Modus Operandi and Signature

[NOV9]

Annie Chapman did fall. The next door neighbor to 29 Hanbury Street heard the sound of her body falling heavily against the fence.

Elizabeth Stride not only fell but was seen being forcefully thrown to the ground by her attacker.

Why did Jack change his MO by throwing Stride to the ground?
I'm just thinking out loud here, I'm not expecting you to answer.

[NOV9]

Same reason he strangled them at first--to make sure they were dead. Let go, you are not sure. Strangle until they collapse and finish.

--J.D.

Sounds more like he needed to be in control, strangled until they fell unconscious, then cut the throat while they were on the ground so that the blood would not spray on himself.

NOV9

[NOV9]

Annie Chapman did fall. The next door neighbor to 29 Hanbury Street heard the sound of her body falling heavily against the fence.

Elizabeth Stride not only fell but was seen being forcefully thrown to the ground by her attacker.

The next door neighbor to 29 Hanbury Street heard the sound of her body falling heavily against the fence.

The next door neighbor can not be sure if the body fell or was pushed up against the fence, unless she saw for herself what had happened.

[kensei]

Jack strangled the unfortunates, and did not let the bodies fall to the ground, the absence of bruising to the back of the head. Then he cut the throat.

So why would he take care not to let them fall? Considering how brutal he was in cutting them up.

NOV9

Annie Chapman did fall. The next door neighbor to 29 Hanbury Street heard the sound of her body falling heavily against the fence.

Elizabeth Stride not only fell but was seen being forcefully thrown to the ground by her attacker.

[Doctor X]

Same reason he strangled them at first--to make sure they were dead. Let go, you are not sure. Strangle until they collapse and finish.

--J.D.

[NOV9]

Was it ritualistic, poising the bodies? MO or signature?

Jack strangled the unfortunates, and did not let the bodies fall to the ground, the absence of bruising to the back of the head. Then he cut the throat.

So why would he take care not to let them fall? Considering how brutal he was in cutting them up.

In what direction did he position the head? In reference to the top of the head, was it facing North, South, East, or West?

Everything he did seems to be ritualistic, poising the bodies, turning their head to face a certain direction.

NOV9

[NOV9]

Understanding a signature

"Understanding a signature involves behavioral analysis: specifically, examining what a perpetrator does at a scene that's unnecessary to accomplish his or her goal and that appears to be performed to meet some inner personal need."

Dr. Robert D. Keppel

[Doctor X]

The problem I have with "signatures" is they imply that a killer cannot develop a technique or must always follow the same pattern.

On the other hand, a killer is likely to stick to what works.

I see more trends than signature.

--J.D.

[JSchmidt]

Because we seem to drift off about these topics in quite some threads, I'd suggest we discuss these two aspects in one topic of their own.
As I'm only reading up on stuff so far I will now leave the center stage to those who are willing to discuss their definitions and theories.