Report: How the scientist who ‘unmasked’ Jack the Ripper made a ‘serious’ error

Washington Post ^ | 10.20.14

[Perdogg]

And so one of the West’s greatest, most enduring mysteries, which has spurred numerous failed attempts to crack it, continues. It’s the saga of Jack the Ripper, who committed at least five grisly murders in East London in the autumn of 1888 and then, poof, disappeared, never to be identified.

[Perdogg]

ping

[goodwithagun]

The science isn’t settled?

[cdcdawg]

“And so one of the West’s ...”

What a strange phrase for a Western publication.

[Vermont Lt]

If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.

My guess is the menace has long since died. We are safe.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Related article.

‘Serious DNA error’ in Jack The Ripper identity discovery

[onedoug]

...ping....

[BBB333]

Dr. Henry Howard Holmes was on vacation in England at the time of these murders:

Murder Castle, Chicago, Ill.: H.H. Holmes’ Serial Killings Hotel:

http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/classics/haunted_places/4.html

[Portcall24]

Thanks interesting piece. I thought scientist were always correct. /s

[Michael.SF.]

At least George Bush has an alibi.

[oh8eleven]

So now, it looks like all the sleuths may still have their work cut out for them in identifying the Ripper.
Jack the Ripper Suspect's Grave - Rochester, NY.

"Leading Jack the Ripper suspect Dr. Francis J. Tumuelty lived in London during the time of the famed murders, and
moved to Rochester when he was starting to be investigated. He was never tried, and died of natural causes in 1903.
He is buried with his family in Riverside Cemetery, in the middle of section 13."

From another source:

"The now infamous "From Hell" letter has been compared to known samples of his [Tumuelty] handwriting and
it has been concluded by more than one analyst that the style, flow, grammar, spelling, colloquialisms, and letter forms match."

Oddly enough, Tumuelty's grave is only a few feet from Civil War hero Colonel Patrick O'Rourke, who was killed at Gettysburg.

[Dennis M.]

“My guess is the menace has long since died. We are safe.”

Things was getting a bit hot for me in old London. Ripped a few too many I suppose. Jumped the pond in the Tardis. Best lay low for a while. No worry.

[Marcella]

ping

[Sans-Culotte]

I used to wonder who Jack the Ripper might have been until I saw a few episodes of "The First 48" on A&E. This is a show that follows real life cops as they try to solve murders. the premise of the show is that most murders are solved in the first 48 hours of the investigation. If they haven't found anything within that time, it usually goes unsolved.

Most of the crimes would be solved. They were usually some ghetto drug dealer getting killed for dealing in some other homeboy's territory. But the ones that were often never solved were the murders of prostitutes. They'd follow the trail, and it would usually end with "I saw her leave with some dude". The same holds true for the Ripper murders. Prostitutes are almost impossible to track because they always "go off with some dude" for an assignation in secret, where they are easily murdered.

[KC_Conspirator]

Well, this could be a simple fat finger. OTOH why can’t they come out and just “he lied” or “he is a fake” or something similar? This article seems to beat about the bush.

[KC_Conspirator]

Brutal slashing attacks were not Holmes MO.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2yVZCVLK3E

[a fool in paradise]

And that error meant the DNA testing yielded traits extant in 99 percent of Europe’s population — rather than one specific person, the Independent said.

What's more, a man who has sex with a prostitute is likely to leave some DNA sample somewhere. It may prove an association but not necessarily the final person to see her.

If the same DNA could be tied to several victims, then the case is more compelling.

[reed13k]

Never could get why this case sticks in everyone’s minds so much.... heck Chicago does 5 murders on any given weekend. Lot’s of other killers with 5 or more victims, yet this one just keeps hanging around.

I’m wondering if it’s the close tie to early the detective genre lit ala Conan Doyle which went on to Agatha Christie, etc...

[garjog]

Mystery solved: