Why Stop At All

[Daveshredder]

Ok, Im gonna try and start a thread all of my own. I done a quick search and couldnt find this. Sorry if its already got a thread


I think that the most unusual fact about this case is its sudden cease.
I have stated before I think he was getting more comfortable and confident with the kill and it is generaly accepted that killers dont just quit, maybe some withold the urge for a while if things get hairy or paranoia sets in, but they always return. It is who they are.
So I believe the best place to start is quite literally at the end.

Why did he stop.
Unfortunatly there could be a lot of reasons and a lot of suspects fit the time scale. any thoughts?

[smezenen]

I have come across this topic a few times in other threads but i havent seen one devoted to the topic. as you say there are may reasons. I think the top 3 reasons I can remember seeing are:
1- He died: comited suicide, died of illness, was killed, take your pick there.
2- He was commited to an institution, either put away for some other crime, possibly another murder or was commited to an assylum for reasons of insanity.
3- He moved away from London (see reports of Ripper like killing in a few other countries).

[Frank]

Maybe he was questioned by the police and/or got (otherwise) the impression that they were close on his tracks. So he decided to stop. I think the BTK killer did so.

[richardnunweek]

Hi.
I have three ways of looking at it, which depends on who the killer of Mary Kelly was.
If known intimately by her, Eg Fleming/Barnett/ previous ex, and that person was also 'Jack the Ripper' , i would suggest that he stopped after Millers court, because he had killed the person he blamed for the death of the others, in his own mind, therefore no reason to continue, she was to blame , now she is dead.
If Known intimately by her Eg , Fleming /Barnett/ previous ex, and that person was not Jack The Ripper', but a copycat, done in order to escape justice, that would indicate that the only murderous intention was towards her, and her alone, therefore after the deed had been committed, no other would occur.
If her killer was a stranger, or not known [ only by sight perhaps], and this person was the whitechapel murderer, i would suggest that he infact either was.
a] placed in asylum, with identity known.
b] placed in a asylum with identity unknown
c] died from natural causes, or commited suicide, or even murdered, mayby by his own relatives.
I do not see the killer of these women , having the means , or inclination to venture further afield, therefore i feel positive , one of the above scenerios is correct.
Regards Richard.

[Mr Chumley]

I wonder if he lived as a young man in the area, which gave him thorough local knowledge, then joined a merchant vessel which brought him back to this area, his murders based on strangulation before use of the knife may have started elsewhere. He may have then simply sailed away, maybe to kill elsewhere or meet his end by accident at sea or murder in a foreign country

[babybird67]

or....

he satiated himself at Miller's Court, and maybe went on to kill with a different MO.

Like George Chapman "could have"! He started killing women he had intimate connections with...ripping would have been too obvious. Plus poisoning is much crueller.

[Mascara & Paranoia]

If he died, I doubt it was due to illness or suicide. One, he seemed strong enough to be healthy judging by the ferocity of his kills, and two, he clearly valued his life to a degree; he didn't want to be caught, which would've resulted in his death. I doubt his relatives would've offed him either, assuming he had any or was in touch with his.

He could've been incarcerated for something; other than murder. If he killed someone differently, I still don't think he'd be less cautious just because he had developed a new m.o./signature. He still wouldn't want to be caught. He could've been put in an asylum, again for non-Ripper related incidents, but going by his behaviour with the victims of the night of their deaths, he wouldn't have stood out from any other person or acted too differently from any other men, so unless after his last known kill his mind gave in a bit, I can't see him being put in an asylum being very probable.

I don't think he was one of those impulsive serial killers who felt they had to kill/mutilate either, just that he liked to. So assuming that's the case, he could've just got bored with it and moved on, or any other mundane reasons for quitting. Not everything has to be a conspiracy or overdramatized; he was (more or less) only human too.

[Mr Chumley]

Just found this article on another thread so brought it across, as it may support the concept that Jack was not insane and therefore may not have been incarcerated in an asylum after all..
"I just came across this article in New Criminologist. It's apparently been online since Jan. 2005 and many of you may have seen it already. For those of you who haven't, here's the link":

http://www.newcriminologist.com/article.asp?nid=264

It's an interesting and well-researched article.

[Daveshredder]

Hi.

If Known intimately by her Eg , Fleming /Barnett/ previous ex, and that person was not Jack The Ripper', but a copycat, done in order to escape justice, that would indicate that the only murderous intention was towards her, and her alone, therefore after the deed had been committed, no other would occur.

How would this have stopped the real jack from killing ?

[Daveshredder]

If he died, I doubt it was due to illness or suicide. One, he seemed strong enough to be healthy judging by the ferocity of his kills, and two, he clearly valued his life to a degree; he didn't want to be caught, which would've resulted in his death. I doubt his relatives would've offed him either, assuming he had any or was in touch with his.

This is very well observed.
I think it most likley he moved to new pastures, making him the first documented travelling serial killer

[richardnunweek]

Hi Daveshredder,
The quote you posted , was when i was suggesting the scenerio of a copycat that was carried out by someone intimate, like a ex, etc, in which i suggested that it was a single act of murder, and i was therefore not including the others who would have been killed by the whitechapel killer.
Regards Richard.

[DVV]

The reason why he stopped could be "accidental" (death, asylum, etc) or not.

If the murders have nothing or little to do with Mary Kelly, then the reason why he stopped is more likely to be accidental.

Amitiés,
David

[Daveshredder]

Ive just been thinking.
If mary kelly was the only victim to be young, pretty and in door. Then this means jack must have compromised his taste for availability. In other words the women or at least kelly must have been found by chance, so he didnt know them, going on the basis the same individual killed all five.
Taken in to account jack had all night locked away at 13 millers court, to act out his urges. I would put it to you that what happend their must be his full fantasy, or the whole act if you like.
My tendancy is to think that, since the killings were progressing so well he may have upped his stride somewhere else.

[Christine]

Bunches of possible reasons.

Suicide.
His family or friends figured it out and put a stop to it.
Incarceration in prison for other crimes.
Incarceration in an asylum.
Police questioned him and he thought he was about to be caught.
Death by random illness, murder, accident, whatever.
He didn't stop--he just left London.
He had some special interest in Mary Kelly, and got some sort of satisfaction from killing her that he didn't get from the others.
He stopped drinking and got control of his murderous impulses.
He was injured, or became ill.
He was murdered by someone who figured it out.
He illness (syphilis?) progressed to the point where he couldn't even kill in a disorganized, opportunistic manner.

I think someone did figure it out--there must have been a limited number of men in the relevant geographic area who fit the witness descriptions and people would have been wondering what they were doing the nights of the murders. That doesn't even count the possibility of someone being splattered with blood, or carrying human kidneys around. And he was likely deranged enough not to appear completely normal to people who knew him.

[sdreid]

OR

he was part of a team and the team broke up
he went into the military
he lost the urge due to self castration
he fell in love
he underwent some sort of religious conversion
he was killed by an intended victim