How Many Hands Does A Killer Have?

[Scorpio]

I tend to see one killer too and broadly agree with Lechmere on this one. As for going into reverse gear - well, there are factors which might affect the killer's MO, I expect, so I don't know about that. I'm unsure about Coles, I think she might be included. I'd also want to consider the outside runner, Mary Ann Austin, sliced up at good old Crossinghams in 1901.

I think the killer was a local man, I don't think he lived in Whitechapel itself, but just ouside. His first kills were probably closest to where he was living.

I don't accept the multiple killer theory, and I do think Stride was a Ripper victim.

When i use the term " reverse ", i dont mean the MO, but i am referring to the killers internal motivation,the particular needs of that individual, and this is generally referred to as the signature. An escalation in violence is commonly seen in serial killers, but a reduction?.

[Sally]

When i use the term " reverse ", i dont mean the MO, but i am referring to the killers internal motivation,the particular needs of that individual, and this is generally referred to as the signature. An escalation in violence is commonly seen in serial killers, but a reduction?.

Yes, I know what you mean, but what if he was no longer able to carry out the level of violence that he ideally preferred?

Any of the later candidates for Ripper victims would also be outside what appears to be his main killing spree - so apparently, if any of them were his, he went on to kill only sporadically.

It isn't easy ground, and there are always problems, whichever way you choose to look at it.

[Scorpio]

Frances Coles fits that pattern, as a policeman nearly walked into him and the killer was forced to abandon the scene, but it fits McKenzie less well.

[Lechmere]

If the Ripper carried out his acts at a location of his victims' choice (i.e. where they took him supposedly for sex), then that fundamentally affected what he was able to do. That explains why he was able to destroy Kelly's whole body, but only cut Stride's throat. That could explain why he was able to dismember the Pinchin Street torso. It pretty much explains the level of injury to all of them. How much time and light he had - whether he was disturbed or was worried about being disturbed.
Coles could be included but I have other reasons why it doesn't make sense to me, and I think it ended after Pinchin Street. Also I think Sadler killed Coles.
I agree with Sally's overall view on this though.

[kensei]

Frances Coles fits that pattern, as a policeman nearly walked into him and the killer was forced to abandon the scene, but it fits McKenzie less well.

Actually, the bedroom window of the manageress of the Whitechapel Baths and Washouses immediately overlooked the McKenzie murder and the managegress was inside and still awake. Perhaps the killer could tell a potential witness was just steps away so he had to hurry.

An example of a serial killer decreasing his level of extremity- BTK (Dennis Rader) began his murder career by attacking nearly an entire family, people young enough to easily overpower him if they'd resisted, then ended up faced with unexpected extra people a couple of other times, but moved on to making sure he was attacking only single victims and finished with a fairly helpless elderly woman. He stopped then partly because he worried he was getting too old to successfully overpower people.

[Lechmere]

Rader is interesting as some claim serial killers don't stop until caught. Also he was seemingly well embedded in his community and seemingly happily married with children. And there were gaps between his killings.