What Makes A Victim?

[John Wheat]

How do we determine who was a victim of Jack the Ripper?

What criteria are we using?

We don't determine who was a victim of Jack the Ripper. A victim of Jack the Ripper was a victim of the serial killer Jack the Ripper. However it seems to me the C5 and possibly Tabram were victims of Jack the Ripper. And also as I believe Bury and Bury is in my opinion the strongest suspect by a mile to have been Jack then Ellen Bury too. The Torso victims were all likely to have been murdered by the Torso Killer and were not in all likelihood murdered by Jack. A substantially different M.O. suggests this.

[The Rookie Detective]

Let's also not forget the Pinchin Street Torso.

At the time this murder was seen as a Ripper victim.

It remains the only murder that forms a hybrid between the Ripper murders and that of the Torso killer.

This could be seen as one of the killer's simply taunting the other, or could imply it was the same man or men involved.

There were signs of mutilation; quite unlike the earliest torso killings.

There was an alleged chalking of the word "Lipski" on the arch of the wall


The murder was declared before the body was found.

The Ripper was also taunted in the press by an anonymous source shortly before the murder took place; the timing suggesting the Ripper was telling the world he was still there and responding to being taunted publicly


The proximity to Back church Lane and the murder of Stride cannot be underestimated.


To assume that the Ripper operated in Whitechapel alone is misleading and the inclusion of St George's in the East and the City of London are also important to consider.


Lots more going on than just the generic Canonical 5



RD

[Fiver]

How do we determine who was a victim of Jack the Ripper?

What criteria are we using?

That has been a question from the beginning. MecNaghton's views were anything but universal.

* Abberline dismissed Kosminski and Druitt as suspects. He favored George Chapman, but said nobody knew for sure.
* Littlechild favored Tumblety and appears to have dismissed all of McNaughton's suspects.
* Reid thought there were 9 victims killed between 1888 and 1892. That appears to dismiss Kosminki and definitely dismissed Druitt. In 1912 he said nobody knew who the Ripper was, specifically dismissing all of McNaughton's suspects.
* Smith said none of the police knew who the Ripper was and specifically dismissed Kosminski.
* Arnold though there were only 4 victims.
* Dew thought that Emma Smith and Martha Tabram were Ripper victims. He had no suspect.

A modern signature analysis concludes 6 victims - C5 + Tabram.

For me the criteria are:
* Adult female victims.
* Victims murdered by strangulation followed by throat cutting.
* Mutilation by knife after the victim is dead.
* Body posed - flat on back, legs spread, skirts raised.
* Trophies taken - sometimes possessions, sometimes organs.

So I see Nichols, Chapman, Eddowes, and Kelly as definites. Tabram is probable. Stride is possible. McKenzie is unlikely, but possible.

[Lewis C]

I would start with these questions:

Where and when did the murder take place?

Was the victim a woman?

Was the woman either strangled or had her throat slashed?

[The Baron]

The most important criteria is if a certain victim doesn't rule one's favourite suspect out, then it is in.



The Baron

[Tani]

How do we determine who was a victim of Jack the Ripper?

What criteria are we using?