Suvechha Sarkar
On a quiet summer day in June 1986, the residents of Beverly, Massachusetts, were left completely shocked when the remains of 20-year-old Claire Ann Gravel were found in a wooded area. It was soon discovered that she had been last seen at a bar and had been later dropped off at her apartment. For years, her death remained a mystery, leaving her loved ones wondering who was behind the homicide. ABC’s ’20/20: The Salem Strangler’ sheds light on how the investigation gained momentum decades later when preserved evidence and advances in forensic testing helped officials identify the killer. The episode also features interviews with her loved ones and the officials who cracked the case.
Claire Gravel’s Remains Were Found in a Wooded Area in Beverly
Mary Louise and Robert J. Gravel Sr. were overjoyed when they welcomed their daughter, Claire Ann Gravel, on August 9, 1965. Growing up in a tight-knit household in North Andover, Massachusetts, she had always been close to her parents. Besides that, she shared a very special bond with her sisters, Denise Foley and Donna Gravel, and her brothers, Robert Jr., James, and Mark Gravel. According to her brothers and sisters, Claire was just like a ray of sunshine in their family. She eventually attended North Andover High School. There, her athletic spirit and love for sports shone through in her participation in various sports, such as track. Claire graduated from high school in 1983 and enrolled at Salem State College.
Claire eventually took a leave of absence during the last semester of 1986. However, she had planned to return in the fall for her Junior Year, focusing on a Computer Science Program. During that leave, she took on a work-study student position at Salem State College, where she diligently worked for the Public Relations team. By mid-1986, Claire joined the college’s Department of External Affairs. Around the same time, she became an employee at the National Braille Press in Boston and notably got the job through a temp agency, The Skill Bureau. On June 28, 1986, Claire visited a pub on Washington Street with her friends, following which a male friend dropped her off at her apartment on Loring Avenue around 1:30 am on June 29.
When Claire didn’t show up for work at National Braille Press on June 30, her managers informed her family. On that same afternoon, three workmen discovered a woman’s remains in a wooded area near Route 128, in Beverly, and quickly called 911. When officials arrived, they found her wearing a black tank top and black shorts, but noticed that the top was pulled up. That indicated that the top might have been used to strangle her. Forensic experts noted that she also had bruises consistent with someone who had been beaten. Moreover, they recovered her wallet and some other personal belongings lying nearby, which helped them identify the woman as Claire. During the autopsy, it was determined that her cause of death was strangulation.
Advancements in DNA Technology Led to the Killer’s Indictment After 36 Years
After Claire’s remains were identified, officials spoke with her friends. In their statements, they informed the authorities that the 20-year-old had visited a pub they often went to, after which their close male friend gave her a ride to her apartment. According to police records, when the friend who drove her home was questioned, he stated she asked to be dropped off in front of a bank next to her apartment. Authorities publicly confirmed the friend was not considered a suspect. When investigators continued digging deeper, several witnesses from the bar came forward. According to police records, one of the witnesses claimed to have seen Claire speaking to a nicely dressed man with brown-black hair at the bar.
Another witness account indicated that, on the night Claire was last seen, a man with curly hair had allegedly been disturbing her, as per the records. However, none of those accounts were substantiated with evidence. Despite interviewing multiple other witnesses and following up on the various tips, they were unable to identify any suspect. Gradually, the case turned cold due to a lack of concrete leads. The situation changed in 2012 when law enforcement officials reexamined the preserved physical evidence using advanced DNA technology. During that examination, they discovered that the black tank top, which was believed to have been used to strangle Claire, contained DNA belonging to an unknown man.
When authorities entered that particular DNA profile into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), it produced a match to a man named John W. Carey. They soon learned that his DNA was present in the system because it was entered after he was convicted in 2008 in connection with the attempted murder, assault, home invasion, and battery of a woman. By the time detectives found the match, John was already serving a 20-year sentence for the attempted murder conviction. On August 24, 2022, while he was serving that sentence at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution–Concord in Massachusetts, he was indicted on one count of first-degree murder of Claire.
John Carey is Incarcerated at a Massachusetts Prison Facility Today
Following his first-degree murder indictment, he was arraigned on the charge in October 2022. During that hearing, he pleaded not guilty to that charge. His jury trial began in February 2026, during which the prosecution presented the DNA evidence found on Claire’s black tank top, which was a match to the defendant, connecting him to the crime. Prosecutors argued that John killed the 20-year-old, alleging he was motivated by a “sexual interest in strangulation.” The prosecution also emphasized that the tank top had only his male DNA.
On the other hand, the defense contended that the prosecution had failed to identify the actual killer and had not properly investigated other possible suspects. Ultimately, the jury found John guilty of first-degree murder on March 3, 2026. On April 9, 2026, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Following that, his attorney announced that the defense would appeal the jury’s verdict. As of writing, no public reports indicate any progress in the appeal proceedings. John Carey is currently serving his sentence at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, Massachusetts.
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