Jack the Ripper is an extremely rare serial killer

[Michael W Richards]

We need to be very precise when we talk about "Ripper like" murders, I feel.

Evidence suggesting Victim approached by stranger, evidence of probable choking or strangulation to subdue, deep double cuts to the throat followed by abdominal mutilations.

Technically that could only apply to 3 Canonicals. Marys outrageous murder goes far beyond any of the prior mutilations, but it doesnt have the "beats" that I suggested above.

[Harry D]

They are similar it that there are cuts to the abdomen but the similarities are to my way of thinking superficial.
He is stronger than many, but not the strongest at all.

We disagree, and that fine, I respect your views and understand your thinking John.

Steve

What named suspect is stronger than Bury?

[Sam Flynn]

We need to be very precise when we talk about "Ripper like" murders, I feel.

[John G]

They are similar it that there are cuts to the abdomen but the similarities are to my way of thinking superficial.
He is stronger than many, but not the strongest at all.

We disagree, and that fine, I respect your views and understand your thinking John.

Steve

Hi Steve,

But the same argument surely applies to Alice Mackenzie-and Stride, Tabram and Coles weren't mutilated at all-and they're are plenty of people on here who believe she was a JtR victim. And if she wasn't, then there must have been at least one other killer, active in Whitechapel, who was capable of carrying out a Ripper-like murder, which creates all sorts of problems for the single killer theory.

[Elamarna]

I disagree Steve if Jack is a rare serial killer than a killer who killed his ex-prostitute wife in a similar manner to the C5 must be seen as the leading candidate when compared to the rest.

They are similar it that there are cuts to the abdomen but the similarities are to my way of thinking superficial.
He is stronger than many, but not the strongest at all.

We disagree, and that fine, I respect your views and understand your thinking John.

Steve

[Abby Normal]

If Ellen's murder had been in London, bury would have probably gone down as the ripper in most people's minds.

[Harry D]

Oh, absolutely; it's yet another difference between the Ripper's MO and what Bury did. I didn't intend to list them all.I'd challenge the Ripper-esque bit, if only to say that it's very "esque" if it is.

So, the circumstances of Ellen's murder can't really be used to discredit Bury as a suspect. The Ripper never had to worry about covering up a murder before, since his victims were all murdered on the streets or in their own homes. Now, you might question why Bury didn't go on the run. That's a valid question whether he was a serial killer or not. After all, William Waddell legged it after Jane Beadmore's murder, and he wasn't the Ripper. I think it says a lot about Bury's state of mind at the time. He didn't have any money left, he had no where to run, and no one left in his life. Incidentally, they say that a lot of serial killers end up gimping themselves out of a subconscious desire to be stopped. Going to the police station to brazen out his wife's murder as a "accident" might have been such a moment.

As to his being in a league of his own, I'd agree - but only in terms of named suspects. There were thousands of other men living in the East End, many of them in closer proximity to Spitalfields/Whitechapel, with potential to be the Ripper.

No argument there.

[Sam Flynn]

But surely you can recognise the difference in murdering random prostitutes on the street, to murdering one's own spouse in the home?

Oh, absolutely; it's yet another difference between the Ripper's MO and what Bury did. I didn't intend to list them all.

But he's the only suspect who's a proven killer with a "Ripper-esque" signature, who lived in the East End during the murders. That puts him in a league of his own.

I'd challenge the Ripper-esque bit, if only to say that it's very "esque" if it is. As to his being in a league of his own, I'd agree - but only in terms of named suspects. There were thousands of other men living in the East End, many of them in closer proximity to Spitalfields/Whitechapel, with potential to be the Ripper.

[Harry D]

Hello John
Bury garotted his wife with a rope and hid her in a box, whereas Jack the Ripper slashed his victims' throats and left them in the open to be found. Even at this basic level, the MO and singatures are rather different, to say nothing of JTR's habit of inflicting extensive abdominal wounds and removing organs.

But surely you can recognise the difference in murdering random prostitutes on the street, to murdering one's own spouse in the home?

Was Bury the Ripper? Dunno. But he's the only suspect who's a proven killer with a "Ripper-esque" signature, who lived in the East End during the murders. That puts him in a league of his own.

[Michael W Richards]

Hi,

Just wondering - how many of you out there know that Jack the Ripper is an extremely rare serial killer?

Research shows that his modus operandi is very unusual. For example Keppel et al (2005) has shown that the murders of this serial killer were linked by distinct personal signature characteristics.

They compared his murders to a 1981-1995 cohort of 3359 homicide cases in the US. The signature characteristics displayed in the murders of Jack the Ripper was found to be extremely rare.

There were only 6-8 cases where they found partly similar signatures in the whole cohort of 3359 cases.

So what do you think about this? And do you think it can effect the search for him and the research about him? How and why?

Pierre

Its very unusual to group murders under 1 killer that are by evidence and definition incompatible too, so who knows what to think about this area of study at all?

There are 4 murders within a 5 person assumed group that have some similarities, and within that smaller group there are 3 that closely resemble each other in both Victimology and Methodology. Perhaps if people would follow a simple rule that dictates that things that are alike can be grouped we would have a much different perspective on these cases.

The desire to bundle murders despite their differences is a modern construct, due to the fact that modern serial killers can change their spots to elude detection or to explore new sensations. There is no indication to me that the killer of Polly and Annie sought to deviate from a preferred method and strategy.

[Sam Flynn]

Hello John

I disagree Steve if Jack is a rare serial killer than a killer who killed his ex-prostitute wife in a similar manner to the C5 must be seen as the leading candidate when compared to the rest.

Bury garotted his wife with a rope and hid her in a box, whereas Jack the Ripper slashed his victims' throats and left them in the open to be found. Even at this basic level, the MO and singatures are rather different, to say nothing of JTR's habit of inflicting extensive abdominal wounds and removing organs.

[John Wheat]

No John, just possible. Better than some.

Steve

I disagree Steve if Jack is a rare serial killer than a killer who killed his ex-prostitute wife in a similar manner to the C5 must be seen as the leading candidate when compared to the rest.

[Elamarna]

I think this means the case for WH Bury as the Ripper is an extremely strong one.

No John, just possible. Better than some.

Steve

[John Wheat]

Hi,

Just wondering - how many of you out there know that Jack the Ripper is an extremely rare serial killer?

Research shows that his modus operandi is very unusual. For example Keppel et al (2005) has shown that the murders of this serial killer were linked by distinct personal signature characteristics.

They compared his murders to a 1981-1995 cohort of 3359 homicide cases in the US. The signature characteristics displayed in the murders of Jack the Ripper was found to be extremely rare.

There were only 6-8 cases where they found partly similar signatures in the whole cohort of 3359 cases.

So what do you think about this? And do you think it can effect the search for him and the research about him? How and why?

Pierre

I think this means the case for WH Bury as the Ripper is an extremely strong one.

[Pierre]

Hi,

Just wondering - how many of you out there know that Jack the Ripper is an extremely rare serial killer?

Research shows that his modus operandi is very unusual. For example Keppel et al (2005) has shown that the murders of this serial killer were linked by distinct personal signature characteristics.

They compared his murders to a 1981-1995 cohort of 3359 homicide cases in the US. The signature characteristics displayed in the murders of Jack the Ripper was found to be extremely rare.

There were only 6-8 cases where they found partly similar signatures in the whole cohort of 3359 cases.

So what do you think about this? And do you think it can effect the search for him and the research about him? How and why?

Pierre

I agree with this.

Pierre