JTR profile and screening

[Eliza]

I’ve tried to create a profile of JTR by making use of public records, inferences drawn from crime scenes/evidence, and a dash of logic. I’m listing what I believe are five attributes of the killer. The most likely attributes are listed first. I’ve used these to screen the major suspects (conspiracy theories and the more outlandish “suspects” aren’t dealt with here).

1. The killer had working knowledge of anatomy—he knew the names of human organs, and was able to remove them quickly under intense time pressure, sometimes in near-darkness. Comfortable dissecting a human body under time pressure.

(Applies to: Francis Tumblety, Francis Thompson, Robert Mann, Neal Cream, possibly Montague Druitt)

1. It’s likely the killer had no privacy at his residence. He took huge risks committing his crimes on public streets, apparently undeterred by increased police patrols, media frenzy, and a public on high alert. I think he did this because he had no other option—he had no private place to dispatch his victims.

(Applies to: Charles Lechmere, Kosminski, Francis Thompson, William Bury, Robert Mann, James Maybrick.)

1. However, the killer may have had workplace privacy, or access to private area other than his home. He took souvenirs—body parts—from his victims. If the “Lusk” letter is genuine (I think it is), he had a place to store them and opportunities to engage in cannibalism. He may have worked in a venue where blood/body parts would not arouse suspicion.

(Applies to: Francis Tumblety, Robert Mann, Neal Cream, Druitt (his father’s surgery?)

1. East End area was a place of extreme familiarity—the killer had to dodge police patrols, vigilantes—knew alleyways and escape routes.

(Lechmere, Francis Thompson, William Bury, James Kelly, Walter Sickert, George Hutchinson, Joseph Barnett, James Kelly)

1. The killer may have been harmless, personable, and unremarkable in appearance—able to put his victims at ease during a time of public hysteria. He may have been a fixture of the Whitechapel area, and may have befriended prostitutes and street people.

(James Kelly, George Hutchinson, Francis Thompson, Walter Sickert, William Bury, Lechmere)

Perhaps surprisingly, Francis Thompson emerges as a very likely candidate. I’ve never been a Thompson proponent, but he does meet many of the criteria alleged here. Druitt, Lechmere, and the minor suspect Robert Mann are also plausible.
I do think strong anatomical knowledge is a must for this killer. I would lean toward dismissing candidates who couldn’t have obtained it.

[Al Bundy's Eyes]

Interesting ideas, I'm sure none of what you mention will spark any debate whatsoever!
Nice to see a cameo from Robert Mann, "The Workhouse Ripper". I thought he'd vanished into the forgotten suspects ether.

[Abby Normal]

I’ve tried to create a profile of JTR by making use of public records, inferences drawn from crime scenes/evidence, and a dash of logic. I’m listing what I believe are five attributes of the killer. The most likely attributes are listed first. I’ve used these to screen the major suspects (conspiracy theories and the more outlandish “suspects” aren’t dealt with here).

1. The killer had working knowledge of anatomy—he knew the names of human organs, and was able to remove them quickly under intense time pressure, sometimes in near-darkness. Comfortable dissecting a human body under time pressure.

(Applies to: Francis Tumblety, Francis Thompson, Robert Mann, Neal Cream, possibly Montague Druitt)

1. It’s likely the killer had no privacy at his residence. He took huge risks committing his crimes on public streets, apparently undeterred by increased police patrols, media frenzy, and a public on high alert. I think he did this because he had no other option—he had no private place to dispatch his victims.

(Applies to: Charles Lechmere, Kosminski, Francis Thompson, William Bury, Robert Mann, James Maybrick.)

1. However, the killer may have had workplace privacy, or access to private area other than his home. He took souvenirs—body parts—from his victims. If the “Lusk” letter is genuine (I think it is), he had a place to store them and opportunities to engage in cannibalism. He may have worked in a venue where blood/body parts would not arouse suspicion.

(Applies to: Francis Tumblety, Robert Mann, Neal Cream, Druitt (his father’s surgery?)

1. East End area was a place of extreme familiarity—the killer had to dodge police patrols, vigilantes—knew alleyways and escape routes.

(Lechmere, Francis Thompson, William Bury, James Kelly, Walter Sickert, George Hutchinson, Joseph Barnett, James Kelly)

1. The killer may have been harmless, personable, and unremarkable in appearance—able to put his victims at ease during a time of public hysteria. He may have been a fixture of the Whitechapel area, and may have befriended prostitutes and street people.

(James Kelly, George Hutchinson, Francis Thompson, Walter Sickert, William Bury, Lechmere)

Perhaps surprisingly, Francis Thompson emerges as a very likely candidate. I’ve never been a Thompson proponent, but he does meet many of the criteria alleged here. Druitt, Lechmere, and the minor suspect Robert Mann are also plausible.
I do think strong anatomical knowledge is a must for this killer. I would lean toward dismissing candidates who couldn’t have obtained it.

have you forgotten about chapman?

[Eliza]

have you forgotten about chapman?

You're right--he belongs in the mix--under no. 1. Although he is not a good fit in other ways, apparently having had a private residence around the time of the murders.

[Fiver]

I do think strong anatomical knowledge is a must for this killer. I would lean toward dismissing candidates who couldn’t have obtained it.

Period doctors disagreed strongly on the amount of anatomical skill shown by the Ripper, with some saying the killer's skill didn't even match that of a butcher. I would be cautious about ruling out a suspect out due to their lack of medical knowledge.

I strongly agree with you that the killer knew the area well. That doesn't mean they were born there, but they probably lived thee for several years.

[Eliza]

Period doctors disagreed strongly on the amount of anatomical skill shown by the Ripper, with some saying the killer's skill didn't even match that of a butcher. I would be cautious about ruling out a suspect out due to their lack of medical knowledge.

I strongly agree with you that the killer knew the area well. That doesn't mean they were born there, but they probably lived thee for several years.

My profile included the phrase "anatomical knowledge," not "skill." Obviously, this killer did not exhibit the finesse of a surgeon. But he had to have a working knowledge of human anatomy. He had high comfort level invading a human body and retrieving organs. He did so on public streets, in a short time period, with public and police on high alert. He knew he could accomplish his swiftly and efficiently, even in near darkness. His survival depended on this ability.

I always pictured the killer as someone very similar to the minor suspect Robert Mann--due to the nature of his work, he would be able to recognize anatomical landmarks, and identify the names and locations of human organs. A Mann-like suspect would have the necessary awareness of anatomy, but lack education or skill--similar to JTR.

I know there are various problems with Mann's candidacy, but I suspect that JTR was someone very like him.

Of course, we can't rule out a killer with more advanced training, but one that might have been compromised in other ways, such as use of drugs or alcohol.