Semen on silk scarf

Jack The Ripper’s identity finally revealed?

Aaron Kosminski (small picture, contemporary sketch) is said to have left traces of blood and semen on the silk scarf of his fourth victim, Catherine Eddowes.(Bild: AFP/EVANS SKINNER ARCHIVE / AFP)

136 years after the infamous murders in London's East End in the fall of 1888, a Jack The Ripper expert is now certain that he has uncovered the identity of the murderer thanks to DNA analysis. It is said to have been the Polish immigrant Aaron Kosminski.

Jack the Slasher - the German translation of the name given to him by sensationalist journalists - spread fear and terror in London in his day. His murders kept the whole world on tenterhooks for months.

Bestial crimes
Who was responsible for the atrocities committed against the women - for a long time all the victims were thought to be prostitutes - could never be established beyond doubt. The "Ripper" was discreet and yet extremely brutal: He slit the throats of his victims, all of whom were women, and mutilated some of them after their deaths; he also removed organs from three of them. He was never clearly identified.

In addition to five victims attributed to him, a total of eleven women were murdered between 1888 and 1891 as part of the so-called "Whitechapel murders". It is unclear whether the "Ripper" was also responsible for these murders or whether they were copycats.

Aaron Kosminski (small picture) is said to have left traces of blood and semen on the silk scarf of his fourth victim, Catherine Eddowes - the DNA has now been traced back to Kosminski's descendants.(Bild: AFP)

Since then, there have been countless rumors and myths surrounding the "Ripper". Now, however, this dark chapter in criminal history appears to be on the verge of being finally cleared up: DNA evidence points to a Polish immigrant named Aaron Kosminski - long considered the prime suspect back in the 19th century!

DNA traces on a victim's silk scarf
Researcher Russell Edwards tracked down the serial killer using a scarf belonging to the Ripper's fourth victim - Catherine Eddowes. His suspicions were confirmed back in 2014. Edwards has been studying the serial killer for over 30 years and acquired Eddowes' scarf at an auction. Extensive DNA tests followed.

Aaron Kosminski (small picture, contemporary sketch) is said to have left traces of blood and semen on the silk scarf of his fourth victim, Catherine Eddowes.(Bild: AFP/AFP, EVANS SKINNER ARCHIVE)

It turned out that the bloodstains on the scarf could be clearly attributed to a direct descendant of Catherine Eddowes. Even more remarkable was the discovery that the DNA traces of the sperm matched a descendant of Aaron Kosminski.

"Great hatred of women"
This Polish immigrant had already been targeted by investigators as a potential suspect because he had a "great hatred of women" and "strong homicidal tendencies". However, he was never arrested due to a lack of sufficient evidence, although he was even considered the prime suspect at times.

A letter allegedly written by Jack the Ripper and sent to a London news agency on September 25, 1888.(Bild: AFP)

Contact with Freemasons
Kosminski, who had probably been abused by his stepfather as a child, was considered mentally unstable and may also have had contact with the Freemasons. The reason: some of the bestial murders were reminiscent of Masonic rituals. These could also have protected Aaron from arrest.

The words "The Juwes are the men that will not be blamed for nothing" ("Jews do not want to take responsibility for anything") were found near one of the crime scenes. The spelling "Juwes" (instead of Jews, note) also only appears in Freemason texts. 

A knife allegedly used by serial killer Jack the Ripper.(Bild: AFP)

Main suspect never charged
Kosminski escaped prosecution - and arrest. In 1890, he suffered a severe mental breakdown and threatened his sister with a knife. He was then committed to the Colney Hatch Lunatic Asylum, where he spent the rest of his life. He died in 1919.