The English historians Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook suspected the location of the first murder Jack the Ripperwhich occurred almost 140 years ago, could be the key to unraveling his identity. The podcast presenters The rest is history They believe that using the unidentified serial killer would explain his actions and make his identification easier, a mystery that remains to this day.
Holland explained in GB News that the body of Mary Ann Nichols, the 43-year-old first victim, was found “next to the largest all-night mortuary in the East End.” The core theory links the Ripper to professions like Butcher, butcher or skinner. Holland argues that these jobs give those who practice them “knives, a knowledge of anatomy, and a reason to have blood on them.” A slaughterhouse is responsible for collecting and disposing of dead or injured farm animals.
This work could not only have provided an alibi, but also explained the brutality of the crimes. Holland pointed out that serial killers often show an interest in torturing animals from childhood, making them an “obvious” choice for a job in a morgue, slaughterhouse or butcher shop. The historian argued that the progression of the Ripper’s crimes, which showed a “growing frenzy,” fit this hypothesis. “I think it would make sense if you moved from dismembering horses to even more horrific mutilations of women.”claimed the historian.
Between August 31 and November 9, 1888, Jack the Ripper killed at least five women in Whitechapel. The victims were Mary Ann Nichols (43), Annie Chapman (47), Elizabeth Stride (44), Catherine Eddowes (46) and Mary Jane Kelly (25). The attacks often occurred at night or in the early hours of the morning, leading historians to believe the Ripper may have ambushed them on their way to work.
The nature of the murders was exceptionally violent: deep lacerations to the throat, excessive mutilation of the abdomen and genitals, removal of internal organs and disfigurement of faces. These details have previously been cited by experts as evidence of the killer’s unusual anatomical knowledge.
The Ripper’s identity sparked theories for decades. Author Russell Edwards claimed to have solved the case in 2007 after purchasing a scarf from Catherine Eddowes, the fourth victim, at the crime scene. The garment was said to have been removed by an agent and had blood and semen stains on it.
Edwards testified that the scarf’s DNA evidence matched that of a distant relative of Aaron Kosminski, a Polish hairdresser and prime suspect. However, these claims have been questioned by experts. In 2019, critics published a “expression of concern”as they doubted the legitimacy of the scarf or its possible contamination, which cast doubt on the validity of this conclusion.
The Jack the Ripper case aroused enormous public interest because it combined elements that still capture the collective imagination today: a brutal and intelligent murderer who was never identified, particularly violent crime for the time, and a city like London where the tabloid press amplified every detail. The Combination of mystery, horror and the police’s inability to catch him It fueled speculation, theories and fears, making the case one of the first global media phenomena and a story that continues to fascinate a century later.
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