Is Bury the best suspect we have?

[GBinOz]

The difference between Bury and those suspects is that Bury is a proven murderer.

Really?....The mock retrial found him innocent and the jury at the time had doubts due to the medical evidence. How would your theory survive if Bury was innocent of his wife's murder, and his wife meet her death accidentally, as he claimed, and he mutilated her and stuffed her in a box to avoid being accused of being the Ripper, as he claimed. Could he have been someone craving the notoriety while endeavouring to avoid the consequence?

[John Wheat]

He killed people in order to play around with their insides.


That is exactly what they have going for them- police interest, same as Bury.

The difference between Bury and those suspects is that Bury is a proven murderer.

[John Wheat]

I think all the suspects are poor to be honest. You could make a case that Bury is the best of a bad bunch. Personally to me he sounds like someone who liked to go a alcohol binges for days and was a domestic abuser. He maybe killed his wife for money but took a fit of conscience. He was clearly someone who was not always in control of himself.

I read elsewhere he may have been in Wolverhampton at the time Martha Tabram was killed. Any more info on that?

Bury was not in Wolverhampton during Tabram's murder he was in London. There is probably some info on Casebook but I'm not sure where.

[Abby Normal]

That's what I would say - that Bury is the best named suspect of a bad bunch. He's the only named suspect who mutilated someone that he killed, and he left the Whitechapel area shortly after the Kelly murder. I'd say the biggest mark against him (or in his favor) is that the police showed so little interest in him, despite the fact that it occurred to them that he could be the Ripper. Also, he couldn't have killed McKenzie, but McKenzie may or may not have been a Ripper victim.

or as i like to say, the least weak. and yes, mckenzie is the fly in the bury ointment.

[Lewis C]

I think all the suspects are poor to be honest. You could make a case that Bury is the best of a bad bunch. Personally to me he sounds like someone who liked to go a alcohol binges for days and was a domestic abuser. He maybe killed his wife for money but took a fit of conscience. He was clearly someone who was not always in control of himself.

I read elsewhere he may have been in Wolverhampton at the time Martha Tabram was killed. Any more info on that?

That's what I would say - that Bury is the best named suspect of a bad bunch. He's the only named suspect who mutilated someone that he killed, and he left the Whitechapel area shortly after the Kelly murder. I'd say the biggest mark against him (or in his favor) is that the police showed so little interest in him, despite the fact that it occurred to them that he could be the Ripper. Also, he couldn't have killed McKenzie, but McKenzie may or may not have been a Ripper victim.

[Sunny Delight]

It is my belief that Bury is the best suspect we have for a number of reasons. Most notably that Bury murdered his wife in a similar fashion to the C5, Bury matches the FBI psychological profile rather well and that Bury left London shortly after Mary Kelly's murder. But is Bury the best suspect we have? I'd be interested to hear others thoughts.

I think all the suspects are poor to be honest. You could make a case that Bury is the best of a bad bunch. Personally to me he sounds like someone who liked to go a alcohol binges for days and was a domestic abuser. He maybe killed his wife for money but took a fit of conscience. He was clearly someone who was not always in control of himself.

I read elsewhere he may have been in Wolverhampton at the time Martha Tabram was killed. Any more info on that?

[Kattrup]

How do you know Jack was mad?

He killed people in order to play around with their insides.

I still think Bury was the Ripper. Also I'm not totally sure what Kosminski, Druitt and Granger have going for them other than being suspected by the Police who weren't experienced with Serial Killers at the time.

That is exactly what they have going for them- police interest, same as Bury.

[The Rookie Detective]

How do you know Jack was mad? I still think Bury was the Ripper. Also I'm not totally sure what Kosminski, Druitt and Granger have going for them other than being suspected by the Police who weren't experienced with Serial Killers at the time.

Brilliant post.


The police had no idea what kind of man they were dealing with.

The Ripper case was unprecedented in that respect.

