Throats Slashed, Bodies Mutilated, Flayed — Ghastly Murders And Unsolved Case Of 'Jack The Ripper'

Most Shocking Crimes: Everything would have remained unknown had the killer himself not given his name 'Jack the Ripper' to the police. His saga of crime tore apart London's peace.

The late 80s of the 19th century was a time of nightmare for the people who lived in the Whitechapel district of London. Murders were not uncommon, but what began in August 1888 haunts people even today as they still visit the area where ‘Jack The Ripper’ killed at least five women and mutilated their bodies. It has been over 130 years since fear gripped East End people in London, and it is certain that the identity of the killer will continue to remain a mystery.

What left people terrified was the sudden start and end of the killings. While many men emerged as suspects, no one could be proven as the murderer. His identity remained unknown and his face unseen. But the name, 'Jack The Ripper', which he had given himself, lived on to haunt the world. His murders were similar in methodology, and crossed every extent of brutality, as reported and documented over the years. 

While around a dozen murders that took place between 1888 and 1892 were attributed to Jack the Ripper, the investigation could link only five to a single killer, according to Britannica.com. The five murders, all committed in 1888, later came to be known as the 'Canonical Five'. The victims were Mary Ann Nichols (who was found murdered on August 31), Annie Chapman (September 8), Elizabeth Stride (September 30), Catherine (Kate) Eddowes (September 30), and Mary Jane Kelly (November 9).

The entrance to Dutfield's Yard where Elizabeth Stride was supposedly murdered by Jack the Ripper in 1888. (Image: Getty)

The common assumption around the time was that all five women were prostitutes, but British social historian Hallie Rubenhold later argued in his 2019 book, The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper (2019), that Nichols, Chapman, and Eddowes were not prostitutes. The book said Stride solicited only occasionally, due to poverty, and that only Kelly could be verified as a prostitute. 

In July this year, Sarah Bax Horton, the great-great-granddaughter of a police officer who investigated these murders, released a book on her research into local cigar-maker Hyam Hyams. According to a report in The Telegraph, she said Hyams closely matched witness descriptions from the time of a suspect seen with the victims.

Her book brought forth the ghastly details of six murders, of the five victims stated above and that of one Martha Tabram. It is believed that Mary Ann Nichols was the first victim of Jack the Ripper.

August 1888: Mary Ann Nichols's Brutally Cut Body Found

It all began on August 31, 1888. The body of 42-year-old woman Mary Ann Nicholas was found in Bucks Row (now called Durwald Street) in London. According to reports, her face was bruised. Her stomach was slashed twice, nearly opened and severed.  

2nd Murder In September 1888

The town was still in shock when Jack the Ripper returned. This time, it was 47-year-old Annie Chapman. On September 8, 1888, her body was found with her head severed and stomach torn open. HistoricUK website states that Chapman's entrails and section of stomach skin were taken out. A part of her vagina and bladder was cut and missing.  

Mystery Letter, A Warning, And The Name

It seemed the killer enjoyed the fear and failure of law enforcement agencies. On September 28, 1888, a letter was received at the Central News Agency, addressed to 'The Boss'. It contained a threat of more murders. And the letter was undersigned 'Jack the Ripper', according to jack-the-ripper.org. And after just two days, he did what he said.

Two Days After Letter, Two Bodies 

He chose Elizabeth Stride this time. Her body was found at around 1 am on September 30, 1888. Blood was spilling out from her throat. Within the next 45 minutes, Jack The Ripper attacked 43-year-old Catherine Eddowes. Her throat was slashed, her intestines and other organs were taken out and her uterus and the left kidney were removed. As per the HistoricUK website, the killer cut off Eddowes' eyelids, parts of her nose and right ear.

Police Made Letter Public, Received Another Missive

Following the gruesome double murders, the police made Jack the Ripper's letter public on October 1, 1888, as per reports. Five days later, another letter was received, only to tease the agency. A local, named George Lusk, also received a letter addressed "From Hell". It contained half a kidney, according to the website, jack-the-ripper.org.

November 1888: Another Murder, Believed To Be The Last Victim

Youngest of all his victims, Mary Jeanette Kelly (25) was found dead on her bed. The scene was something that could force a sane mind to go mad, as reported by the media at the time. Kelly is believed to be the last victim of Jack the Ripper.
Kelly's throat, like others', was slit. Her nose and breasts were cut and laid on a table. Intestines were put over a picture frame. She was flayed too, and her heart was missing.

Other Suspected Murders, Books And Movies

According to jack-the-ripper.org, several other killings took place after Marie Kelly's murder. One Alice McKenzie was found dead in July 1889 in a comparatively less mutilated state than Jack The Ripper's previous victims. The body of an unknown woman was found in September 1889. Heavily butchered it was, but many experts rejected it as Jack The Ripper's doing.

A few more murders, until 1892, were attributed to Jack the Ripper. The killings stopped after that. But what he had done until then was enough to leave people petrified for decades to come. While his five stated victims were thought to be prostitutes, the GBMag report said some were of the view that the others he supposedly killed had nothing to do with prostitution.

Apart from Sarah Bax Horton's book, many other stories, inspired fiction, and films have been written and made on the story engraved in London's conscience. With the materials from the probes, experts and investigators gathered as much information as possible to connect the dots. There are websites that even have the details of the personal and professional lives of the victims. The only thing that has remained unknown is the identity of the dreadful killer — Jack the Ripper.