IndexIntroductionMary Ann NicholsAnne ChapmanElizabeth StrideCatherine EddowesMary Jane KellyOther possible victims of Jack the RipperInitial thoughts of Jack the RipperBehavioral and psychological profileAaron KosminskiCharles CrossThomas CutbushPrime suspectConclusionJack the Ripper is undoubtedly the most infamous serial killer the world has ever known. He terrorized all of London more than 100 years ago in 1888, killing at least five women, mutilating their bodies in the process. Whoever Jack was, he was never caught or identified, and he managed to elude the best criminal minds to date. Although numerous theories have appeared over the years claiming to have finally solved this case, we may truly never know Jack's true identity. The purpose of this article is to explore various aspects of this case through a criminological lens. First, we'll look at each of the Ripper's five confirmed victims, known as the Canonical Five, as well as those suspected of being victims at his hands. Next, we will create a criminal profile of Jack and analyze the various elements of his life that may have given rise to the prolific serial killer. With this information in mind, we will then create a list of suspects and identify what we believe is the most likely identity of Jack the Ripper. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Introduction In every serial murder case, the selection of the victim is a very important and intimate aspect of a killer's crime. Identifying common patterns among different victims can prove useful in identifying and catching the killer. If we want to better understand who Jack the Ripper was, we need to better understand his victims. In this case, there are five generally accepted victims of Jack the Ripper, known as “The Canonical Five”. The murders of these five women are at the heart of Jack the Ripper lore in Whitechapel. We will highlight their similarities and answer why they were selected by Jack as his victims. In addition to these five, there are also several other women who, over the years, have been claimed to have also been victims of the Ripper. We will analyze each of these victims and, based on their profile, determine whether they were actual victims of the Ripper. Based on this information, we can make an educated guess as to how many total victims Jack the Ripper may have had during his reign of terror. Mary Ann Nichols Mary Ann Nichols, 44 years old at the time of her death on August 31, 1888, was described by Emily Hollard as “a very clean woman who always seemed to keep to herself.” She was also known to be an alcoholic. For over 20 years she was married to William Nichols, with whom she had 5 children. There were also numerous separations between the two during their marriage, and after the final separation in 1881, when Mary began to devote herself to prostitution. Upon discovering this, William stopped maintenance payments to her, which forced Mary to move from one workhouse to another, which she did for a few years. On the night of her murder in 1888, she was reportedly drunk and staggering. She was seen engaging in prostitution to earn money for the house she was staying in, Wilmott's Lodging House. At around 3.40am the next morning, his body was discovered by a motorist in Buck's Row, who alerted the nearest police officer to his discovery. It was noted that there were incisions running along his jaw from ear to ear, so deep that his head wasalmost decapitated. There were also similar deep cuts made along the abdomen. These cuts must have been made by a large sharp knife with great force. Anne Chapman Annie Chapman, who was 47 at the time of her death on September 8, 1888, was recognized as having a drinking problem, but was considered an alcoholic. However, this may have been the reason for her separation from her husband John Chapman in 1884 or 1885. After John's death, she turned to prostitution and also had an affair with Edward Stanley, a pensioner. A few days before her death, she was involved in a physical altercation with a rival, Eliza Cooper, on September 1. A few days after this, Anne felt noticeably ill. On the night of her murder, September 7, she was seen in and out of her accommodation in Crossingham on a couple of occasions, still feeling noticeably unwell. He leaves home again around 1.30am to earn money. She was seen by Elizabeth Long with a man around 5.30am on Hanbury St., followed shortly afterwards by a scream and the sound of something falling against a fence. This was only a short time after the murder of Mary Ann Nichol. When his body was found shortly afterwards, it was discovered that his throat had been deeply cut, as had his abdomen, which had been disemboweled. A tool similar to that in the murder of Mary Ann Nichol was used. It was Annie's murder that suggested that the killer must have had some sort of anatomical knowledge, like a medical expert or a butcher. Elizabeth Stride Elizabeth Stride, 44 years old at the time of her death on September 30, 1888, was described as a quiet person, but would be willing to do good to anyone. However, he often had trouble with the law due to his drunkenness and disorderly conduct. Although she engaged in prostitution, as she was recorded in 1865, she also earned money from planting and charring, as well as payments from Michael Kidney, with whom she lived at times before her death. In 1869 she married John Stride, with whom