Local Knowledge

[The Rookie Detective]

Interesting ideas and I believe your thinking is in the right direction. However, it must be remembered that the killer of McKenzie (who was said to have had broad fingers) was able to squeeze her flesh with such strength that all five fingernails made embedded marks into the flesh of her abdomen. So his hand had strength. An injury to the arm or shoulder would therefore be more likely. Regarding the mutilations to the abdomen, I don't think he was able to get around to making any. McKenzie's clothing was so tight many of the cuts described are evidence of the killer attempting to get his blade under the stays in order to inflict the desired injuries. Which makes me wonder what sort of injury or organ he was going for, since the bottom part of the abdomen (bowels, etc) were exposed. This is one instance where I do feel that he was interrupted by the PC since there's no question he could have heard his footsteps from a distance.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

Thank you kindly for your response Tom, and may I say it's one of the best posts I've ever read.

Your way of thinking just takes it up to another level.

Pure class as always.

[GBinOz]

Interesting ideas and I believe your thinking is in the right direction. However, it must be remembered that the killer of McKenzie (who was said to have had broad fingers) was able to squeeze her flesh with such strength that all five fingernails made embedded marks into the flesh of her abdomen. So his hand had strength. An injury to the arm or shoulder would therefore be more likely. Regarding the mutilations to the abdomen, I don't think he was able to get around to making any. McKenzie's clothing was so tight many of the cuts described are evidence of the killer attempting to get his blade under the stays in order to inflict the desired injuries. Which makes me wonder what sort of injury or organ he was going for, since the bottom part of the abdomen (bowels, etc) were exposed. This is one instance where I do feel that he was interrupted by the PC since there's no question he could have heard his footsteps from a distance.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

Hi Tom,

In your opinion, was this a ripper murder?

What are your thoughts on Alice's killer being Isaac Jacobs, or Sgt Badham?

Cheers, George

[Tom_Wescott]

Hi Tom,

In your opinion, was this a ripper murder?

What are your thoughts on Alice's killer being Isaac Jacobs, or Sgt Badham?

Cheers, George

Hi George. There's no chance she was killed by 19 year old Isaac. He was found by Andrews walking towards the crime scene, not away from it, and he was holding a plate, so his hands were not in his pockets and were therefore quite visible to Andrews and every single constable who entered Castle Alley (since he remained at the scene until after McKenzie's body was carted off). His hands were completely free of blood whereas McKenzie's killer left bloody handprints on her face and abdomen. Isaacs would not have had time to run away, wash his hands thoroughly, only to come sauntering back towards Andrews whom he (the killer) would have known was on his way towards finding the body. As for Badham, I'm not aware of any argument for his having killed McKenzie nor can I think of a reason to suppose he did or would have. Unless he showed up to the scene with bloody hands. I think there's a good chance she was a Ripper victim. Too many focus on the cuts which could be explained by an insufficient knife, or, as Rookie points out, some sort of injury. Everything else points towards the Ripper.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[jerryd]

He was found by Andrews walking towards the crime scene, not away from it,

Hi Tom.

What evidence points to this? IIRC there was one news report that got it wrong and stated Issac was headed home with supper. The evidence supports him walking from his home at 12, Newcastle Street, leaving about the same time Andrews arrives at the body (10:50ish), passes into Old Castle Street and up toward Wentworth Street to Cocoanut Place where he was intercepted by Andrews. That has him walking northwards, away from the body.