all inside. 261 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:15,000 Speaker 1: The men stepped through into the tiny room no more 262 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:18,800 Speaker 1: than ten feet by eight as the shy, nervous Thomas 263 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:22,880 Speaker 1: tried to make room for them. The place was littered 264 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:26,800 Speaker 1: with books and notepads and piles of junk. Just as 265 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:31,760 Speaker 1: Peter had seemingly foreseen, Soshnik couldn't keep his eyes off 266 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:34,320 Speaker 1: the wire bed with no mattress on top of it, 267 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 1: but also the oddly deformed shape of the man's thumb, 268 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:44,200 Speaker 1: again just as Peter had described. As the doctor proceeded 269 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:48,160 Speaker 1: to make a psychiatric assessment of Thomas, he quickly volunteered 270 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:51,480 Speaker 1: that he'd once tried to have himself committed to an asylum, 271 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:54,480 Speaker 1: giving the doctor all he needed to have him detained. 272 00:18:56,320 --> 00:19:00,320 Speaker 1: Thomas was promptly removed and taken to the Massachusetts Mental 273 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:04,680 Speaker 1: Health Center for a minimum stay of ten days. With 274 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:10,480 Speaker 1: the man removed, Peter was invited up to the room. Meanwhile, 275 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:14,720 Speaker 1: detective Soshnik picked up one of the notebooks. It appeared 276 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:19,320 Speaker 1: to be a diary. Always run from temptation, it said 277 00:19:19,359 --> 00:19:24,480 Speaker 1: in bold capital letters. Then he scanned another page. I 278 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 1: get angry, So angry. It read women sitting in doctor's 279 00:19:29,359 --> 00:19:33,800 Speaker 1: offices exposing their legs, wearing tight fitting dresses and highly 280 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 1: scented erotic perfumes. Then Peter appeared at the door. Within seconds, 281 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:43,560 Speaker 1: he was on his knees frantically searching through the piles 282 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:46,800 Speaker 1: of books. He put all the killings on paper. We 283 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:50,840 Speaker 1: will find it, he said to the permused detectives. Then, 284 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:54,080 Speaker 1: spotting something, he pulled out a book from a pile 285 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:58,879 Speaker 1: by the man's closet. Here it is, he cried triumphantly. 286 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:09,639 Speaker 1: Is there something interfering with your happiness or preventing you 287 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:13,000 Speaker 1: from achieving your goals? Better help will assess your needs 288 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:16,359 Speaker 1: and match you with your own licensed professional therapist. Sign 289 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:19,440 Speaker 1: up today and start communicating. In less than forty eight hours, 290 00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:22,879 Speaker 1: you'll get timely and thoughtful responses. Plus you can schedule 291 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:25,560 Speaker 1: weekly video or phone sessions so you won't ever have 292 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:28,399 Speaker 1: to sit in an uncomfortable waiting room. You can also 293 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 1: log into your account any time to send a message 294 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:34,320 Speaker 1: to your counselor. Better Help is not a crisis line 295 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:38,640 Speaker 1: nor self help. It is professional counseling done securely online, 296 00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:42,040 Speaker 1: with a broad range of expertise available, and with better 297 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:45,879 Speaker 1: helps commitment to facilitating great therapeutic matches, they make it 298 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:49,199 Speaker 1: especially easy and free to change counselors to help you 299 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:52,480 Speaker 1: find the right fit. This podcast is sponsored by better 300 00:20:52,520 --> 00:20:55,520 Speaker 1: Help and Unexplained. Listeners get