she had issue. By the time John died in 1884 the marriage had completely fallen apart. When she went to live with Michael Kidney in 1885, she was absent many times because she went out drinking. On the night of her death, September 30, she was seen leaving the Bricklayer's Arms Public House with a man she was hugging and kissing. This man was described respectively dressed. Around 12:45 that evening, Israel Schwartz, a local resident, was turning onto Berner Street when he saw a man talking to a woman, presumably Elizabeth. She saw him throw her to the ground and the woman scream. A second man was seen across the street and, upon seeing him, the man who threw Elizabeth to the ground shouted "Lipski", a slur aimed at Jews (YouTube). Schwartz ran away when the second man began heading in his direction. Elizabeth's body was found soon after, still warm. While his throat was still cut, no mutilations were performed, suggesting that the Ripper was scared away before he could do so. Catherine Eddowes Catherine Eddowes, 46 years old at the time of her death on 30 September 1888, was seen as someone who was very intelligent and wealthy, but also possessed a fierce temper. When she was 21 she began a relationship with a pensioner named Thomas Conway, with whom she had 3 children. The couple separated in 1881. While living in Cooney's lodgings she met John Kelly while at the markets. According to the boarding house deputy, Catherine was a "cheerful woman" who did not drink often, although she sometimes drank excessively. He also wasn't in the habit of walking the streets. While John and Elizabeth were together, they struggled to earn money and on September 29 Elizabeth tells John that she will borrow money from her daughter.Later that night she was found drunk and taken into police custody, only to be soon released. However, on leaving, she heads in the opposite direction from the accommodation, presumably in the direction in which she was found drunk. She was last seen at 1.35am with a man, aged in his 30s, of light complexion, with a moustache and medium build. This is more or less the same description as the man seen with Elizabeth Stride. Soon after, her body was discovered. His throat had been cut deeply, about 6-7 inches, and his body and face were mutilated. His intestines were placed around his body and various other parts were removed or moved. Mary Jane Kelly Mary Jane Kelly, the youngest of the victims, was 25 years old at the time of her death on November 9, 1888. According to those who knew her, she was sober, although she could become noisy when drunk. Otherwise she was a calm woman. She also turned out to be attractive and liked by others. Everything we know about her comes from Joseph Barnett, with whom she lived before her death. At 16 he married and perhaps had a son. Her husband was killed three years later, after which she moved to Cardiff and became a prostitute. He became seriously ill and spent much of his time in the infirmary while there. In 1884 he moved to London, working in a high-class brothel. She also accompanied someone to Paris while she was there, but decided to return. In 1886, Mary met Joseph Barnett while living in Cooley's Lodging House. The couple were known for causing trouble while drunk, and in 1888 Barnett left Mary after losing his job, although he continued to visit her often. On the night of November 8, she was seen drinking at the Britannia with a respectable-looking man and appeared to be intoxicated. They return to his room in Miller's Court, where he stays until around 2am, when he leaves again to look for money. He returned with another man about an hour later. The next morning, his mutilated body was discovered in his room by the police. Her organs were disembowelled, her breasts were removed, and her face and arms were severely cut and mutilated. His neck was also cut to the bone. Other Possible Victims of Jack the Ripper Before and after the murders of these five women, there are also other women murdered in and around Whitechapel who, over the years, have been believed to be victims of Jack the Ripper. the Ripper. Although the murders themselves vary in location, method of killing, and state of the body once discovered, theorists have argued over the years whether they were genuine murders at the hands of the Ripper. There are also several women who may have been attacked by Jack, but survived. We will look at some of these cases and determine whether we should suspect them to be victims of the Ripper. As I mentioned, several women were attacked by an attacker, but survived. Anne Millwood, Annie Farmer and Ada Wilson were possible victims of the Ripper before the mutilations. These women suffered stab wounds, but survived and the attackers fled. They are generally considered victims of a robbery gone wrong. I believe that if these were victims of the Ripper, based on the speed and ferocity with which the Canonical Five were attacked, they would have died. Furthermore, the Ripper is not known to have stolen the victims' belongings, so I would have to exclude these women from being victims of the Ripper. Another woman, Emma Smith, was attacked by 4 young men and was raped, beaten and robbed. The attackers are believed to have been members of one of the Whitechapel gangs known for robbing and attacking prostitutes. There have also been several cases where parts of a woman's body were discovered. In