Jigsaw

[quasar]

I have been watching a horror movie series on DVD called 'SAW'. There are now 6 parts. The movies are about a serial killer called Jigsaw. This SK invents machines that force the victim to torture themselves to death. He then leaves a cut in the shape of a jigsaw piece on the victim. There is something similar we see in the ripper crimes. We see the victims mutilated - but strangely, in one victim he has made more concise, definate marks.
There are 2 controlled marks on Eddow's face. There is the possibility of contolled marks on Kelly's crimescene, but they cause too much debate.

In the movie, the SK did this naturally as a sign that signifies he did it, but also suggesting the victim was the piece in a puzzle. I cant help but think the ripper did exactly the same here. He is signing it, but also leaving it as an open piece to a greater puzzle.

[Fisherman]

Quasar writes:

"There are 2 controlled marks on Eddow's face."

Some say there are four, Quasar - the nicked eyelids and the so called inverted V:s. But taking a closer look on things, we find that the V:s may very well be collateral damage that came about as the killer tried to cut Eddwes´ nosetip off, and the eyelid nicks are not very symmetrical - although these, arguably, seem more the product of design.

But surely, since the other victims have no obvious similar things, it seems there is very little in it. A killer that cuts in jigsaw puzzle shapes into the flesh of his victims makes for an obvious reason to see some sort of communication and design, but that is very much harder to argue with the Ripper. The wish to do so has been abundant from the outset, though, not least portrayed in the efforts to make sense of the Goulston Street graffito!

The best,
Fisherman

[quasar]

Fisherman,

Both of the inverted V's are reasonably straight and (most importantly) , meet at a point. I am having trouble seeing this as an accident. Surely, if this was inadvertent,one would expect crooked lines, and at least one V would overlap, and not meet at a point. But 2 good V's by chance is hard to swallow.

No other victims had those exact marks,but as far as design on the other victims, it should be taken into context.

Polly Nichols: Left on the open street in Buck's Row, most people would agree that her mutilations were almost certainly incomplete - for obvious reasons.

Annie Chapman: For the first time, the killer has privacy in the closed yard. He does leave a trivial clue, but not on the flesh. He carefully arranges Chapman's belongings into some deliberate design.

Liz Stride: he is clearly interupted by L.Diemschutz horse coming through the gate entrance. He has no time for any mutilation, and few argue this point.

C Eddows: in the obscure corner on mitre Square, he has the time and privacy to do what he wanted to do.He does leave design on her. (although, being truthful, he still did take a sizeable chance here).

Mary Kelly: He had time, light and privacy. The only problem here is the debate about the design left there. Was it on the wall in the shape of an 'F' or an 'M' ? Was it on her flesh? Was it the fact her heart was absent?

I realise the ripper was not as clear here as the 'Jigsaw' killer was.But given the fact he has left design when he had favourable circumstances - Chapman, Eddow's and almost certianly Kelly- it is a valid point.
I agree it is harder to argue with the ripper than the obvious jigsaw piece, but I disagree, Fisherman, that there was very little in it.
The mere fact he has done things by design at 3 crimescenes surely indicates a valid attempt at some form of cryptic communication.

Thanking you, Q.

[Sam Flynn]

Fisherman,

Both of the inverted V's are reasonably straight and (most importantly) , meet at a point.

They actually meet at a curve. They were roughly triangular - and asymmetric - flaps of flesh, peeled up as the knife slid under the skin. In other words, they were not "carved", point-downwards, but a byproduct of a slicing action parallel to the plane of her cheekbones. This would naturally produce an almost-triangular flap, as illustrated below:







(I'd have liked to have used an apple, but I needed a potassium fix )

[Archaic]

Sam, you should have your own TV show.

Or at least a series of "Ripper shorts"; that'd be cool.

How about "Mr. Wizard Presents: An Illustrated Guide To The History Of The World Using Common Household Objects" ?

I would actually plug my old tv back in for that.

Best regards, Archaic