the most notorious serial killer whose identity has remained a mystery for 136 years with hopes now turning to science for an answer.
Operating in East London in the year 1888, the serial killer is said to have killed five women in the Whitechapel and Spitalfields areas, with a further five murders dating back to 1891 possibly linked to the same individual.
Any information beyond that is just speculation. However, it is also common and widely accepted that the Ripper was male and may have had some form of medical knowledge.
One of the prime suspects in the case is a man named Aaron Kosminski, a barber who had moved to London from Poland and was living in the area at the time of the murders.
The Kosminski theory is widely supported by author Russell Edwards, who has claimed to have DNA evidence linking the sperm found in the shawl of one of the victims to a descendant of the barber.
However, Edwards’ claims to have found the killer were divisive, with later reports claiming that the DNA analysis carried out by Dr Jari Louhelainen had made a “serious” error, which if corrected would link the sample to “more than 99% of people of European origin”.
Which, if true, means we’re once again back to the ‘who do you believe’ arguments rather than anything based on scientific data.
Disputes over the Ripper’s identity aren’t the only mystery about the case that has baffled police, with various letters claiming to be from the killer doing the rounds.
Most have since been confirmed to be hoaxes with only a handful – the ‘Dear Boss’ letter, the ‘Saucy Jacky’ postcard and the ‘From Hell’ letter – having the potential to be authentic.
The letters are all extremely gruesome in nature, with the writer even attempting to attach half a human kidney to the ‘From Hell’ letter before sending it.
Subsequent tests of the kidney (via All That’s Interesting) revealed that the owner was a woman, about 45 years old, and suffering from a disease that can be linked to drinking. This matches the Ripper’s fourth victim, Catherine Eddowes, who was 46, a heavy drinker and was found to be missing a kidney.
The letters ‘Dear Boss’ and ‘Saucy Jacky’ are also equally horrific, with the former being the first of his letters, with part of it reading: ‘I’m down with whores, and I won’t stop ripping ’em until I I manage bent.”
It’s also here the killer reportedly called himself ‘Jack the Ripper’ and scoffed at speculation about his work background, ‘They say I’m a doctor now. ha ha”.
Meanwhile, the ‘Saucy Jacky’ postcard was smeared with blood and referred to the murders of Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes and added that he did not have time to cut off the ears to send to the police.
Parts of Edu’s ear were later found severed from the rest of her body at the crime scene.