the cases ofMystery of Whitehall and the disappearance of Elizabeth Jackson, body parts were discovered in the Thames. And in the case of the Pinchin Street murder, in which the victim was possibly Lydia Hart, a torso was discovered under a railway arch. Although there were reasons to suspect that the Whitehall and Pinchin Street murders were linked, there was no evidence at the time that police suggested they were linked to Jack the Ripper. I believe he would have purposely mutilated the victim to live out his sexual fantasies, as well as to make a statement to those who found the bodies. Therefore, he would not have gone as far as disposing of the bodies, as was the case with the Canonical Five. Furthermore, I do not believe that Jack would have gone from mutilating the corpse to complete dismemberment and hiding the various body parts. There are also other murder victims where, although there are some similarities between them and the Ripper victims, it is still unclear whether their deaths were Jack's work. Rose Mylett, a known prostitute in the Whitechapel area, was murdered about a month after the murder of Mary Jane Kelly. However, his throat was not cut and his death was determined to be due to strangulation with the faint mark of a rope found on his neck. Being so close to the previous murder, I believe Jack would have continued to cut and mutilate his victims, and therefore, I do not believe she was a victim of the Ripper. Another victim, Carrie Brown, was murdered at the East River Hotel in New York's Manhattan in 1891, years after the last known Jack the Ripper case. Her body was found mutilated and it appeared she had also been strangled. A foreign man named Ameer Ben Ali was arrested and charged in her death, but released years later. For the simple fact that this took place long after the Ripper murders, as well as in another country, and furthermore a story emerged that a Danish farm boy may have had a connection to the murders, I think we can disprove that It's a Ripper Killing. One murder victim in particular, Frances Coles, shares some striking similarities with Jack the Ripper's victims. At the time of her death on February 13, 1891, she had been engaged in prostitution for several years. She had also met James Sadler, a merchant, a few days before her death, and the two spent a lot of time together. The night before his murder, Sadler was allegedly robbed, and he and Frances argued, with Sadler claiming that she did not help him (Casebook). Sadler was allegedly involved in three more fights that evening. Frances went out soliciting later that evening and was met by another prostitute, Ellen Calana, who was attacked by a violent man. Frances goes with this man, against Ellen's advice. Frances' body was found the next morning and Sadler was charged with her murder, but was ultimately cleared. His throat was cut, but there were no signs of mutilation. Also given that this was more than two years after the Ripper's last murder, I don't think he would have waited that long to strike again, although I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out he actually is. a couple of victims who I believe could be victims of Jack the Ripper based on the similarities their lives and deaths share with the Ripper's confirmed victims. The first is Martha Tabram, who was 38 years old at the time of her death on August 7, 1888. She was a heavy drinker and was known for regularly staying out late, reasons why her husband Henry Tabram left her. The night before his death, he went to solicit another prostitute, Mary Ann Connolly, and the two drank with two other guards. Eventually they split into pairs, with Marthawho disappeared with the guard he was with in George Yard, one of the most dangerous areas of Whitechapel. Her body was found the next morning with 39 stab wounds, with particular attention to the breast, abdomen and throat, in line with the Ripper's other victims. While many of the wounds were believed to have been caused by a small knife, some of the stab wounds were thought to have been caused by a longer, stronger blade (Jones). Due to the ferocity of the murder and the focus on certain areas of the body, as well as the fact that it was before the Ripper murders, I believe Martha was one of Jack the Ripper's first victims. Another likely Ripper victim in my opinion is Alice Mackenzie, who was murdered on 16 July 1889, just under a year since the last confirmed Ripper victim. Although we know little about her early life, she was known for her smoking and drinking habits, which earned her the nickname "clay pipe". On the night of her death she was seen drunk when she returned to the accommodation where she was staying and had also not paid the rent. Later that evening she was seen walking rather quickly towards Whitechapel, where her body would be found early in the morning. The wounds she suffered are certainly consistent with those of the Ripper's other victims, with particular attention to the throat, abdomen and breast. It was also noted that these wounds appear to have come from a left-handed killer, whereas the Ripper was right-handed, and that the wounds did not even appear to be deep enough. However, I still believe Alice was a Ripper victim due to the consistency of how she was killed. Perhaps there was a struggle that forced Jack to use his left hand, resulting in some wounds looking different from those of his other