Descendants of Jack the Ripper’s victims are on a quest to unravel the truth behind the infamous, 130-year-old unsolved mystery.
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Historian Russell Edwards revealed on the Today Show Australia that he has identified Jack the Ripper as Aaron Kosminski. This breakthrough was achieved through DNA analysis of a shawl discovered at the site of one of the infamous murders.
Aaron Kosminski, a Polish immigrant, arrived in Whitechapel, England, in 1881 with his brother. After settling in London, he worked as a barber. At just 23 years old during the time of the infamous murders, Kosminski became a long-standing suspect in the case. Struggling with schizophrenia, he spent the latter part of his life in a mental asylum until his death in 1919.
Edwards told the Today Show Australia that he bought the shawl in 2007, believing it to be linked to the murder of Catherine Eddowes. The revelation came to light thanks to a DNA sample provided by the great-great-granddaughter of Kosminski’s eldest brother.
For over a century, Jack the Ripper has remained a figure of infamy and legend, notorious for the brutal murders of at least five women in Whitechapel between August and November of 1888. Despite extensive investigations, the killer—also known as the “Whitechapel Murderer” and the “Leather Apron”—was never identified, leaving his true identity a mystery that continues to captivate historians and criminologists alike.
Jack the Ripper became infamous for slitting his victims’ throats and removing the internal organs of at least three of them.
The Historian and the Victim’s Descendants Hope to Legally Identify Jack the Ripper as Kosminski
Meanwhile, according to the Daily Mail, Edwards has assembled a legal team to pursue an inquest after discovering the DNA match. This effort has received the support of descendants from both Eddowes and Kosminski.
Edwards and his team have submitted a formal request to the attorney general. They’re seeking approval to approach Britain’s High Court for a further inquest. Their goal is to establish a legal connection between Kosminski and the murder.
Karen Miller, a distant descendant of Eddowes, hopes identifying the infamous killer will finally put an end to the mystery surrounding him. She feels he’s been romanticized over the passing decades.
“The name Jack the Ripper has become sensationalized. It has gone down in history as this famous character,” Miller explained to The Daily Mail.
“What about the real name of the person who did this?” she continued. “Having the real person legally named in a court would be a form of justice for the victims. We have got the proof. Now, we need this inquest to legally name the killer.”