ripper +‎ - ology

Investigating a historical mystery is hard. All of the witnesses are deceased, all of the physical evidence is gone. The documents and files have been lost. Even the scene of the crimes has changed; Whitechapel isn’t the same as it was in 1888.

This seems like such an impossible task.

FBI profiler John Douglas attempted to provide advice to investigators; at the conclusion of his report analyzing the Whitechapel murders. He said “Jack the Ripper would be best suited to be interviewed in the early morning hours; he would feel more relaxed and secure to confess to the homicides. He would feel more relaxed to express himself by writing about his motivation to kill the women. He would not be visibly shaken or upset if accused of the homicides. However he would be psychologically and physiologically stressed if confronted with the fact that he became personally soiled by the victim's blood."

But this report was written in 1988; over a hundred years after the murders were committed. We can’t interview suspects; not directly at least. We are chasing a ghost. The witnesses in this case must speak to us through their letters, and their journal entries. Through media reports and other documents that they left behind. This investigation is ongoing. So far we’ve covered five suspects, but we still have a long way to go.

LINKS

"Satisfied" performed by Amber Farndon

"Walter Sickert Case Closed" @ jacktheripper.org

"George Chapman: Poisoner & Wife Murderer" @ jacktheripper.org

"Mary Kelly's Lover" @ jacktheripper.org

"The Midnight Assassin" by Skip Hollandsworth