UPDATE: Suspected Boston Rapist identified - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

unsolved243 · 05-14-2024, 12:09 PM

The "Boston Rapist", who was featured on the May 2, 1990 episode (which was not included in the Amazon/Filmrise release of the show), has been identified through genetic genealogy as seventy-one-year-old Stephen Paul Gale. He has been indicted on several counts of rape and kidnapping; however, he has not yet been located.

The Boston Rapist had targeted a medical clinic near Boston just before Christmas in 1989 and then targeted a women's clothing store in Framingham a few days later, raping both of the women who worked there. Gale has been charged in connection with the Framingham case.

This was a case that I was not sure would ever be solved, especially since there was a (clearly false) rumor that the statute of limitations had expired.

https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local...ement/3368543/

https://patch.com/massachusetts/fram...exual-assaults

https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Boston_Rapist

TheCars1986 · 05-14-2024, 12:36 PM

Very close to the sketch.

dynoguy88 · 05-14-2024, 12:53 PM

Wow. That’s amazing. Now they just need to find the bum. But one huge hurdle down.

What I always remembered about this segment was the depressing fact that the nurse was just minutes away from going home to spend Christmas Eve with her loved ones when this maniac assaulted her.

Hopefully they find him soon.

WishfulDreamer · 05-14-2024, 01:08 PM

One of the most gut wrenching segments ever profiled on the show. I hope he'll be captured soon.

I never thought this one would be solved, and am pretty shocked. I'm excited to think what this means for other cases that seemed impossible to resolve after the passage of so much time.

DALLASTEXAN!! · 05-14-2024, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WishfulDreamer

One of the most gut wrenching segments ever profiled on the show. I hope he'll be captured soon.

I never thought this one would be solved, and am pretty shocked. I'm excited to think what this means for other cases that seemed impossible to resolve after the passage of so much time.

this is a segment that I only saw for the first time in the last few years. Glad to hear it has been solved! It was a very scary segment. hopefully they catch him soon.

dynoguy88 · 05-14-2024, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DALLASTEXAN!!

this is a segment that I only saw for the first time in the last few years. Glad to hear it has been solved! It was a very scary segment. hopefully they catch him soon.

It aired on Lifetime quite a bit. Just another segment that never made it to FilmRise for some reason.

XCalibur · 05-15-2024, 01:15 PM

Continues to show that when they got your DNA, there is always a chance they will find you. Those familial DNA sites are gold for this. Hopefully they catch this scumbag. Just wonder where he was last known to be and if he is still alive? If he hasn't been seen by anyone in years there is a chance he might be deceased. Hopefully he faces justice.

schmave · 05-15-2024, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dynoguy88

It aired on Lifetime quite a bit. Just another segment that never made it to FilmRise for some reason.

Especially when, at the time, the guy had yet to be identified.
This one stuck with me for the same reasons as many of you too. You just want to get done with your Christmas Eve as quietly as possible and get home to enjoy the holiday, and a horrible thing like this happens.

sharonite · 05-15-2024, 02:18 PM

Great news! What a total scum.

The segment is viewable by searching “Miss Teri Boston” on a certain site. It’s harrowing.

dynoguy88 · 05-15-2024, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XCalibur

Continues to show that when they got your DNA, there is always a chance they will find you. Those familial DNA sites are gold for this. Hopefully they catch this scumbag. Just wonder where he was last known to be and if he is still alive? If he hasn't been seen by anyone in years there is a chance he might be deceased. Hopefully he faces justice.

I hate to be a downer but I'm really discouraged to hear that nobody has seen this guy in years and he has been known to use different alias'.

Thinking of the poor victims who finally know who this guy is (which I guess is one less weight off their backs) but it's kind of wasted if law enforcement can't find the evil scum. I really hope he is located.

UMFaninMD · 05-16-2024, 08:32 AM

I saw this on my news feed and was very surprised he was identified, as I thought this case would never be solved. The article I read said he has ties to organized crime so I can only assume he may have friends there that helped him escape capture. Just goes to show how powerful DNA is.

DALLASTEXAN!! · 05-16-2024, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dynoguy88

It aired on Lifetime quite a bit. Just another segment that never made it to FilmRise for some reason.

ok, then I guess it's possible that I saw it between 2003-2007 when I was watching on Lifetime. the glory days of my UM viewership.

XCalibur · 05-16-2024, 05:37 PM

I just checked the Unsolved Mysteries wiki page, looks like its already been updated with this info, good to see they keep a close eye on it.

Apparently, Gale hasn't been seen since 2007 at some sort of a family function. That's a long time, seventeen years. Ironically enough, that was seventeen years after the rape. So I'm assuming that means he broke off contact with known family members and friends back then and disappeared. You wonder why he would at that point, unless of course he was feeling the heat for some other crime. Find it hard to believe these were the only rapes he committed.

But that's a pretty long time, sounds to me like he could be dead, but I'm sure the authorities know more than we do and may have reason to believe he is alive and just haven't contacted the right people who've been around him. Unless he is out in the woods living off the grid in a Rambo like life he's bound to have been in contact with someone.

IBMcginty · 05-17-2024, 02:45 PM

I haven't seen the episode but based on the information in the article and the sketch I believe he may be in Arlen, Texas using the alias "Bobby Hill".