ten percent off their first 301 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:59,639 Speaker 1: month at better help dot com. Forward slash Unexplained, That's 302 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:04,680 Speaker 1: better HLP dot com. Forward slash Unexplained joined the over 303 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 1: one million people taking charge of their mental health with 304 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:11,280 Speaker 1: the help of an experienced professional. Better Help wants you 305 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:20,520 Speaker 1: to start living a happier life today. The book Peter 306 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:24,960 Speaker 1: picked out was a textbook on yoga, filled with diagrams 307 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:28,879 Speaker 1: to illustrate the various positions. The first half of the 308 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:32,840 Speaker 1: book displayed images of male figures, while the second half 309 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:37,520 Speaker 1: showed female figures, a significant number of which had been 310 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:42,800 Speaker 1: deliberately blotted out with ink. Peter counted them and found 311 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:47,320 Speaker 1: precisely eleven figures had been marked in that way, eleven 312 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:52,600 Speaker 1: for each of the eleven victims, he said. Meanwhile, Officer 313 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:55,960 Speaker 1: Delaney was examining the contents of a draw when he 314 00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:59,960 Speaker 1: found half a dozen ties and scarfs knotted tightly together. 315 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:05,040 Speaker 1: In another set of drawers, they found a notebook brimming 316 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:09,280 Speaker 1: with sketches of what looked like apartment buildings and their interiors. 317 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:13,439 Speaker 1: In one sketch, a bath tub had been drawn with 318 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:17,080 Speaker 1: an X marked on top of it. Soshnik thought for 319 00:22:17,119 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 1: a moment of sixty seven year old Jane Sullivan, one 320 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:25,240 Speaker 1: of the eleven victims whose murders they were investigating. She 321 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:30,480 Speaker 1: had been found dead in her bath. Another drawing depicted 322 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:33,640 Speaker 1: a bedroom with an X marked on the bed at 323 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:37,040 Speaker 1: the base of the headboard, just like where the body 324 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:41,800 Speaker 1: of nineteen year old Mary Sullivan had been found. Soshnick 325 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:47,040 Speaker 1: was dumbfounded. Mostly the diaries displayed the inner thoughts of 326 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 1: a deeply unhappy and unsettled man who had likely struggled 327 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 1: all his life with sexuality, and who was doing, as 328 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:59,479 Speaker 1: he wrote, all that is humanly possible to master human nature. 329 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:04,680 Speaker 1: A section in one diary under the heading remarks made 330 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:09,400 Speaker 1: to Me by others listed numerous insults such as, you're 331 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:13,800 Speaker 1: a menace, You're no good, You're a goddamn liar, you're 332 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:18,359 Speaker 1: a disgrace to Boston College, you're a womanish man. I'd 333 00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:21,080 Speaker 1: rather see you dead drunk in the streets than see 334 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:24,440 Speaker 1: you as you are. When are you going to get married? Eh? 335 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:29,000 Speaker 1: So you like that boy? As for the rest of it, 336 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:33,240 Speaker 1: the similarity of his body and facial characteristics to what 337 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:38,040 Speaker 1: Peter had described the misogyny, ink blots and strange apartment 338 00:23:38,119 --> 00:23:41,920 Speaker 1: diagrams were certainly more than a little hair raising under 339 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:46,800 Speaker 1: the circumstances. All in all, it was arguably a smoking 340 