Jack the Ripper is one of the most notorious and mysterious characters in the criminal history record. He murdered and humiliated prostitutes in the Whitechapel region of London.

His series of brutal murders and crimes created tremendous alarm and intrigue that continues to fascinate the public imagination even today. “Jack the Ripper” was a nickname that came from a letter from a murderer.

Who was Jack the Ripper?

Jack terrorized the Whitechapel region of East End in London from August 7 to September 10, 1888. He murdered at least five prostitutes and disfigured their remains in a unique manner which shows the murderer was familiar with human anatomy.

It is quite surprising authorities could not catch or identify the anonymous murderer. He remains one of the most mysterious and controversial criminal figures in England and the world.

Suspects and Victims

Jack killed five prostitutes in the autumn of 1888 in the East End of London. All these murders occurred within a mile of each other and involved the neighborhoods of Whitechapel, Spitalfields, Aldgate, and the City of London.

The victims of Jack are known as the “Canonical Five.” Mary Ann Nicholas, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly are victims.

Despite numerous investigations claiming conclusive evidence of the killer’s identity, the name and identity of the murderer remain unknown. However, the famous name “Jack the Ripper” was assigned by the murderer himself in his letters which he sent to the London Metropolitan Police Service, popularly known as Scotland Yard.

It is unclear why the murderer chose the name “Jack,” but “The Ripper” could refer to the brutal and weird way the killer mutilated his victims. The murderer taunted police about his horrible crimes and speculated on future deaths.

Several ideas concerning the identity of the mysterious murderer have emerged over the last few decades. The great Victorian painter Walter Sickert, a Polish migrant Aaron Kosminski, and even the grandson of Queen Victoria, Albert Victor have accusations of being “Jack the Ripper.”

However, the series of killings that began in August 1888 suddenly stopped after September. The killings or brutal butchery showed a mentality more psychopathic and cruel than most human beings could imagine.

Anonymous Jack did not merely take lives with a knife. He disfigured and humiliated women. His crimes appeared to show his disgust for the entire feminine gender.

Brutal Acts of Murder

Jack severely mutilated the dead body of each of his victims. Victimized women were subjected to horrific traumas such as cutthroats, abdominal and genital mutilation, organ removal, breast removal, and other severe injuries and mutilations.

Click here to read the interesting story of Elizabeth Bathory: A Hungarian Serial Killer who killed 650 women

Persistent Mystery of Jack the Ripper

When killings of unknown Jack suddenly stopped in 1888, London residents wanted answers from authorities that would not come, even more than a century later.

This mysterious case has generated an industry of books, films, TV series, and historical documentaries. All these have come across several roadblocks, including a lack of proof, an abundance of misinformation, false testimony, and strict restrictions of Scotland Yard.

Jack has been the subject of news articles for over 130 years and will most likely continue to be the main discussion topic for upcoming decades.

Recent Developments

British detective Trevor Marriott had been long investigating the mysterious Jack. Detective Trevor became the center of media headlines. When he was denied access to uncensored documents related to the case by the Metropolitan Police in 2011. London officers refused to provide Trevor’s files because they contained confidential information on police witnesses.

An author and private detective, Russell Edwards revealed shocking DNA results from a shawl belonging to one of the victims, Catherine Eddowes. He claimed the evidence pointed to a Polish immigrant, Aaron Kosminski and he identified him as true Jack the Ripper. Aaron was one of the primary suspects in the brutal killings.

Conclusion

As the decades have passed, the mystery of Jack the Ripper has only grown. Each new development in this case has increased intrigue to an already complex case. Despite the passage of time, and the hard efforts of historians, investigators, and private detectives, the true identity of Jack remains unknown.

The legacy of fear and mystery surrounding the brutal killings of unknown Jack continues to fascinate the public imagination. It shows that “Jack the Ripper” will be remembered as a symbol of one of the most mysterious figures in history in the upcoming decades.