Evidence towards Joseph Barnett?

[Herlock Sholmes]

I thought Macnaghten started the trend. I'm joking btw!

Many would agree with you Martyn

Have I spelt your name correctly?

[mpriestnall]

Although Barnett always appears reasonably high in any list of suspects I’ve personally never seen any real reason to suspect him. It’s certainly been a while since I’ve read Paley though (aren't there more than 2 authors promoting him btw?) If we consider him in the light of being a suspect it’s not the case that we would have to tie ourselves down to the ‘scare Kelly off the streets motive.’ Anyone could have underlying issues of some kind and I’ve never placed much weight on the ‘scare’ motive.

I often complain that there are far too many suspect books where the author simply selects somebody around at the time and then built a ‘case’ around them (Endacott the most recent of them) and I’m certain that others agree. If we bought every new book we would all be on a bread, cheese and water diet. In reality isn’t Barnett the first of these type of suspects? Can we blame Paley for starting a trend?

I thought Macnaghten started the trend. I'm joking btw!

[Herlock Sholmes]

Although Barnett always appears reasonably high in any list of suspects I’ve personally never seen any real reason to suspect him. It’s certainly been a while since I’ve read Paley though (aren't there more than 2 authors promoting him btw?) If we consider him in the light of being a suspect it’s not the case that we would have to tie ourselves down to the ‘scare Kelly off the streets motive.’ Anyone could have underlying issues of some kind and I’ve never placed much weight on the ‘scare’ motive.

I often complain that there are far too many suspect books where the author simply selects somebody around at the time and then built a ‘case’ around them (Endacott the most recent of them) and I’m certain that others agree. If we bought every new book we would all be on a bread, cheese and water diet. In reality isn’t Barnett the first of these type of suspects? Can we blame Paley for starting a trend?

[sidbolt123]

Yes, frankly the idea that someone would kill a few prostitutes to scare his own woman away from it, then eventually having seen that not working decides to kill her instead is pretty ludicrous.

If you're prepared to do the former for her, as it were, you're not going to do the latter.

Could it not be that he potentially got upset that his methods werent working and finally lost control? Like that was his breaking point and he decided to finally kill her?

[Dickere]

hi and welcome
to reply directly to someone, hit the quote button at tje bottom of their post.
while i think barnett is a valid suspect, i dont buy that theory. the ripper was a serial killer and there motivation is deep seated fantasies.as exhibited in the extent and uniqueness of the mutilations in the ripper case.
why would barnett go to such weird lengths if the scare mary theory was true?
nay the ripper had a fascination with what his knife could do to the female body. it was obviously a psychological reason, not a practical one.

Yes, frankly the idea that someone would kill a few prostitutes to scare his own woman away from it, then eventually having seen that not working decides to kill her instead is pretty ludicrous.

If you're prepared to do the former for her, as it were, you're not going to do the latter.

[Scott Nelson]

Stewart Evans is a murderer?

...no, as an ex-policeman who investigated numerous homicides.

[Fleetwood Mac]

I recall when Stewart Evans was posting here, he made the point that most murders were domestic. And he should know.

Over the last five years approx. 40% of women murdered in England and Wales, were done so at the hands of a partner or an ex-partner.

Either way, I'm not seeing a meaningful link to Joe Barnett.

Edited to add: these relationships are always characterised by coercive control over a period of time, from that which has been stated about Mary's habits, e.g. bringing other women to stay with her, you could argue Joe Barnett didn't have a great deal of control over Mary.

[Herlock Sholmes]

I recall when Stewart Evans was posting here, he made the point that most murders were domestic. And he should know.

Stewart Evans is a murderer?

[Abby Normal]

It is an interesting detail that the killer left everything but the heart, an organ that he had previously ignored. Maybe everything can be read into that, maybe nothing can. Perhaps the removal of the heart was an impulse decision? Maybe the 'From Hell' letter was right, and the killer was engaging in cannibalism? Or maybe the killer was someone romantically involved with MJK or an unrequited love that ended in savage murder?

hi Harry
i remember when i first posted the idea of her heart being taken as a possible pointer to her ex lover barnett being the killer and was heavily criticized and ridiculed. i forgot the words/ phrases that was being used but basically that it was an unsophisticated, hollywoood movie type idea ...that a killer would target a victims body part that had some kind of direct symbolic meaning to him. Until i reminded them that kemper had cut his mothers larynx out because she was always yelling at him.

[Scott Nelson]

There's nothing with Barnett. Being a partner/ex-partner doesn't constitute a link for me.

I recall when Stewart Evans was posting here, he made the point that most murders were domestic. And he should know.

[Harry D]

hi harry
bingo.

and marys heart was missing. his ex girlfriend. did she make it clear to him that last evening he was there that it was really over?

It is an interesting detail that the killer left everything but the heart, an organ that he had previously ignored. Maybe everything can be read into that, maybe nothing can. Perhaps the removal of the heart was an impulse decision? Maybe the 'From Hell' letter was right, and the killer was engaging in cannibalism? Or maybe the killer was someone romantically involved with MJK or an unrequited love that ended in savage murder?

[Abby Normal]

When I was first starting out, and didn't know any better, Barnett did appeal to me as a suspect. He literally fit the profile of a regular Joe, he grew up in the neighbourhood, and had an emotional connection to the victim. Although the theory that he committed the murders to scare MJK out of prostitution never sat that well with me. It's less a pathological motivation for a real serial killer, and more the plot twist for a murder mystery show.

hi harry
bingo.

and marys heart was missing. his ex girlfriend. did she make it clear to him that last evening he was there that it was really over?

[Harry D]

When I was first starting out, and didn't know any better, Barnett did appeal to me as a suspect. He literally fit the profile of a regular Joe, he grew up in the neighbourhood, and had an emotional connection to the victim. Although the theory that he committed the murders to scare MJK out of prostitution never sat that well with me. It's less a pathological motivation for a real serial killer, and more the plot twist for a murder mystery show.

[Abby Normal]

John Christie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_C...#Known_victims

thanks wulf!
im not as familiar with the english sks. though seems like a rare ocurrance, it bodes well for the barnettians and Buryians. though for obvious reasons more for bury.

i couldnt help but notice that christie was a post mortem type sk, as the ripper was, and was Bury.

im liking bury more and more for the ripper, and i got him now just behind hutch on my suspect validity list.

[Aethelwulf]

i wonder if anyone knows if there has ever been a serial killer who murdered their wife as part of their series? i cant think of any off tje top of my head.

of course chapmans victims were all his"wives" but im thinking along the lines of a sk who killed mainly strangers and then his wife or girlfriend.
anyone know of any?

John Christie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_C...#Known_victims