My attempt to decipher the MJK in situ photograph

[Defective Detective]

So for a longtime I've had a lot of difficulty looking at this photograph - it's indistinct enough for me to kind of blank at it whenever I try to figure out exactly what I'm looking at. At length I've decided to try to show you what I see when I look at it, and I hope some of you can tell me if I've got the right of it or not.

I've kind of tried to keep it color co-ordinated. And I hope you can read my paint-writing; I did this in a bit of a hurry, and it looks a bit like a toddler did it. At any rate, am I looking at this properly?



In particular, I'm trying to figure out why it looks as if Mary Kelly doesn't have much of a pelvis, whether or not her left arm and right leg are under covers or exposed, and what it is that's underneath the table.

[Pcdunn]

I think you have worked it out fairly well. It is interesting that part of the sheet on her upraised leg resembles a knife, isn't it?

I really want to say that the object under the table is part of the bedding, or a towel, or some rags-- but it is hard not to visually matrix something resembling a skinned-off face. Isn't that a horrible image?!

[Rosella]

I think you have got it right. It's a horrible and haunting image and it's hard for me when looking at what is left of the victim's face to even see where her eyes are.

[Damaso Marte]

I really appreciated the "no initials" label.

[Defective Detective]

Do you guys see the area outlined in black on her raised leg that Pcdunn mentions? Kind of looks like a knife?

When I first saw it, I thought that was an area where the flesh had been flayed to the bone. The same with the area in black outline above her left arm - it looks distinctly whitish to me, though whether it's bone or sheet I can't say.

This is an impossibly morbid subject, but her pelvis (including her genitalia) look basically gone. That's incredibly disturbing.

[Rosella]

Yes that region of the body certainly received particular attention. However, the killer also removed the heart and he was probably grubbing among the other organs and slashing and cutting for some time. He must have thought all his Christmases had come at once!

I don't think the object under the bed is a chamber pot, though there probably was one under there somewhere! It's more likely to be a large bowl used for washing clothes IMO.

[Barnaby]

Do you guys see the area outlined in black on her raised leg that Pcdunn mentions? Kind of looks like a knife?

When I first saw it, I thought that was an area where the flesh had been flayed to the bone. The same with the area in black outline above her left arm - it looks distinctly whitish to me, though whether it's bone or sheet I can't say.

This is an impossibly morbid subject, but her pelvis (including her genitalia) look basically gone. That's incredibly disturbing.

I always assumed, and thought that there was a consensus, that the leg was skinned to the bone.

[RockySullivan]

I think its really creepy how the arm is placed over the abdomen like that. What is your interpretation of this?

[Joshua Rogan]

I always assumed, and thought that there was a consensus, that the leg was skinned to the bone.

That's what I thought, and Dr Bond states as much in his post mortem report;
"The right thigh was denuded in front to the bone"

In particular, I'm trying to figure out why it looks as if Mary Kelly doesn't have much of a pelvis, whether or not her left arm and right leg are under covers or exposed, and what it is that's underneath the table.

I think the pelvis itself is still there, but everything else in that region has been removed;

"The whole of the surface of the abdomen and thighs was removed and the abdominal cavity emptied of its viscera"
"The skin and tissues of the abdomen from the costal arch to the pubes were removed in three large flaps. The right thigh was denuded in front to the bone, the flap of skin, including the external organs of generation, and part of the right buttock. The left thigh was stripped of skin fascia, and muscles as far as the knee."
"The flaps removed from the abdomen and thighs were on a table. "

In fact, to save me quoting it, the whole report is contained in the victims section for Mary Kelly.

I've always thought the object under the bed on the left is, as Rosella says, a wash tub or tin bath. The one on the right looks to me like some bedding or a cushion. The reverse angle photo shows what appears to be a blanket draped over the other half of the table; I take this to be the end of that blanket resting on the floor, but it could be anything....probably not a face, though.

[Sam Flynn]

This is an impossibly morbid subject, but her pelvis (including her genitalia) look basically gone.

The pelvis is still there all right - it's just that the thigh bones have been flexed upwards and backwards, giving them a foreshortened look. On the left hand side, in fact, the knee-cap is in the foreground and almost completely blocks our view of the left thigh. What you've outlined and labelled as "I assume this is leg #2" should, more accurately, read "Left leg from the knee down".

[Karl]

I think its really creepy how the arm is placed over the abdomen like that. What is your interpretation of this?

This is a very interesting observation, because although it is a natural position for the arm to rest, the killer would have moved it out of the way when cutting her up. However, there were cuts made to the arms as well, and assuming he cut the arms after the torso, the arm could have slumped into the position we see in the photo. It could be that it is a deliberate arrangement on part of the murderer, but this is highly speculative either way.

PS: Am I the only one who finds it hard to read the text in green and yellow? I can make out "eye sockets", but I cannot read the line above. I must be getting old.

[Jon Guy]

This is a very interesting observation, because although it is a natural position for the arm to rest, the killer would have moved it out of the way when cutting her up. However, there were cuts made to the arms as well, and assuming he cut the arms after the torso, the arm could have slumped into the position we see in the photo. It could be that it is a deliberate arrangement on part of the murderer, but this is highly speculative either way.

Hi Rocky and Karl

Annie Chapman was also found with her left arm in a similar position. Her arm was described as lying across her breast.
But still a very similar scene, including both had their necks cuts right around, and the walls of their abdomen`s been removed in three panels

[Robert St Devil]

I cant tell. Is that her right arm stretched out (above the outline of the blue hand and red ri bcage)? Also can you see her mouth (the lips)?

[Sand87]

I think its really creepy how the arm is placed over the abdomen like that. What is your interpretation of this?

Sometimes brain dead patients raise their arms up and lower them across their chests. It's called the Lazarus sign and a lot of poor relatives have mistaken it for a breath of life or something. So maybe that caused it.

[curious4]

I cant tell. Is that her right arm stretched out (above the outline of the blue hand and red ri bcage)? Also can you see her mouth (the lips)?

Hello Robert

Yes, very nicely shaped mouth, and from there you can work out nose and eyes. Although not so much on this copy.

C4