victims. Based on the available evidence we have about the Ripper: his murder victims, crime scene evidence, and witness testimony, we can create a detailed psychological and behavioral profile of him. While this may not be an accurate representation, we can understand what his life may have been like before and during the murders, what led him to commit these crimes, and any trauma or mental illness he may have suffered from. These elements will help us better understand who this character could have been. Initial Thoughts on Jack the Ripper Without going into detail about the evidence we have available, there are some initial thoughts that can be made about who Jack the Ripper was. Due to the close proximity of the murders to each other, we can probably infer that he is a resident of the Whitechapel area and should have knowledge of the area. This would be especially useful for knowing where to find his victims and where to commit his murders without being caught. Furthermore, since he removed the sexual organs of his victims, we can probably assume that he had strong sexual desires, perhaps stemming from a trauma that occurred during his childhood. Furthermore, since his victims were prostitutes, he most likely engaged in services. With the mutilations he performed on these victims, Jack may have been very skilled with his knife. It has been theorized that this may be related to this occupation, which requires fine manual work with a sharp blade. He may also possess some anatomical knowledge based on his ability to remove specific organs from these victims, which may be tied to his occupation. Behavioral and psychological profile Because his victims are women, and more specifically the area of ​​his victims that he targeted was the abdomen area, we can infer that the Ripper isprobably male. If his victims were men, this could suggest a homosexual killer, as female lust killers are generally very rare, much more so during this time period. Appearance-wise, the offender probably wants to fit in with the area where he concentrates his murders, he doesn't want to look out of the ordinary. However, he wants to suggest that he has money, mainly so that he does not need to initiate contact with his victims (FBI). Focusing now on his early life, he probably comes from a family where his father may have been absent during his life. childhood, and his mother the most domineering of his parents. This would have resulted in the lack of an adequate role model and lack of care, and his emotional detachment from society. His repressed anger may have been expressed during his youth by setting fires and torturing small animals, something we commonly see in serial killers during childhood. This would turn into a fantasy of violently exercising power over women in particular (FBI). He would try to live out these fantasies in whatever profession he had, such as a butcher or a medical assistant. Since the murders were committed on weekends, we can suggest that he worked Monday to Friday. Jack would have perceived a poor self-image. This could include a paranoid thinking that he was always being followed, so he would always carry a knife with him (FBI). He may also have some type of mental illness, or perhaps a handicap or physical impediment. Turning now to his behaviors before and after his murders, we can see that Jack was drinking in one of the local taverns and pubs. This is to attract possible victims, although he would not kill every prostitute he encountered, perhaps because the area would not be safe enough. He would know when and where to kill his victims. After his murders, he would return to an area where he would clean himself and remove his clothes. And because of the notoriety of this case, he would not purposely insert himself into the police investigation or provide false information. He would believe that his actions were justified in the sense that he was removing "trash" from society (FBI). With this detailed profile of Jack the Ripper in mind, we can now create a list of suspects. As the case has grown, the number of potential suspects has also grown over the years, now numbering in the hundreds. And although numerous theories have been put forward, none have been truly decisive in discovering his identity. Some believe he was a doctor, or a high class man. Others think he was a commoner from the Whitechapel area. And while many of the suspects were added to the list long after the police investigation concluded, some were never even considered during the investigation, or only have some sort of remote connection to the case, like Prince Albert Edward Victor or Lewis Carrol.Aaron KosminskiOne of the most popular suspects in this investigation is one Aaron Kosminski, a Polish Jew who resided in Whitechapel. According to senior officer Melville Macnaghten, “this man became mad… He had a strong hatred of the prostitute class and had strong homicidal tendencies” (Jones). In addition to Macnaghten, Sir Robert Anderson, another senior officer, also named Kosminski as the prime suspect in his memoirs. One of the main reasons for his accusation was a possible witness to one of his attacks, Israel Schwartz. Schwartz may have seen the Ripper's face during his attack on Elizabeth Stride. Now, who was this Aaron Kosminski? He emigrated to London in 1880 with his family, minus his father, and worked as a hairdresser during the time of the murders of.