our killer been local

[pinkmoon]

One thing that always bothers me about our killer is that if he was local living right in the centre of the murders then why wasn't there more murders.If all he had to do was grab his knife open his front door turn left or right and then walk into an area full of easy prey then why wasn't there a murder every night.Could it be that he wasn't local at all but travelled to the area to commit his foul deeds.

[Fisherman]

One thing that always bothers me about our killer is that if he was local living right in the centre of the murders then why wasn't there more murders.If all he had to do was grab his knife open his front door turn left or right and then walk into an area full of easy prey then why wasn't there a murder every night.Could it be that he wasn't local at all but travelled to the area to commit his foul deeds.

I think itīs a pretty fair bet that he WAS local. He obviously manouvred the East End labyrinth with some skill, and that was not a simple task.

Besides, if he was as murderous as you envisage, and lived somewhere else, why did he not go out an kill there every night?

Because, I would say, serial killers build up a pressure that they release at the murder occasions. Each murder lowers that pressure to a tolerable level, but sooner or later, depending on circumstances and tthe type of killer, a new release will be required.
Some killers stay off the game for the longest time inbetween their strikes, others only very short time. Some accelerate, otherīs dont. Predicting what will happen is only possible when you identify a "steady riser", appearing with fixed intervals. Otherwise, you just have to wait and see - which is basically what the killer does too ...

The best,
Fisherman

[pinkmoon]

I think itīs a pretty fair bet that he WAS local. He obviously manouvred the East End labyrinth with some skill, and that was not a simple task.

Besides, if he was as murderous as you envisage, and lived somewhere else, why did he not go out an kill there every night?

Because, I would say, serial killers build up a pressure that they release at the murder occasions. Each murder lowers that pressure to a tolerable level, but sooner or later, depending on circumstances and tthe type of killer, a new release will be required.
Some killers stay off the game for the longest time inbetween their strikes, others only very short time. Some accelerate, otherīs dont. Predicting what will happen is only possible when you identify a "steady riser", appearing with fixed intervals. Otherwise, you just have to wait and see - which is basically what the killer does too ...

The best,
Fisherman

If he was local could he resist the temptation to just nip out kill and be home safely in a few minutes.Also local people who saw the victims in the company of men before the murders never stated that they had seen the men before in the area.

[Damaso Marte]

Have there been any serial killers that do go out and murder every single night?

[Lechmere]

Local needn't mean on his exact doorstep. Pinkmoon seems to be conjuring an image of someone who has the urge to kill every time he sets foot outside his door and will lash out at the first person he sees.

[Damaso Marte]

Also local people who saw the victims in the company of men before the murders never stated that they had seen the men before in the area.

You've raised this point in countless threads, and I still don't see why we should expect residents of a dense area in what was then one of the largest cities in the world to know all of their neighbors.

[Ginger]

Have there been any serial killers that do go out and murder every single night?

Someone as driven to kill as that would be caught in short order, I'd think. They'd be more likely to go on a killing spree, than to become a serial killer.

[Fisherman]

You've raised this point in countless threads, and I still don't see why we should expect residents of a dense area in what was then one of the largest cities in the world to know all of their neighbors.

True! Just look at a pic taken on a market day, and you will see scores of "twins" in dark clothing, sporting caps and moustaches. There is no better environment to stay unknown in than an overcrowded metropolis.

The best,
Fisherman

[Nick Spring]

It doesn't have to be a local person, a frequent visitor to the area can still have great knowledge of the area.

Best

Nick

[Fisherman]

It doesn't have to be a local person, a frequent visitor to the area can still have great knowledge of the area.

Best

Nick

Of course. Anybody with an extensive knowledge of the area is of much larger interest that the ones who had no such knowledge.
Different groups of professionals could also have had such knowledge. I favour a carman, who had spent his entire life in the surroundings - he had the double advantage of having grown up in the neighbourhood and traversing it on a daily basis on his errands.