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:57,359 Speaker 1: gun at least, but it wasn't the bullet. With the 341 00:23:57,400 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 1: pseudonymous Thomas P. O'Brien undergoing his assessment at the mental 342 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:05,720 Speaker 1: health center, police took the opportunity to question him over 343 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:09,359 Speaker 1: the next few days. The man was told he didn't 344 00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:11,639 Speaker 1: have to answer the questions if he didn't want to, 345 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:15,840 Speaker 1: and was also offered a lawyer. However, since he didn't 346 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:18,960 Speaker 1: believe he had anything to hide, he declined the offer. 347 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:26,160 Speaker 1: Over three separate sessions, Detective Soshnik, assistant Da Bottomley, and Peter, 348 00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 1: under the guise of being a doctor of psychiatry, each 349 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:34,240 Speaker 1: took it in turns to ask the questions. The man 350 00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:36,840 Speaker 1: was sat huddled over on the edge of his bed, 351 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:41,119 Speaker 1: looking anxious and scared. When they entered his room. A 352 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:47,879 Speaker 1: hospital psychiatrist was also present to supervise. Soshnik asked first 353 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:51,000 Speaker 1: why he'd written the letter to the nurse director of 354 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:55,280 Speaker 1: the Boston College. Thomas replied that it was a desperate ploy, 355 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:58,560 Speaker 1: the last of many, to try and meet a Catholic woman. 356 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:03,840 Speaker 1: When pressed on his relationship with doctor Wright, he explained 357 00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:06,560 Speaker 1: that the doctor had once treated him for a persistent 358 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:10,080 Speaker 1: ear problem that he was suffering from, in contradiction to 359 00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:14,679 Speaker 1: what right himself had said. The man also confirmed that 360 00:25:14,760 --> 00:25:18,800 Speaker 1: he'd once spent time with French Trappist monks and had 361 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:22,880 Speaker 1: once been a shoe seller, as Peter had suggested, at 362 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:27,399 Speaker 1: which point Peter saw his opportunity. You lose a button 363 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:30,920 Speaker 1: once in a lady's apartment, he said, when he went 364 00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:36,520 Speaker 1: inside to sell shoes. Thomas looked confused. No, he insisted, 365 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:39,560 Speaker 1: he never sold door to door and he'd never been 366 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:44,400 Speaker 1: inside an apartment under those circumstances. Peter then pressed him 367 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:47,280 Speaker 1: on why he'd recently been sacked from a job at 368 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:50,400 Speaker 1: a shoe store after only working for half the day. 369 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:54,240 Speaker 1: It was because they excited you, wasn't it, he said 370 00:25:54,760 --> 00:25:58,840 Speaker 1: the female customers. You couldn't control yourself, That's why they 371 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:03,840 Speaker 1: fired you. But Thomas denied the accusation and insisted that 372 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:06,919 Speaker 1: he just wasn't cut out for the job. Then he 373 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:10,359 Speaker 1: changed the subject and began talking about how he'd become 374 00:26:10,359 --> 00:26:14,639 Speaker 1: convinced that the police were following him. Why they asked, 375 00:26:15,560 --> 00:26:19,520 Speaker 1: but Thomas wasn't sure. Maybe, as he explained, it was 376 00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:22,159 Speaker 1: because he once thought about approaching a woman in the 377 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:25,560 Speaker 1: street to introduce himself, but just as he got close 378 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:29,360 Speaker 1: to her, he turned away, realizing it might be strange 379 00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 1: for her. Perhaps a police officer had seen him do this, 380 