'Unsolved Mysteries': Who was Jack the Ripper? A look at various theories about London’s most notorious serial killer
LONDON, UK: Netflix's docu-series 'Unsolved Mysteries' Volume 4 docu-series is set to premiere soon, promising to unravel the enigmatic case of Jack the Ripper, a notorious mystery that has baffled investigators for generations.
The first episode of the upcoming series will take viewers on a gripping journey through the history, evidence, and theories surrounding one of the most infamous unsolved crimes in history. Get ready to immerse yourself in the chilling world of Jack the Ripper as 'Unsolved Mysteries' shines a spotlight on this enduring enigma.
Jack the Ripper was a notorious serial killer who terrorized the impoverished Whitechapel district of London, England in 1888. Known by various names such as the 'Whitechapel Murderer' and 'Leather Apron', the killer targeted women working as prostitutes in the East End slums.
His gruesome attacks involved slashing the throats of his victims before mutilating their abdomens, leading to speculation that he had some knowledge of anatomy or surgery. Between the months of August and November in 1888, a series of five gruesome murders occurred in the Whitechapel area of London, with the perpetrator being famously known as 'Jack the Ripper'.
The victims, all of whom were prostitutes with the exception of Elizabeth Stride, were subjected to horrific mutilation in their deaths. The first victim, Mary Ann Nicholls, was killed on August 31, followed by Annie Chapman on September 8. Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddoweson met their tragic ends on September 30, with Mary Jane Kelly being the final victim on November 9.
While these five murders are commonly known as the 'canonical five' Ripper killings, some experts also consider Martha Tabram, who was stabbed to death on August 6, to be a potential earlier victim.
The brutal nature of the murders and intense media coverage led to the widespread belief in the existence of Jack the Ripper as a single, terrifying figure responsible for the heinous crimes in Whitechapel. The murders sparked widespread fear and speculation, with numerous letters sent to the media and authorities claiming to be from the killer.
The name "Jack the Ripper" was popularized by a letter known as the "Dear Boss letter," though it is widely believed to be a hoax created to sensationalize the story. Another letter, the "From Hell letter," sent with a preserved human kidney, only added to the public's belief in the existence of a single, brutal serial killer.
'Unsolved Mysteries': Who was suspected to be Jack the Ripper?
Forensic experts have announced that they have identified Jack the Ripper, the infamous serial killer who wreaked havoc on the streets of London over 100 years ago. Through genetic testing, they have pointed to Aaron Kosminski, a 23-year-old Polish barber who was a key suspect in the investigation, as per Science.
However, some skeptics argue that the evidence is not conclusive enough to definitively solve the case. The findings are a product of a thorough forensic analysis of a stained silk shawl that was reportedly discovered alongside the mutilated corpse of Catherine Eddowes, the fourth victim of the unidentified assailant in 1888.
The shawl is adorned with what experts assert to be traces of blood and semen, the latter thought to belong to the perpetrator. This macabre discovery is linked to a series of five brutal murders of women in London during a three-month period, with the perpetrator still remaining unknown to this day.
'Unsolved Mysteries': A look at the clues for Jack the Ripper
The challenge of identifying Jack the Ripper largely stems from a lack of concrete evidence. While there are a few eyewitness accounts available, they are scarce. In the early stages of the Ripper killings, authorities questioned local prostitutes about potential suspects.
They pointed fingers at a man known as "Leather Apron," later identified as John Pizer, who had been making threats towards them, as per USA Today. Additionally, a leather apron was discovered in the vicinity where Annie Chapman's body was found, but it was later determined to belong to a resident of the area.
Despite initially taking Pizer into custody, police were able to confirm his alibis for the times of the Mary Nichols and Annie Chapman murders. The revelation that Pizer, a Jewish man who often wore a leather apron, was a suspect in the Whitechapel murders sparked a surge of anti-Semitic sentiments in the community. Many residents, assuming the killer had to be an immigrant, directed their anger towards the Jewish population in the area.
The sole tangible piece of evidence left by Jack the Ripper following the Catherine Eddowes murders was a fragment of apron that was discovered at Goulston Street, a short distance away from the crime scene at Mitre Square. The apron was stained with blood and feces, giving the impression that it had been used to clean a knife blade. This clue hinted at the potential route taken by the elusive killer as he made his escape.
A forensic analysis conducted in 2019 investigated a shawl that was reportedly discovered near the body of Catherine Eddowes. The shawl was believed to have been taken by a Metropolitan police officer named Amos Simpson and eventually came into the possession of Ripper researcher Russell Edwards, who purchased it in 2007 and had it examined.
The examination involved comparing mitochondrial DNA found on the shawl to that of Aaron Kosminski's relatives, which yielded a positive match. However, despite these findings, some experts remain doubtful about the validity of the evidence, pointing out that mitochondrial DNA can only be used to exclude suspects rather than definitively identify them, as reported by Science.
'Unsolved Mysteries': Was Jack the Ripper caught?
One of the main reasons why Jack the Ripper was never apprehended is due to the fact that murders were not very common during Queen Victoria's reign, according to London Walks. In the Metropolitan Police area, there were only a few murders reported each year during the time of the infamous killings.
Despite the rarity of murders, there was significant support for the police in their efforts to catch Jack the Ripper, with the exception of W T Stead, the Editor of the Pall Mall Gazette, who harbored a personal vendetta against the police.
Stead believed he was a defender of the working class, especially after the events of the Bloody Sunday riots in 1886. Interestingly, Stead's own demise came in a tragic and historic manner, as he perished on the Titanic.
'Unsolved Mysteries' Volume 4 premieres on July 31, 2024, only on Netflix.