Chapman and Kelly's Left Arms

[Jon Guy]

Hi Patrick

I have wondered whether Chapman`s left hand was in that position (although not an unsual postion for it be found) because the killer had removed her rings and let her hand drop there.
I`m sure it would have been mentioned if Kelly had shown signs of wearing rings on her left hand. But, the gashes to her arm could be the reason the hand is in that postion.

Personally, I don`t think this is a signature. Just the way they fell after the killer had done his thing.

[Patrick S]

I was debating the Chapman and Kelly murders with friend recently. My friend was arguing in favor of the theory that Champman was killed by JtR and Kelly was killed by someone who knew her (Barnett, perhaps) due to the extensive mutilation and of her corpse. His feeling being that the mutilation implied rage. My feeling has always been that extent of the mulitilation was due the fact that the killer had the privacy and the time to indulge himself. It's an interesting argument, certainly. In going back and reading Begg, I came across a mention in the Chapman case. Her left arm was "folded over her left breat". Kelly's left arm is photographed in precisely the same pose. Could this have been part of JtR's signature? Interested in your thoughts.