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 1: he said. Also, a man had once sat next to 381 00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:39,479 Speaker 1: him on a bench and asked him forcefully if he 382 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:42,199 Speaker 1: was gay. He thought the man might have been a 383 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:46,880 Speaker 1: police officer trying to catch him out. Puzzled by this 384 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 1: meandering answer, Soshnik turned the conversation to the yoga book 385 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 1: and the peculiar sketches of apartments they'd found in his 386 00:26:55,160 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 1: note books. You don't have to worry any more. We 387 00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:10,639 Speaker 1: know everything. We've searched your room, said Soshnik. Thomas looked up, 388 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:16,640 Speaker 1: confused the sketches, replied Soshnik, the ink blots, but Thomas 389 00:27:16,680 --> 00:27:20,160 Speaker 1: insisted they were nothing, just a legacy from the time 390 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:23,919 Speaker 1: he spent studying to be a commercial artist. The sketches, 391 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:26,280 Speaker 1: he said, was something he liked to do from time 392 00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:28,720 Speaker 1: to time, part of a game he used to play 393 00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:31,480 Speaker 1: with his brother, where they challenged each other to draw 394 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:34,879 Speaker 1: places they'd lived in from memory. And as for the 395 00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:38,000 Speaker 1: ink blots, that was just something he diared out of habit. 396 00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:41,639 Speaker 1: He always covered the female form whenever he saw it. 397 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:47,360 Speaker 1: Soshnik and Bottomly glanced at each other. Unconvinced by his explanation. 398 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:50,560 Speaker 1: Thinking it was time to move things up a notch, 399 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:54,560 Speaker 1: Soshnik reached inside an envelope, then pulled out a photograph 400 00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:57,440 Speaker 1: and held it in front of Thomas. It was an 401 00:27:57,440 --> 00:28:01,639 Speaker 1: image of the body of Mary Sullivan. Thomas turned away 402 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:07,280 Speaker 1: in disgust. Don't be afraid, don't you remember, asked Soshnik. 403 00:28:08,359 --> 00:28:11,639 Speaker 1: The more Thomas squirmed, refusing to look at it, the 404 00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:15,360 Speaker 1: more Soshnik pressed him, demanding to know what Thomas knew 405 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:19,119 Speaker 1: about the woman in the picture. Thomas began to shake. 406 00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:25,119 Speaker 1: Soshnik pulled out another photo and then another, imploring Thomas 407 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:29,520 Speaker 1: to look, but each time he refused, repeating only that 408 00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:33,480 Speaker 1: he didn't know anything about any of them. With little 409 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:37,679 Speaker 1: else to go on, Assistant Attorney General Bottomley drew the 410 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:43,520 Speaker 1: interview to a close. The next morning, with Peter's work finished, 411 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:47,440 Speaker 1: Detective Soshnik drove him back to the airport as Peter 412 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:51,280 Speaker 1: reiterated his absolute conviction that they had the man they 413 00:28:51,280 --> 00:28:55,560 Speaker 1: were looking for. The following day, the story broke in 414 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:59,040 Speaker 1: the press that the Strangler Task Force had been consulting 415 00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:02,640 Speaker 1: with a self proclaim psychic. The story was a huge 416 00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:06,800 Speaker 1: embarrassment for the police, with particular scorn reserved for Attorney 417 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:11,560 Speaker 1: General Edward Brooke, who was publicly rebuked for sanctioning Peter's involvement. 