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Jack the Ripper

Serial Killers are a frightening part of human society. The thought that a killer can strike seemingly at random can be terrifying. They have been known to specifically strike women, homosexuals, prostitutes, and religious groups. Each serial killer has his or her own modus operandi, commonly abbreviated to “M.O.” An M.O can include but is not limited to the victims of choice, how the perpetrator commits the crime, and the weapons the perpetrator uses. One of the most monumental unsolved cases is known to the police as the “Whitechapel murders.” Everyday people are more familiar with the case by the nickname of the killer: Jack the Ripper.

Jack the Ripper is the name the media tied to the man that committed a string of at least five murders that took place in Whitechappel, London England in 1888. The name was given after a letter was sent to the local newspaper claiming to be from the Whitechappel murderer. The chilling letter was signed “Jack the Ripper.” The letter ran in the paper a few days after it was sent, popularizing the name, but there is no way to tell if it was from the true killer. There are eleven cases that Jack the Ripper is debatably responsible for, but only five are widely accepted to be the same M.O. These five cases are collectively known as the Canonical Five and included Mary Ann Nicoles, Anne Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly. On the contrary to popular belief, none of the victims showed any signs of being raped. Each murder victim was a women as well as known prostitutes. Two of the victims had their wombs cut out, and all except Elizabeth Stride were extensively mutilated and bruised. Whitechappel was know as the bad side of the town, where prostitutes where common and could be bought for two to three pennies, or even a loaf of stale bread. This fact made it easy for the killer to fulfill his murderous appetite.

Every one of the Canonical Five murders was committed within one mile of each other. The murderers took place over a span of ten short, terrifying weeks. Two of the murders, that of Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes, were committed on the same night and became known as the “double event.” Elizabeth Stride’s murder was the only case with an eyewitness. The presence of another person resulted in Stride’s murder being far less brutal than the other murders and forced Jack the Ripper to find another victim. Catherine Eddowes was killed only forty minutes after Stride.

This case still draws in fascination due to the unknown. Jack the Ripper was the first Serial Killer known world wide and the subject of many books, movies, and television episodes. The current FBI criminal profile names Jack the Ripper to be a loner with a deep fear and hatred of women. The FBI calls him a disorganized killer due to the unusual fact that four out of the five victims were murdered outdoors, out in the open. It is believed that Jack the Ripper resided in Whitechappel London and had some sort of mental issues.

One man, known by his last name, Kozminski, fits this profile to a tee and one member of law enforcement later in life identified him as the police knew to be the killer. He was even identified by the one witness at the scene of Elizabeth Stride’s murder as the man he saw. This promising admission fell through when the eyewitness refused to “testify against a fellow Jew” in court. Without proper evidence though, Kozminski was never brought to trial.

Kozminski being Jack the Ripper would explain why the murders ceased. After the last murder, Kozminski was followed day and night by police and placed into the care of his brother. Eventually he was committed to a mental institution. Law officials believe the only thing that would have ceased the killing rampage of Jack the Ripper would be his death, his incarceration for another crime, or being caught for the Whitechappel murders. Even though all arrows seem to point to Kozminski this case will most likely never be closed. Society is simply too full of intrigue with this case to let the door close on it.