Two young reporters in the 1960s helped bring attention to a serial killer in Boston who had been dubbed the Boston Strangler.
With their in-depth reporting, Loretta McLaughlin and Jean Cole caused a stir.
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Who was Loretta McLaughlin?
Back in the early ’60s, Boston Record American reporter Loretta McLaughlin was on staff.
When lone female victims began turning up dead in their own homes, McLaughlin reportedly begged her editor to allow her to investigate.
When she and her coworker Jean Cole started investigating, they turned over the evidence to the police.
When the murderer’s identity was revealed, they were the first to label him a serial killer, long before the police did.
Critics claimed the women were providing a playbook for would-be imitators or confessors.
Journalists defended their role, saying their reporting was necessary to protect women from harm.
What was Loretta McLaughlin’s cause of death?
Loretta McLaughlin kept contributing to the Boston Globe and rose through the ranks to become a page editor there.
The Boston Globe reported in her obituary that she passed away on November 23, 2018, at the age of 90.
There were no immediate details about her passing.
She died in her Milton, Massachusetts, home.
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Do you know if there’s a film starring Loretta McLaughlin currently streaming on Hulu?
On March 17, 2023, a new film will debut on Hulu detailing the life of Loretta McLaughlin and her part in the investigation into the Boston Strangler.
The film stars Keira Knightley as Loretta McLaughlin.
Boston Strangler is the name of the film, and it can be viewed on Hulu right now.