418 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:15,720 Speaker 1: A few days later, Peter was arrested by the FBI 419 00:29:16,120 --> 00:29:20,080 Speaker 1: for impersonating an FBI officer on a very flimsy charge 420 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:23,400 Speaker 1: that some saw as an effort to embarrass him and 421 00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:26,640 Speaker 1: Edward Brooke, who was due to begin a campaign to 422 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:31,800 Speaker 1: run for reelection. After ten days, the man known as 423 00:29:31,840 --> 00:29:36,280 Speaker 1: Thomas p O'Brien was kept in for another thirty five days, 424 00:29:36,320 --> 00:29:39,280 Speaker 1: after which he was given the opportunity to leave the 425 00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:44,800 Speaker 1: Massachusetts Mental Health Center. Instead, he voluntarily committed himself to 426 00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:48,560 Speaker 1: the institution and his thought to have remained there ever since. 427 00:29:49,640 --> 00:29:54,080 Speaker 1: No further sexual assaults or murders related to the apparent individual, 428 00:29:54,520 --> 00:29:58,440 Speaker 1: by then commonly referred to as the Boston strangler a 429 00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:08,920 Speaker 1: thought to have occurred after this point in time. It 430 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:12,240 Speaker 1: was just over a year later, on March sixth, nineteen 431 00:30:12,320 --> 00:30:16,160 Speaker 1: sixty five, the thirty one year old defense attorney Francis 432 00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:21,400 Speaker 1: Lee Bailey arrived at Bridgewater State Hospital in southeastern Massachusetts 433 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:26,400 Speaker 1: to answer an unusual request. The hospital was a psychiatric 434 00:30:26,440 --> 00:30:30,760 Speaker 1: facility housing convicted criminals judged by the state to be 435 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:34,600 Speaker 1: criminally insane, as well as all those whose state judged 436 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:39,840 Speaker 1: sanity had yet to be evaluated. Bailey was already making 437 00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:42,720 Speaker 1: a name for himself after getting involved in the case 438 00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:46,920 Speaker 1: of physician Sam Shephard, who in nineteen fifty four was 439 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:51,440 Speaker 1: found guilty of murdering his wife, Marilyn Reese. The case, 440 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:55,120 Speaker 1: which garnered huge media attention at the time, provided the 441 00:30:55,160 --> 00:30:58,800 Speaker 1: inspiration for the TV show and later the film the 442 00:30:58,880 --> 00:31:03,880 Speaker 1: fugitive in nineteen sixty three, after taking Shepherd on as 443 00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:07,520 Speaker 1: a client, Bailey filed the writ that took his appeal 444 00:31:07,760 --> 00:31:10,560 Speaker 1: all the way to the Supreme Court, resulting in the 445 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:15,880 Speaker 1: retrial that eventually overturned his conviction. That morning, in March 446 00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:20,800 Speaker 1: nineteen sixty five, however, Bailey was on a decidedly different mission. 447 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:25,680 Speaker 1: Another of his clients, George Nassa, who was currently under 448 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:29,800 Speaker 1: assessment of Bridgewater Hospital, had suggested he come and interview 449 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:33,320 Speaker 1: a fellow patient of his who he believed had something 450 00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:38,200 Speaker 1: big to tell the world. Despite Nassa being a suspected 451 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:43,080 Speaker 1: paranoid schizophrenic who had recently been arrested for murder, Bailey 452 00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:48,240 Speaker 1: couldn't help but be intrigued by the request. After arriving 453 00:31:48,280 --> 00:31:52,120 Speaker 1: at the hospital and being led through the various security checkpoints, 454 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:56,360 Speaker 1: Bailey was eventually shown into a dimly lit room where 455 00:31:56,360 --> 00:31:58,840 Speaker 1: he was greeted by a thirty three year old man 456 00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:03,240 Speaker 1: measuring about five foot nine in height, with broad muscular 457 00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:07,400 Speaker 1: shoulders and a thick head of dark brown hair combed 458 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:12,560 Speaker 1: back in a slick pompadour style. The man introduced himself 459 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:17,880 Speaker 1: as Albert de Salvo, who, according to himself was also 460 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:23,600 Speaker 1: the Boston