1990 UM fan · 05-19-2024, 04:52 AM

I remember LifeTime reruns showing this case and always wondered if the perp would ever be found.

As for not making it to FilmRise, it was mistakenly thought that the statute of limitations had expired on the 1989 rapes, so Unsolved Mysteries' producers told FilmRise not to add it. Now that we know that's not the case, I wonder if the full segment will be added to streaming?

On a side note, the Sacred Heart Church John Doe case was also mistakenly omitted because Unsolved Mysteries producers thought he was already identified or that the case was closed, but that too was debunked. Not sure if it's been added. I used to have both cases on my old laptop before it died, and wasn't able to transfer all those segments to a flash drive beforehand.

05-14-2024, 12:09 PM	#1
unsolved243 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 11, 2010 Posts: 260	UPDATE: Suspected Boston Rapist identified The "Boston Rapist", who was featured on the May 2, 1990 episode (which was not included in the Amazon/Filmrise release of the show), has been identified through genetic genealogy as seventy-one-year-old Stephen Paul Gale. He has been indicted on several counts of rape and kidnapping; however, he has not yet been located. The Boston Rapist had targeted a medical clinic near Boston just before Christmas in 1989 and then targeted a women's clothing store in Framingham a few days later, raping both of the women who worked there. Gale has been charged in connection with the Framingham case. This was a case that I was not sure would ever be solved, especially since there was a (clearly false) rumor that the statute of limitations had expired. https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local...ement/3368543/ https://patch.com/massachusetts/fram...exual-assaults https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Boston_Rapist

05-19-2024, 04:52 AM	#15
1990 UM fan Unsolved Mysteries fanatic Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2011 Location: United States Posts: 2,510	I remember LifeTime reruns showing this case and always wondered if the perp would ever be found. As for not making it to FilmRise, it was mistakenly thought that the statute of limitations had expired on the 1989 rapes, so Unsolved Mysteries' producers told FilmRise not to add it. Now that we know that's not the case, I wonder if the full segment will be added to streaming? On a side note, the Sacred Heart Church John Doe case was also mistakenly omitted because Unsolved Mysteries producers thought he was already identified or that the case was closed, but that too was debunked. Not sure if it's been added. I used to have both cases on my old laptop before it died, and wasn't able to transfer all those segments to a flash drive beforehand.
	__________________ Join my Unsolved Mysteries page (Facebook): http://www.facebook.com/pages/Unsolv...899616?sk=wall

05-14-2024, 12:36 PM	#2
TheCars1986 #VLSKMS Forum Fanatic Join Date: Nov 22, 2008 Location: Maryland Posts: 8,606	Very close to the sketch.

05-14-2024, 12:53 PM	#3
dynoguy88 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 01, 2000 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 3,672	Wow. That’s amazing. Now they just need to find the bum. But one huge hurdle down. What I always remembered about this segment was the depressing fact that the nurse was just minutes away from going home to spend Christmas Eve with her loved ones when this maniac assaulted her. Hopefully they find him soon.

05-14-2024, 01:08 PM	#4
WishfulDreamer Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 01, 2009 Location: L.A. Posts: 3,868	One of the most gut wrenching segments ever profiled on the show. I hope he'll be captured soon. I never thought this one would be solved, and am pretty shocked. I'm excited to think what this means for other cases that seemed impossible to resolve after the passage of so much time.

05-15-2024, 01:15 PM	#7
XCalibur Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 16, 2010 Location: Belfast, Va Posts: 980	Continues to show that when they got your DNA, there is always a chance they will find you. Those familial DNA sites are gold for this. Hopefully they catch this scumbag. Just wonder where he was last known to be and if he is still alive? If he hasn't been seen by anyone in years there is a chance he might be deceased. Hopefully he faces justice.

05-15-2024, 02:18 PM	#9
sharonite Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 27, 2009 Posts: 157	Great news! What a total scum. The segment is viewable by searching “Miss Teri Boston” on a certain site. It’s harrowing.

05-16-2024, 08:32 AM	#11
UMFaninMD I love a mystery Senior Member Join Date: Apr 19, 2011 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,287	I saw this on my news feed and was very surprised he was identified, as I thought this case would never be solved. The article I read said he has ties to organized crime so I can only assume he may have friends there that helped him escape capture. Just goes to show how powerful DNA is.

05-16-2024, 05:37 PM	#13
XCalibur Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 16, 2010 Location: Belfast, Va Posts: 980	I just checked the Unsolved Mysteries wiki page, looks like its already been updated with this info, good to see they keep a close eye on it. Apparently, Gale hasn't been seen since 2007 at some sort of a family function. That's a long time, seventeen years. Ironically enough, that was seventeen years after the rape. So I'm assuming that means he broke off contact with known family members and friends back then and disappeared. You wonder why he would at that point, unless of course he was feeling the heat for some other crime. Find it hard to believe these were the only rapes he committed. But that's a pretty long time, sounds to me like he could be dead, but I'm sure the authorities know more than we do and may have reason to believe he is alive and just haven't contacted the right people who've been around him. Unless he is out in the woods living off the grid in a Rambo like life he's bound to have been in contact with someone.

05-17-2024, 02:45 PM	#14
IBMcginty Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 05, 2023 Location: BFE Posts: 29	I haven't seen the episode but based on the information in the article and the sketch I believe he may be in Arlen, Texas using the alias "Bobby Hill".