[Kattrup]

imho bury is the best suspect for the ripper. he did post mortem mutilation on his wife similar to the ripper victims, fits the profile of a local avg gentile joe, was a known violent man towards women, was in the area at the time and was a person of interest to contemp police. he left london after the c5 which could explain the cessation of the murders.

ive got hutch, chapman, kelly koz and druitt in that order after bury.

Good post - I forgot about Chapman in my post, he’s of course also top-tier.

[Abby Normal]

imho bury is the best suspect for the ripper. he did post mortem mutilation on his wife similar to the ripper victims, fits the profile of a local avg gentile joe, was a known violent man towards women, was in the area at the time and was a person of interest to contemp police. he left london after the c5 which could explain the cessation of the murders.

ive got hutch, chapman, kelly koz and druitt in that order after bury.

[John Wheat]

Bury's wife died from strangulation with a rope, similar to Rose Mylett who was killed closer to Bury's residence than those in Whitechapel who died from a cut throat. Perhaps he left after the Farmer incident and Rose Mylett's murder. Possibly a serial killer, but not the Ripper.

If Bury did murder Rose Mylett then he is even more likely to have been the Ripper. It amazes me when people propose that there were loads of serial killers running about a small area of London at the time. This is highly unlikely.

[John Wheat]

Bury surely has to be in the top 5 of anyone's list.

The only negative for me is that McKenzie was murdered after he was hanged.

The Pinchin Street torso for me is also a point of contention.

If Mckenzie wasn't a Ripper victim, then Bury jumps into the top 3 suspects.

How could he not?


The biggest positive for him having been the killer wasn't necessarily his behavior; it was his handwriting.

Bern has virtually proved the undeniable similarities between Bury and some of the alleged Ripper letters.


Bury's behaviour during life is indicative of a psychopath.

But being a psychopath doesn't automatically make you a serial killer.

It's unlikely Mckenzie was a Ripper victim. Also the Torso Killer and probable perpetrator of the Pinchin Street Torso is even less likely to have been Jack.

[John Wheat]

Well, since I don’t actually think any of the named suspects did it, I’m not the best judge.
But I’d rate Kosminski, Druitt and Grainger higher, I guess.

Mainly because they also had police attention at the time.

And yes, first time murderers do behave like that - look at John Gill’s murder for example. Bury’s behavior is consistent with a first-time murderer trying to ignore/forget/hide what happened.

His behavior is inconsistent with that of a mad, experienced killer.

How do you know Jack was mad? I still think Bury was the Ripper. Also I'm not totally sure what Kosminski, Druitt and Granger have going for them other than being suspected by the Police who weren't experienced with Serial Killers at the time.

[Kattrup]

Hi Kattrup

If Bury isn't the best suspect in your opinion who is and why? As for Bury's behaviour after his wife's murder would a one time wife murderer really perform post mortem mutilation, stuff the body in a box and play cards on the box with friends for a number of days?

Cheers John

Well, since I don’t actually think any of the named suspects did it, I’m not the best judge.
But I’d rate Kosminski, Druitt and Grainger higher, I guess.

Mainly because they also had police attention at the time.

And yes, first time murderers do behave like that - look at John Gill’s murder for example. Bury’s behavior is consistent with a first-time murderer trying to ignore/forget/hide what happened.

His behavior is inconsistent with that of a mad, experienced killer.

[The Rookie Detective]

Bury surely has to be in the top 5 of anyone's list.

The only negative for me is that McKenzie was murdered after he was hanged.

The Pinchin Street torso for me is also a point of contention.

If Mckenzie wasn't a Ripper victim, then Bury jumps into the top 3 suspects.

How could he not?


The biggest positive for him having been the killer wasn't necessarily his behavior; it was his handwriting.

Bern has virtually proved the undeniable similarities between Bury and some of the alleged Ripper letters.


Bury's behaviour during life is indicative of a psychopath.

But being a psychopath doesn't automatically make you a serial killer.