strangler. Over the next hour or so, De 461 00:32:23,720 --> 00:32:28,120 Speaker 1: Salvo proceeded to outline to Bailey in minute detail all 462 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:32,520 Speaker 1: the murders and sexual assaults he'd committed, as unemotionally, as 463 00:32:32,560 --> 00:32:35,200 Speaker 1: Bailey later put it, as if he were describing a 464 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:40,400 Speaker 1: trip to the supermarket. At the time, De Salvo, who 465 00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:43,800 Speaker 1: lived in Malden, six miles north of Boston with his 466 00:32:43,920 --> 00:32:47,760 Speaker 1: wife and two children, was awaiting trial after confessing to 467 00:32:47,880 --> 00:32:51,160 Speaker 1: raping several women, as well as committing something in the 468 00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:55,400 Speaker 1: region of three hundred other sexual assaults and around four 469 00:32:55,520 --> 00:33:06,760 Speaker 1: hundred home breakings. Dsalvo had a long history of committing 470 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:11,400 Speaker 1: sexual offenses. In nineteen sixty one, he was arrested for 471 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:15,160 Speaker 1: masquerading as a model agency rep who door stepped women, 472 00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:18,320 Speaker 1: telling them he'd come to measure them up for future 473 00:33:18,320 --> 00:33:22,400 Speaker 1: photo shoots. When some of them believed him, he proceeded 474 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:25,720 Speaker 1: to take their measurements and sexually assault them in the process. 475 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:29,920 Speaker 1: After spending only twelve months in prison for the crime, 476 00:33:30,440 --> 00:33:34,320 Speaker 1: being released two months before the first apparent Boston Strangler murder, 477 00:33:34,840 --> 00:33:39,360 Speaker 1: Dussalvo was arrested again in November nineteen sixty four, ten 478 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:43,120 Speaker 1: months after the last for his suspected involvement in the 479 00:33:43,160 --> 00:33:46,440 Speaker 1: sexual assault of another woman who'd been left tied to 480 00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:49,680 Speaker 1: her bed after being molested by a man who'd broken 481 00:33:49,680 --> 00:33:54,880 Speaker 1: into her apartment. After being arrested, Dassalvo was picked out 482 00:33:54,920 --> 00:33:58,520 Speaker 1: in a line up by the woman. A few days later, 483 00:33:58,560 --> 00:34:01,520 Speaker 1: a number of other women had been similarly attacked in 484 00:34:01,520 --> 00:34:07,240 Speaker 1: Connecticut identified Dsalvo as their attacker to a short time 485 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:12,640 Speaker 1: after that, Dasalvo confessed to the countless other crimes in 486 00:34:12,719 --> 00:34:16,360 Speaker 1: his confession to Francis Bailey, Dsalvo is said to have 487 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:19,879 Speaker 1: listed numerous details about the crime scenes that were yet 488 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:23,719 Speaker 1: to be made public. In spite of this, however, no 489 00:34:23,880 --> 00:34:27,800 Speaker 1: physical evidence connecting him to the apparent Boston Strangler crimes 490 00:34:27,920 --> 00:34:32,680 Speaker 1: was ever established. As a result, in nineteen sixty seven, 491 00:34:33,080 --> 00:34:35,879 Speaker 1: with f Lee Bailey, as he would come to be known, 492 00:34:36,120 --> 00:34:40,000 Speaker 1: representing him, Dasalvo was only put on trial for the 493 00:34:40,080 --> 00:34:43,960 Speaker 1: earlier offenses he was already accused of. He was found 494 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:49,240 Speaker 1: guilty and sentenced to life in prison, and although DA 495 00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:52,840 Speaker 1: Edward Brooks and Boston police were keen to draw a 496 00:34:52,920 --> 00:34:58,280 Speaker 1: line under the Strangler case, many remained unconvinced by the conviction. 497 00:35:05,600 --> 00:35:09,440 Speaker 1: In a later interview about the incident, George Nassa, who 498 00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:13,520 Speaker 1: had first alerted Francis Bailey to Albert DeSalvo, made a 499 00:35:13,560 --> 00:35:18,040 Speaker 1: startling revelation. Though he claimed he was certain that DeSalvo 500 00:35:18,200 --> 00:35:22,840 Speaker 1: was the strangler, according to Nassa, his confession was actually 501 00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:25,839 Speaker 1: part of a bigger plan to get reward money for 502 00:35:25,880 --> 00:35:30,960 Speaker 1: information leading to the strangler's arrest. He and DeSalvo assumed 503 00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:34,239 Speaker 1: wrongly that they would receive ten thousand dollars for each 504 00:35:34,360 --> 00:35:38,440 Speaker 1: victim in return for the confession, which Nasso would claim 505 00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:43,600 Speaker 1: and then secretly split with DeSalvo. DeSalvo apparently agreed to 506 00:35:43,640 --> 00:35:46,719 Speaker 1: the deal because he knew he was already facing life 507 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:49,600 Speaker 1: in prison and wanted to make some money to send 508 00:35:49,640 --> 00:35:53,960 Speaker 1: back to his family. Some have also claimed that DeSalvo's 509 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:58,799 Speaker 1: earlier confession to have committed hundreds of offenses was also suspect. 