Jack the Ripper

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Metropolitan Police Scotland (YARD)

Missing From:

Whitechapel, London, England

Summary:

Jack the Ripper was an unidentified serial killer active in and around the impoverished Whitechapel district of London, England, in 1888. Between August and November 1888, he murdered at least five women—all prostitutes—in or near the Whitechapel district of London's East End. Despite continued interest in the case, the Ripper's identity remains unknown.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Offense:

The body of Mary Ann Nichols was discovered at about 3:40 am on Friday 31 August 1888 in Buck's Row (now Durward Street), Whitechapel. Nichols had last been seen alive approximately one hour before the discovery of her body by a Mrs. Emily Holland. Her throat was severed by two deep cuts, one of which completely severed all the tissue down to the vertebrae. Her vagina had been stabbed twice, and the lower part of her abdomen was partly ripped open by a deep, jagged wound, causing her bowels to protrude. Annie Chapman was murdered in the rear yard at 29 Hanbury Street, Spitalfields on September 8, 1888. The throat was severed by two deep cuts. Her abdomen had been cut entirely open, with a section of the flesh from her stomach being placed upon her left shoulder and another section of skin and flesh—plus her small intestines—being removed and placed above her right shoulder. Chapman's autopsy also revealed that her uterus and sections of her bladder and vagina had been removed. Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes were both killed in the early morning hours of Sunday 30 September 1888. At 3 am, a blood-stained fragment of Eddowes's apron was found lying in the passage of the doorway leading to 108 to 119 Goulston Street, Whitechapel. There was chalk writing on the wall of the doorway, which read either "The Juwes are the men that will not be blamed for nothing" or "The Juwes are not the men who will be blamed for nothing." At 5 am, Commissioner Warren attended the scene and ordered the words erased for fear that they would incite anti-Semitic riots. On November 9, 1888, Mary Jane Kelly was found brutally murdered in her room at 13 Miller's Court, Whitechapel, London. Kelly's body was on her bed, mutilated beyond recognition. The breasts were cut off, the arms mutilated by several jagged wounds and the face hacked beyond recognition of the features.

Additional Details:

Rumours that the murders were connected intensified in September and October 1888, and numerous letters were received by media outlets and Scotland Yard from people purporting to be the murderer. The name "Jack the Ripper" originated in the "Dear Boss letter" written by someone claiming to be the murderer, which was disseminated in the press. The letter is widely believed to have been a hoax and may have been written by journalists to heighten interest in the story and increase their newspapers' circulation. The "Dear Boss" letter, dated 25 September and postmarked 27 September 1888, was received that day by the Central News Agency, and was forwarded to Scotland Yard on 29 September. The "From Hell" letter was received by George Lusk, leader of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee, on 16 October 1888. The letter came with a small box in which Lusk discovered half of a human kidney, preserved in "spirits of wine" (ethanol). Eddowes's left kidney had been removed by the killer. The writer claimed that he "fried and ate" the missing kidney half. Overall charge of the investigation was given to Detective Chief Inspector Donald Swanson of the Metropolitan Police, who was relieved of all other suites to coordinate the inquiries from Scotland Yard. Investigations in Whitechapel were conducted by Inspector Fred Abberline and Walter Andrews under the supervision of Chief Inspector Moore. Among others who participated in the hunt for Jack the Ripper were a number of detectives specifically assigned to the task, principally Sergeant Thicke. Police made out no fewer than 1,600 sets of papers respecting their investigations. By the end of October, the police had interviewed more than 2,000 people, investigated "upwards of 300", and detained 80. After six months, the investigation gradually wound down. The expensive special patrols drafted into Whitechapel had been withdrawn by March 1889, and Inspector Abberline was caught up in the Cleveland Street scandal. There are numerous and varied theories about the actual identity and profession of Jack the Ripper; however, authorities are not agreed upon any of them, and the number of named suspects reaches over one hundred.

Case Last Updated:

Jun 08, 2026