Albert Henry DeSalvo was born on September 3, 1931, in Chelsea, Massachusetts. His parents were Frank and Charlotte DeSalvo. Albert's father struggled with alcoholism. He was known to be violent towards his wife. In front of his children, he often attacked her. There were times when he knocked out all her teeth and broke her fingers. He also brought home prostitutes and acted inappropriately in front of his family.

As a child, Albert showed troubling behavior. He began torturing animals at a young age. When he reached his early teens, he started shoplifting and stealing. This behavior led him to have frequent run-ins with the law. In November 1943, at the age of 12, he was arrested for battery and robbery. Shortly after, in December of that same year, he was sent to the Lyman School for Boys, a school for troubled youth. By October 1944, after being paroled, Albert began working as a delivery boy.

However, his troubles continued. In August 1946, just before turning 15, he was sent back to Lyman School after being caught for stealing a car. After serving his time there, he joined the U.S. Army. During his service, he was honorably discharged after his first tour. He later re-enlisted but faced a court-martial. Nonetheless, he was once again honorably discharged. He served as a Military Police sergeant in the 2nd Squadron, 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment. In his later years, DeSalvo lived at 11 Florence Street Park in Malden, Massachusetts. This was across the street from the junction of Florence and Clement streets. 

Between June 14, 1962, and January 4, 1964, thirteen women were murdered in the Boston area. Their ages ranged from 19 to 85. Most of the women were sexually assaulted in their homes before being strangled. Some were also stabbed or beaten. The murders happened without forced entry, suggesting the victims may have known their killer or willingly let him in.

On October 27, 1964, DeSalvo attacked a young woman in East Cambridge while posing as a detective. He tied her to her bed, assaulted her, and apologized as he left. This incident led police to identify him. As more victims came forward, they recognized DeSalvo from his photo. Earlier that same day, he had tried to enter another home under false pretenses but was chased away when the homeowner grew suspicious.

After being arrested for multiple rapes known as the "Green Man" attacks, DeSalvo initially did not face any murder charges. However, while talking with a fellow inmate, he confessed to being the Boston Strangler. This confession included specific details about the murders that were not public knowledge. Despite his claims, law enforcement found no physical evidence to support his story.

DeSalvo later gave detailed confessions about the Strangler murders. This included two sessions where hypnosis was used. He was eventually tried for other crimes instead of the murders, as his confession was deemed inadmissible in court.

In 1967, DeSalvo received a life sentence in prison. He attempted to escape from Bridgewater State Hospital in the same year, but after three days, he turned himself in. Following the escape, he was moved to a maximum security prison. On November 25, 1973, DeSalvo was found dead in the prison infirmary. He had been stabbed, and Robert Wilson, linked to the Winter Hill Gang, was tried for his murder. The trial did not reach a verdict.

Years later, DNA evidence connected DeSalvo to the murder of 19-year-old Mary Sullivan, one of the last victims. On July 11, 2013, it was confirmed that DeSalvo was the source of DNA found at the crime scene, linking him to the murder.