As an aside, we may need to pay attention to the fact that no matter how careful the killer was, he would arguably have gotten at least some blood on him. And he seemingly brought innards with him after some of the deeds. That would mean that he would be at a larger disadvantage the longer he had to travel before he reached his bolthole after the killings. And in itīs turn, that too points to a man with extensive area knowledge AND a place to hide out in that area or very close by.

The best,
Fisherman

[Nick Spring]

Of course. Anybody with an extensive knowledge of the area is of much larger interest that the ones who had no such knowledge.
Different groups of professionals could also have had such knowledge. I favour a carman, who had spent his entire life in the surroundings - he had the double advantage of having grown up in the neighbourhood and traversing it on a daily basis on his errands.

As an aside, we may need to pay attention to the fact that no matter how careful the killer was, he would arguably have gotten at least some blood on him. And he seemingly brought innards with him after some of the deeds. That would mean that he would be at a larger disadvantage the longer he had to travel before he reached his bolthole after the killings. And in itīs turn, that too points to a man with extensive area knowledge AND a place to hide out in that area or very close by.

The best,
Fisherman

yes a carman is a good theory.

I cant get Driutt out of me head but if I went for someone else it would be a local carman or a butcher.

A butcher could deal with the trophies where blood is expected.

I was just making the point that knowledge doesn't have to mean local but your point is very valid, if the trophies were taken away then local is safer.

Best

Nick

[pinkmoon]

yes a carman is a good theory.

I cant get Driutt out of me head but if I went for someone else it would be a local carman or a butcher.

A butcher could deal with the trophies where blood is expected.

I was just making the point that knowledge doesn't have to mean local but your point is very valid, if the trophies were taken away then local is safer.

Best

Nick

Hi Nick,Druitt has always been my favourite suspect but he is the best of a bad bunch I'm afraid.For someone of druitts social class to venture into the area of the murders would have been a very dangerous thing to do I can't see him just happen to wonder into that area without good reason.

[Cogidubnus]

The end game

Hi Jason

In general terms I agree with your reservations regarding Druitt or the like, (and surely if we're talking general suspect terms he's only a distraction...)

But before we get to specifics, let's further consider the generalities...I think we're generally not averse to the possibility that a local, or someone possessing a good deal of local knowledge is more likely indicated...against this, however, is surely to be set the equal possibility that, in all the canonical cases at least, the victims generally led the killer to the site...

So, vis a vis his approach to the site at least, the killer could equally actually be a relative stranger, led by his victim...or a well-informed local...

So surely two other factors come into play:

1) the judgement that it's safe (in relative terms) to commit a murder here

and

2) the succesful mechanics of a safe escape after the crime

Both, to me, indicate local knowledge and predicate it's a local...not by the approach, the victim profile, the method or anything else...just the escape

All the best

Dave

[pinkmoon]

Hi Jason

In general terms I agree with your reservations regarding Druitt or the like, (and surely if we're talking general suspect terms he's only a distraction...)

But before we get to specifics, let's further consider the generalities...I think we're generally not averse to the possibility that a local, or someone possessing a good deal of local knowledge is more likely indicated...against this, however, is surely to be set the equal possibility that, in all the canonical cases at least, the victims generally led the killer to the site...

So, vis a vis his approach to the site at least, the killer could equally actually be a relative stranger, led by his victim...or a well-informed local...

So surely two other factors come into play:

1) the judgement that it's safe (in relative terms) to commit a murder here

and

2) the succesful mechanics of a safe escape after the crime

Both, to me, indicate local knowledge and predicate it's a local...not by the approach, the victim profile, the method or anything else...just the escape

All the best

Dave

Hi Dave,I think people do forget how rough this area was I can't see someone like druitt just popping into Whitechapel on a whim.

[Wickerman]

Hi Dave,I think people do forget how rough this area was I can't see someone like druitt just popping into Whitechapel on a whim.

It's documented often enough - slumming, a middle class male taking a room in the seedy part of town to sample the nightlife and live life to the fullest.