Clues with Morgan Absher and Kaelyn Moore

Episode: SERIAL KILLER: Jack The Ripper
Date: October 8, 2025
Podcast by Crime House / Clues, powered by PAVE Studios

Overview

In this gripping and meticulously researched episode, hosts Morgan Absher and Kaylin Moore delve into the brutal Whitechapel murders attributed to Jack the Ripper. The duo provides a comprehensive look at the canonical five victims, breaks down the forensic clues, analyzes evidence, and discusses the suspects and cultural legacy of one of history’s most infamous unidentified serial killers. Their discussion balances historical detail, forensic analysis, and the dark Victorian context that enabled these crimes, all while evaluating the most credible—and most bizarre—theories about Jack the Ripper’s identity.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Setting the Scene: Victorian Whitechapel

[05:39]

• Whitechapel in 1888: Overcrowded, impoverished, rife with disease and endemic violence.

• Women, especially sex workers, bore the brunt of social neglect and violence.

  "In Whitechapel, street lamps were really scarce. So after last call at the bars, everywhere in Whitechapel would go pitch black. Even the police were afraid of some of these alleyways." - Kaylin [06:57]

• Sex work as survival: The destitute had few choices; violence against sex workers was frequent and rarely prosecuted.

• Workhouses and the criminalization of poverty: The poor could be confined and forced to perform labor simply for being destitute.

The Canonical Five: Victims, Timelines, and Forensic Clues

1. Mary Ann Nichols ("Polly")

[11:46 – 19:40]

• Life shaped by poverty, alcoholism, and the brutal workhouse system.

• Last seen alive at 2:30 a.m. on Buck’s Row; found murdered at 3:45 a.m.

• Throat slashed almost to decapitation, severe abdominal mutilation, multiple genital stab wounds; no attempt at sexual assault found.

  "Whoever did this though, is nowhere to be seen. There's no easy way to call for the police at the time…" - Kaylin [16:48]

• Clue #1 — The Wounds:

  • Large knife (6-8 inches), likely left-handed assailant.
  • Use of precision and no hesitation, supporting theories of practiced skill.

  “Jack also had managed to kill Paulie so quietly that those sleeping families on the street didn’t hear anything... meaning it must have been quick, no hesitation.” – Morgan [20:38]

  • Introduction of "piquerism": The sexual gratification derived from stabbing and mutilation, especially in intimate areas.

2. Annie Chapman

[26:53 – 34:36]

• 47-year-old with chronic illness and a tumultuous life.

• Found mutilated in a backyard on Hanbury St. a week after Polly.

• Clue #2 — Missing Organs:

  • Uterus, vagina, and part of the bladder removed.

  "Her intestines had been severed and they had been placed on her left shoulder. But what is even more horrific… her uterus, part of her vagina and part of her bladder are gone." – Kaylin [31:52]

  • Theories on the organ removal:
    • Skill required: Possibly a butcher or mortuary worker (“the work was that of an expert”).
    • Motive: trophy-taking, sexual compulsion, possible profit (selling organs), or cannibalism.

3. Elizabeth Stride

[42:21 – 53:54]

• Swedish immigrant, last seen with a well-dressed man.
• Killed quickly with a single throat slash; not mutilated, likely interrupted.
• Clue #4 — Eyewitnesses:
  • Multiple sightings of Elizabeth with different men, confusing timelines and potential suspect descriptions.

  "James says at around 12:45 a.m.… he saw a woman he later confirmed was Elizabeth, standing along the wall near a school. She was with a man, and she was heard saying, ‘No, not tonight. Some other night.’" – Morgan [49:00]

  • Police believe Ripper was interrupted and went in search of another victim.

4. Catherine Eddowes

[53:54 – 66:48]

• The most divergent victim: better educated, not a habitual drinker.

• Found in Mitre Square, mutilated extensively.

  • Kidney and part of uterus missing, facial mutilations, piece of ear cut off.

• Clue #5 — Bloody Apron and Graffiti:

  • Part of her apron found with fresh graffiti nearby: "The Jews are the men that will not be blamed for nothing."
  • Graffiti and apron connection debated—could be misdirection or a taunt.

• Clue #6 — “From Hell” Letter and Kidney:

  • George Lusk receives a letter and half a human kidney, “presarved” in wine.

  "I send you half the kidney I took from one woman and presarved it for you. T'other piece I fried and ate. It was very nice." [67:33]

  • Letter’s sloppier handwriting, questionable authenticity, yet kidney diagnosis supports possible connection to Eddowes.

5. Mary Jane Kelly

[69:52 – 81:30]

• Dramatically younger and reportedly beautiful, Mary had her own room—unique among victims.

• Last seen drunk with multiple male companions.

• Found in her locked room, horrifically mutilated and dismembered, with organs staged around her.

  “Her nose, her cheeks, her eyebrows and her ears are partially cut off, but her body is mostly skinned. Flaps of the skin for her stomach and thighs have been removed and actually placed on a nearby table... her uterus and kidneys are under her head next to one dismembered breast. Her chest has also been cut open, and her heart is gone.” — Kaylin [79:14]

  • The only known photo exists—police believed the killer had uninterrupted hours, leading to the escalation of violence.
  • Likely the last canonical victim.

