Jack the Ripper
Five women murdered in London's East End. Their bodies mutilated with surgical precision. Taunting letters sent to police. Suspects included royalty and doctors. The world's most infamous unsolved murders.
Jack the Ripper is the name given to an unidentified serial killer who murdered at least five women in London’s Whitechapel district in 1888. The case created the modern concept of the serial killer and remains unsolved.
The Victims
According to historical records, the “canonical five” were Mary Ann Nichols (August 31, 1888), Annie Chapman (September 8, 1888), Elizabeth Stride (September 30, 1888), Catherine Eddowes (September 30, 1888), and Mary Jane Kelly (November 9, 1888).
All were impoverished women working in Whitechapel’s streets.
The Murders
Characteristics of the killings showed throats were cut and bodies were mutilated (increasingly so). Organs were sometimes removed. The killer demonstrated anatomical knowledge. Attacks occurred in public spaces, yet he was never caught in the act.
The Letters
Several letters were sent claiming to be from the killer. The “Dear Boss” letter coined the name “Jack the Ripper.” The “From Hell” letter came with a preserved kidney. Most are probably hoaxes. The “From Hell” letter is considered potentially genuine.
The Investigation
Victorian police efforts included house-to-house inquiries, bloodhounds, and plainclothes officers. The response was unprecedented for the time, yet no arrest was ever made.
Suspects
Over 100 suspects have been proposed. Montague John Druitt was a barrister who committed suicide. Aaron Kosminski was a Polish immigrant. Prince Albert Victor, a member of the royal family, is highly unlikely. Walter Sickert was a painter (theory popularized by Patricia Cornwell). Michael Maybrick was a composer. None have been definitively identified.
Why He Stopped
Theories include death (Druitt theory), imprisonment for another crime, emigration, institutionalization, or simply stopping killing.
Cultural Impact
Jack the Ripper created the “serial killer” concept, inspired hundreds of books and films, launched “Ripperology,” made Whitechapel historically significant, and spawned walks and tours that continue today.
Modern Investigation
DNA analysis has been attempted. A 2014 claim of Aaron Kosminski identification was disputed. Sample contamination issues and degraded original evidence mean definitive identification may be impossible.
Legacy
The case matters because it exposed Victorian poverty, pioneered forensic investigation, created media sensationalism around crime, and the mystery endures.