510 00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:03,880 Speaker 1: Suggested that DeSalvo was often prone to boasting and fantasized 511 00:36:03,920 --> 00:36:10,040 Speaker 1: about being notorious. The fact that no physical evidence or eyewitnesses, 512 00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:12,680 Speaker 1: of which there were said to be many, linked him 513 00:36:12,719 --> 00:36:16,440 Speaker 1: to any of the crime scenes was also hugely controversial. 514 00:36:17,680 --> 00:36:22,360 Speaker 1: And then there were the cigarettes. As author Susan Kelly 515 00:36:22,600 --> 00:36:26,400 Speaker 1: pointed out in her book The Boston Stranglers, The Public 516 00:36:26,440 --> 00:36:29,560 Speaker 1: Conviction of Albert de Salvo and The True Story of 517 00:36:29,600 --> 00:36:35,760 Speaker 1: Eleven Shocking Murders. Three fresh Salem's cigarette butts were found 518 00:36:35,760 --> 00:36:38,759 Speaker 1: in an ashtray next to the bed that Mary Sullivan's 519 00:36:38,760 --> 00:36:43,080 Speaker 1: body was discovered in. Neither Mary nor her roommates was 520 00:36:43,120 --> 00:36:46,719 Speaker 1: said to have smoked this brand, While a Salem cigarette 521 00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:50,000 Speaker 1: butt was also found floating in the toilet of Apartment 522 00:36:50,120 --> 00:36:54,600 Speaker 1: four S at three one five Huntington Avenue, where Sophie 523 00:36:54,600 --> 00:37:01,600 Speaker 1: Clark's body was found. Albert de Salvo didn't smoke. Sam 524 00:37:01,719 --> 00:37:06,200 Speaker 1: also believed that George Nassa, a man considered highly intelligent 525 00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:12,400 Speaker 1: and manipulative, may actually have been the strangler himself. In 526 00:37:12,480 --> 00:37:17,800 Speaker 1: February nineteen sixty seven, Albert DeSalvo escaped from Bridgewater State 527 00:37:17,840 --> 00:37:22,600 Speaker 1: Hospital in an apparent protest at conditions there, before eventually 528 00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:27,040 Speaker 1: turning himself in. As a result, he was transferred to 529 00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:31,880 Speaker 1: the Massachusetts maximum security prison known at the time as Walpole, 530 00:37:32,440 --> 00:37:36,319 Speaker 1: where not long after, he recanted his confession to being 531 00:37:36,360 --> 00:37:41,520 Speaker 1: the Boston Strangler. Six years later, in nineteen seventy three, 532 00:37:41,960 --> 00:37:45,759 Speaker 1: while at Walpole, Dsalvo was stabbed to death in an 533 00:37:45,800 --> 00:37:56,279 Speaker 1: altercation with a fellow inmate. In the years since Dasalvo's 534 00:37:56,320 --> 00:38:00,160 Speaker 1: confession to fth Lee Bailey, two other victims were did 535 00:38:00,239 --> 00:38:02,719 Speaker 1: to the list of those thought to be murdered by 536 00:38:02,760 --> 00:38:06,480 Speaker 1: the so called strangler, taking the total number of suspected 537 00:38:06,600 --> 00:38:11,399 Speaker 1: victims to thirteen. The first was eighty five year old 538 00:38:11,520 --> 00:38:14,719 Speaker 1: Mary Mullen, who was found dead in her apartment in 539 00:38:14,840 --> 00:38:19,720 Speaker 1: June nineteen sixty two from a suspected heart attack. Albert 540 00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:23,640 Speaker 1: DeSalvo claimed in his confession that she had actually died 541 00:38:23,880 --> 00:38:26,879 Speaker 1: after he broke into her apartment and tried to grab her. 542 00:38:28,360 --> 00:38:31,799 Speaker 1: The next was twenty five year old Beverly Salmons, who 543 00:38:31,880 --> 00:38:36,040 Speaker 1: was found stabbed to death at her home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, 544 00:38:36,280 --> 00:38:41,600 Speaker 1: in May nineteen sixty three. With the victim seemingly so unrelated, 545 00:38:42,080 --> 00:38:46,839 Speaker 1: differing significantly by age and appearance, many have also questioned 546 00:38:47,000 --> 00:38:51,160 Speaker 1: whether they were all murdered by the same individual. Peter 547 00:38:51,280 --> 00:38:55,400 Speaker 1: Hurkos certainly remained convinced that the man he had identified 548 00:38:55,440 --> 00:38:58,960 Speaker 1: as the killer had been responsible for at least some 549 00:38:59,040 --> 00:39:03,000 Speaker 1: of the crimes. Her Coos would continue to offer his 550 00:39:03,080 --> 00:39:06,560 Speaker 1: services to police, and was invited to consult on many 551 00:39:06,560 --> 00:39:11,160 Speaker 1: other cases. Including the nineteen sixty nine murders committed by 552 00:39:11,239 --> 00:39:14,359 Speaker 1: members of the Manson family. He died of a heart 553 00:39:14,360 --> 00:39:17,680 Speaker 1: attack in nineteen eighty eight at the age of seventy seven. 