More than 130 years after Jack the Ripper terrorized Victorian London, new DNA evidence may finally reveal his identity. Researchers and victims’ descendants are urging the U.K. government to hold an inquest, seeking long-awaited closure to the case.
The Murders That Shocked the World
Jack the Ripper is believed to have murdered at least five women—Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly—in London’s Whitechapel district in 1888. Their brutal, mutilated deaths sparked widespread fear and speculation.
The name "Jack the Ripper" came from the infamous "Dear Boss" letter, though many believe it was a hoax by journalists to boost sales. Over the years, theories about the killer’s identity have ranged from a medically trained individual to high-profile figures like Prince Albert Victor and author Lewis Carroll, though such claims have been widely debunked.
DNA Evidence Points to a Suspect
Aaron Kosminski, a Polish barber in Whitechapel, has long been a key suspect in the Jack the Ripper case but was never charged. Institutionalized until his death in 1919, he remained a figure of speculation.
Now, new DNA analysis on a shawl from Catherine Eddowes' murder scene reportedly links him to the crime with a 100% match. Historian Russell Edwards, who acquired the shawl in 2007, claims the findings confirm Kosminski’s guilt. Additional records reveal he was listed as a “barber-surgeon,” suggesting anatomical knowledge, while an 1891 document described him as having “strong homicidal tendencies.”
A Push for Legal Recognition
Edwards and Catherine Eddowes’ great-great-great-granddaughter, Karen Miller, are urging Britain’s High Court to officially name Aaron Kosminski as Jack the Ripper.
“The name Jack the Ripper has become sensationalized,” Miller told The Daily Mail in January 2025. “But what about the real person? Legally naming him with all the evidence considered would be justice for the victims.”
However, some experts remain unconvinced. Scientists at Innsbruck Medical University have questioned the shawl’s preservation and possible contamination. To strengthen the case, Kosminski’s great-great-grandniece has provided a new DNA sample for further testing.
Jack the Ripper in Popular Culture
Jack the Ripper’s story has been retold in numerous books, films, and TV series. One of the earliest adaptations was The Lodger (1913) by Marie Belloc Lowndes, later turned into Alfred Hitchcock’s first thriller, The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927). The 1972 black comedy The Ruling Class featured Peter O’Toole as a nobleman convinced he was the Ripper, while Alan Moore’s graphic novel From Hell (1989) proposed a royal conspiracy behind the murders, later adapted into a 2001 film starring Johnny Depp. More recently, the BBC’s Ripper Street (2012-2016) followed detectives hunting the killer in the aftermath of his crimes.
Will This Be the Final Chapter?
If the DNA evidence is confirmed, one of history’s most notorious murder mysteries may finally be solved. However, doubts about forensic reliability and historical accuracy mean the case is unlikely to be closed in the court of public opinion.
Whether or not Aaron Kosminski is officially named as Jack the Ripper, the legend of the Whitechapel killer endures—proving that some mysteries refuse to fade.
Source: US Weekly