In 1963, Sebastian Junger’s parents hired a local handyman named Albert DeSalvo to renovate their home in Belmont, Massachusetts. During this period, the Boston Strangler was targeting women across the region. When Bessie Goldberg was murdered in the same neighborhood, authorities arrested and convicted Roy Smith, a Black man who had also worked at the Junger residence that day. Junger examines the possibility that DeSalvo, who later confessed to being the Strangler, was the actual killer, and that Smith was wrongfully imprisoned due to racial prejudice.
True crime readers interested in the intersection of racial bias and judicial error will find this case study useful. The book provides a detailed look at how societal fears and circumstantial evidence can lead to a legal conviction even when a known serial killer is operating nearby. Readers walk away with a specific understanding of the 1960s legal system and an unresolved perspective on whether Smith or DeSalvo committed the Goldberg murder. It serves as a historical analysis of a dual-track investigation where race influenced the outcome.
Balanced in tone; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Story Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2006
- Language
- EN