554 00:39:24,760 --> 00:39:29,040 Speaker 1: In two thousand, incredibly, so convinced were they that Albert 555 00:39:29,120 --> 00:39:32,560 Speaker 1: de Salvo's confession was not the full picture, both de 556 00:39:32,719 --> 00:39:36,319 Speaker 1: Salvo's relatives and those of Mary Sullivan, thought to be 557 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:40,279 Speaker 1: the last of the strangler's victims, joined together in requesting 558 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:44,560 Speaker 1: that de Salvo and Sullivan's bodies be exhumed for DNA testing. 559 00:39:45,880 --> 00:39:50,080 Speaker 1: Attorney A. Lane Whitfield Sharp, who represented both families in 560 00:39:50,080 --> 00:39:54,719 Speaker 1: the case, also found a series of inconsistencies between DeSalvo's 561 00:39:54,719 --> 00:39:59,040 Speaker 1: apparent confession and the facts of Sullivan's sexual assault and murder. 562 00:40:00,719 --> 00:40:05,080 Speaker 1: After years of trying, in twenty twelve, Mary Sullivan's remains 563 00:40:05,120 --> 00:40:09,240 Speaker 1: were exhumed, from which the DNA taken from the seaman 564 00:40:09,360 --> 00:40:14,440 Speaker 1: of an unknown male was successfully extracted. The same DNA 565 00:40:14,920 --> 00:40:17,440 Speaker 1: was also found on the blanket she'd been lying on 566 00:40:17,680 --> 00:40:22,320 Speaker 1: at the time of her death. Without probable cause, however, 567 00:40:22,680 --> 00:40:26,640 Speaker 1: d Salvo's body could not be exhumed, so Boston police 568 00:40:27,040 --> 00:40:31,279 Speaker 1: hatched a plan. After tailing a nephew of Albert de 569 00:40:31,360 --> 00:40:34,880 Speaker 1: Salvo's They managed to confiscate a bottle he had drunk 570 00:40:34,880 --> 00:40:39,200 Speaker 1: out of and had its sent for testing. His DNA 571 00:40:39,440 --> 00:40:42,520 Speaker 1: was found to be a match for the DNA found 572 00:40:42,520 --> 00:40:46,680 Speaker 1: on Mary Sullivan, suggesting that at the very least he 573 00:40:47,200 --> 00:40:51,080 Speaker 1: was related to her killer. Now in possession of the 574 00:40:51,160 --> 00:40:55,840 Speaker 1: evidence they needed, in twenty thirteen, Boston Police crime Lab 575 00:40:56,080 --> 00:41:00,480 Speaker 1: dug up what remained of DeSalvo's body and extracted teeth 576 00:41:00,680 --> 00:41:04,640 Speaker 1: and a section of bone from his left arm. After 577 00:41:04,680 --> 00:41:09,239 Speaker 1: examining his DNA, investigators found it to be a significant 578 00:41:09,320 --> 00:41:13,920 Speaker 1: match for that found on Mary Sullivan. Odds that the 579 00:41:14,000 --> 00:41:17,319 Speaker 1: DNA had come from anyone else was said to be 580 00:41:17,400 --> 00:41:25,919 Speaker 1: one in two hundred and twenty billion. If you enjoy 581 00:41:26,000 --> 00:41:28,640 Speaker 1: Unexplained and would like to help supporters, you can now 582 00:41:28,680 --> 00:41:32,520 Speaker 1: do so via Patreon. To receive access to add three episodes, 583 00:41:32,840 --> 00:41:36,320 Speaker 1: just go to patron dot com, forward Slash Unexplained Pod 584 00:41:36,440 --> 00:41:38,759 Speaker 1: to sign up, or if you'd like to make a 585 00:41:38,800 --> 00:41:42,120 Speaker 1: one time donation, you can go to Unexplained podcast dot 586 00:41:42,120 --> 00:41:46,359 Speaker 1: com forward Slash Support. All donations, no matter how large 587 00:41:46,400 --> 00:41:50,600 Speaker 1: or small, are greatly appreciated. Unexplained the book and audiobook 588 00:41:50,920 --> 00:41:53,680 Speaker 1: featuring ten stories that have never before been covered on 589 00:41:53,719 --> 00:41:57,279 Speaker 1: the show. Is now available to buy worldwide. You can 590 00:41:57,320 --> 00:42:00,800 Speaker 1: purchase through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and water Stones, among 591 00:42:00,880 --> 00:42:05,520 Speaker 1: other bookstores. All elements of Unexplained, including the show's music, 592 00:42:05,640 --> 00:42:09,160 Speaker 1: are produced by me Richard McClain smith. Please subscribe and 593 00:42:09,280 --> 00:42:12,120 Speaker 1: rate the show wherever you listen to podcasts, and feel 594 00:42:12,160 --> 00:42:14,560 Speaker 1: free to get in touch with any thoughts or ideas 595 00:42:14,560 --> 00:42:17,560 Speaker 1: regarding the stories you've heard on the show. Perhaps you 596 00:42:17,600 --> 00:42:19,680 Speaker 1: have an explanation of your own you'd like to share. 597 00:42:20,120 --> 00:42:23,640 Speaker 1: You can reach us online at Unexplained podcast dot com, 598 00:42:23,800 --> 00:42:28,840 Speaker 1: or Twitter at Unexplained Pod and Facebook at Facebook dot com, 599 00:42:28,960 --> 00:42:31,400 Speaker 1: Forward Slash Unexplained Podcast