What Unsolved Mysteries Volume 4 Teaches Us About Jack the Ripper

Boasting a 90% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Netflix’s fourth season of Unsolved Mysteries continues to captivate audiences eager for a mix of true-crime mysteries and stories about unexplained phenomena. The newest season begins with a deep dive into one of history’s most infamous cold cases: Jack the Ripper. The identity of this elusive murderer has remained one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in modern history, inspiring countless books, movies, and TV series over the past 138 years. While most people envision the killer as a cloaked figure in a tall hat roaming London streets, no one really knows what the real Jack the Ripper looked like.

The first episode of Netflix’s series revisits the case with fresh eyes, exploring four key suspects while examining new theories that challenge long-standing assumptions about Jack the Ripper’s identity. The infamous serial killer terrorized London in 1888, killing at least five women — referred to at the time as “unfortunates” — in the Whitechapel district. The episode discusses the brutal manner in which each victim was killed before posing the biggest question of all: Who was Jack the Ripper?

Jack the Ripper Killed More Than Five Women

According to experts interviewed for the episode, Metropolitan Police files reveal that detectives investigated 11 murders in the Whitechapel area between April 1888 and February 1891, suspecting that Jack the Ripper had more than five victims. However, only five women are considered “the canonical five” victims of Jack the Ripper by historians. His known victims are Mary Ann “Polly” Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly. Another suspected victim detailed in the Whitechapel murder files was Martha Tabram, who was stabbed 39 times.

One aspect explored in the Unsolved Mysteries episode is media interest in the case. From the 1870s on, the press and popular authors such as Charles Dickens helped create a public image of London’s East End as a hotbed of crime and evil-doing. This prompted the wealthy to venture into the Whitechapel area out of curiosity for “slumming tours.” After the killings began, popular newspapers sensationalized the Jack the Ripper investigation in 1888, fanning the flames of fear and igniting public interest internationally, which drew even more wealthy spectators.

Because the police refused to share information with journalists, reporters even began exploring the East End, questioning possible witnesses and identifying their own suspects, many of whom had nothing to do with the case. According to the historians featured in the episode, this shock journalism helped shape the legend of Jack the Ripper, but it also muddied the facts of the case.

It’s also one reason why the “Dear Boss” letter mailed to London’s Central News Agency by a person claiming to be Jack the Ripper is largely believed to be a hoax. Even though the murderer was never caught, there have been many theories about his identity, including suspects ranging from immigrants to members of the royal family. This episode of Unsolved Mysteries introduces some of those main suspects to its audience.

The Killer Was First Referred to as Leather Apron

The first suspect discussed in the Unsolved Mysteries episode is a figure known as “Leather Apron,” a nickname given to a man who was reportedly seen harassing sex workers in Whitechapel around the time of the murders. After the first victim, Polly Nichols, was found on August 31, 1888, the police focused on this mysterious figure. A leather apron was discovered near the site of the second murder, which only fueled the suspicion.

Eventually, a man named John Pizer was arrested under the suspicion that he was “Leather Apron.” However, Pizer was later released due to having a strong alibi and a lack of any incriminating evidence. The case against Pizer exemplifies the challenges faced by the police at the time — dealing with a lack of forensic science and working within the confines of public pressure and fear.

An American Doctor Is a Top Suspect for Many

Another compelling theory examined in the episode revolves around Dr. Francis Tumblety, an American doctor who was in London at the time of the murders. Tumblety was a controversial figure, known for his misogynistic views and bizarre behavior. He was even rumored to keep jars of uteruses, surgically removed from women, in his office. This gruesome detail aligns with the nature of the Ripper’s crimes, where the victims were mutilated in a manner that suggested medical knowledge.

Tumblety was arrested in connection with the Whitechapel murders in November 1888 but was released on bail and fled back to the United States. His escape and subsequent death in 1903 in Rochester, New York, adds to the mystery. The timing of his departure from London also corresponds with the sudden disappearance of the killer, leaving some to speculate that the American doctor could have been the Ripper.

The Infamous Killer Could Have Been a Schoolteacher

Montague John Druitt, a barrister and schoolteacher, is another suspect highlighted by the series. Druitt was dismissed from his teaching position under mysterious circumstances in November 1888, shortly after the final Ripper murder. His body was found floating in the Thames a month later, and it was believed that he had committed suicide. Assistant Chief Constable Melville Macnaghten suggested in a memorandum that Druitt’s own family suspected him of being the Ripper, citing his supposed sexual insanity as a motive.

However, this theory is not without its flaws. Chief Inspector Frederick Abberline, who led the investigation, expressed doubts about Druitt being the killer, pointing out that there was no concrete evidence linking him to the crimes. The theory that Druitt was the Ripper hinges largely on circumstantial evidence and the timing of his death.

A Polish Immigrant Has Also Long Been a Top Suspect

A final suspect explored in the episode is Aaron Kosminski, a Polish Jewish immigrant who lived in the Whitechapel area and was known for his erratic behavior. Kosminski was committed to an asylum in 1890 after threatening his sister with a knife, and he remained institutionalized until his death in 1919. Assistant Chief Constable Melville Macnaghten identified Kosminski as a suspect, citing his misogynistic tendencies and history of mental illness.

In 2014, author Russell Edwards claimed to have discovered DNA evidence linking Kosminski to one of the Ripper’s victims. However, the evidence has been contested due to the potential contamination of the shawl on which the DNA was found. Despite these claims, Kosminski’s guilt remains unproven, and the mystery of Jack the Ripper endures.