In the winter of 1972, a palpable sense of fear had settled over the Boston and Cambridge area as a string of violent crimes against young women cast a dark shadow over the community. This series of brutal attacks would ultimately claim the life of Ruth Abigail Hamilton, a 23-year-old White/Caucasian female art teacher from Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Just days before Christmas, she had visited her parents' home to bake holiday cookies for her students, a festive activity that stood in stark contrast to the tragedy that would soon unfold.
On December 24, 1972, the joyous spirit of Christmas Eve was shattered when Hamilton was found murdered in her apartment at 1 Langdon Street in Cambridge. She had been strangled and her body was discovered stuffed under a bed, clad only in her underwear and a bra. Her death was not an isolated incident but was linked to the work of a suspected serial killer who had been preying on young women in the area, many of whom were last seen hitchhiking.
The investigation into Hamilton's murder and the related cases intensified, leading to a significant breakthrough just two days after her death. On December 26, 1972, following a dramatic car chase and a shootout with police, authorities arrested 33-year-old Anthony J. Jackson, a pimp from the Boston area. Jackson was subsequently indicted for multiple murders, including that of Ruth Abigail Hamilton.
Anthony J. Jackson was ultimately convicted for the first-degree murders of Ruth Abigail Hamilton and another victim, Damaris Gillispie. He was also convicted in the death of Ellen Reich. For these crimes, he received a sentence of three life terms. While he was acquitted in the case of another suspected victim, Sandra Ehramjian, his conviction brought a measure of justice for the string of killings that had terrorized the region. The investigation revealed that Jackson had been seen cashing a check from Hamilton in the days following her murder, and possessions belonging to another victim were found in his car.