Forensic and Psychological Analysis

• Motivation: Debated between sexual sadism (piquerism, necrosadism), trophy-taking, economic gain (selling organs), or a combination.
• Profile:
  • Likely white male, early 30s, familiar with the area, some skill in anatomy (surgeon, butcher, mortuary worker).
  • The escalation, posing, and letter-writing indicate a need for recognition (“Jack the Ripper” coined in Dear Boss letter [39:08], “From Hell” letter [66:47]).
• Policing and Detection:
  • The fledgling detective system, botched forensics, and immense press interference undermined the investigation.
  • Public panic and morbid fascination fueled a tabloid explosion, spawning the first true crime phenomenon.

Theories: Who Was Jack the Ripper?

Wild and Discredited Theories

[85:40 – 96:08]

• James Maybrick: Diary confession later proven a forgery.
• Lewis Carroll, Gandhi, and Degas (the Painter): Internet rabbit holes, including TikTok theories (Morgan's favorite rabbit hole).
• Walter Sickert (Painter): Obsessive interest, suggestive paintings, but little concrete evidence.

Notable Quote:

“For my friends that are maybe on TikTok, you might have come across a video ... breaking down potential theories on how Degas ... could have actually been Jack the Ripper." — Morgan [87:51]

• H.H. Holmes: American serial killer; plausible due to M.O., but timing and geography questionable.
• Servant Girl Annihilator (Austin, Texas): Some suggest the same person traveled to London.

More Credible Suspects

[98:28 – 103:01]

• Aaron Kosminski:

  • Polish barber, known history of mental illness and violence.
  • DNA evidence from a shawl tested in 2014, but only mitochondrial (female-line) match—couldn't conclusively identify him.
  • Scepticism exists about both the DNA and the provenance of the shawl.

• Francis Tumblety:

  • American “doctor” and known fraud, collector of preserved human uteruses.
  • In London during the murders, arrested for unrelated charges, exhibited strong misogynistic rage and fits the timeline.
  • Upon death, found with a possible victim’s brass ring in his possession.

Notable Quote:

"He had uteruses in glass jars, would often pass them around at dinner parties for people to look at." – Morgan [100:30]

Cultural Impact and Legacy

• The press frenzy and true crime obsession surrounding Jack the Ripper marked a turning point in public engagement with criminal cases.
• Police reform and slum clearance in London trace back, in part, to the Ripper crimes and their exposure of social rot.
• The Ripper case inspired both copycats and the visual language of serial killer sensationalism in the media.

Notable Quote:

"It’s crazy. What really stemmed from Jack the Ripper in terms of how we look at true crime and how the papers treated true crime and killings up until kind of recently.” – Morgan [103:48]

Most Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On the Victorian Setting:

  "If you were to scream out 'murder' in the middle of the street, no one would even look twice. Whitechapel didn't just host Jack the Ripper. It made his work easier and his escape night after night far more likely." – Kaylin [07:10]

• On the killer's psychological profile:

  "More recently, even in 2005, forensic professionals...diagnosed him with certainty as someone displaying piquerism...And there's actually a later analysis that says Jack might have been acting out necro sadism, meaning he was getting sexual gratification, specifically from mutilating the dead." – Morgan [23:34]

• On the futility of the investigation:

  "Many of the City of London's police files were lost when London was bombarded during World War II's big blitz. Various other files ... vanished ... stolen as souvenirs." – Morgan [85:56]

• On whether the case will ever be solved:

  "This will never be solved... We’re too far away from it to ever truly solve it, even with the advancing technology that we have." – Kaylin [104:28]

• On the victims' plight:

  "Jack the Ripper was successful at killing at least five women and mutilating their bodies very badly because he was operating at a place and time where women's lives were definitely not valued... these women deserved better." — Kaylin [105:37]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [05:39] – Setting the stage: Victorian-era Whitechapel
• [11:46] – The life and murder of Mary Ann Nichols
• [19:40] – Forensic analysis: wounds, knife, left-handedness
• [26:53] – Annie Chapman's slaying and the missing organs clue
• [34:36] – Theories on motive: trophy-taking, skill, profit
• [39:08] – "Dear Boss" letter: Jack the Ripper name coined
• [42:21] – Elizabeth Stride’s murder and witness confusion
• [53:54] – Catherine Eddowes, Mitre Square, and the "from hell" letter/kidney
• [61:11] – Bloody apron, graffiti, complex timeline
• [69:52] – Mary Jane Kelly: escalation and the locked-room murder
• [85:40] – Review of suspects: wild, discredited, and credible
• [98:28] – Modern DNA analysis and suspects
• [103:39] – Cultural ripple effects & legacy
• [104:28] – Will the Ripper ever be identified?

Final Thoughts

Morgan and Kaylin deftly blend detailed historical research with modern forensic theory in exploring the enduring fascination with Jack the Ripper. Their discussion highlights not just the horror and mystery of the murders, but also the societal forces that enabled and obscured them. They emphasize that, absent definitive forensic evidence, the mystery of Jack the Ripper is likely to remain unsolved—a chilling reminder of the limits of justice in another era.

Further Engagement

• Follow @CluesPodcast on Instagram and @CluesPod on YouTube for visuals and case materials.
• Listeners invited to submit their own theories or favorite suspects for future discussion.

Next up: Missing Person of the Week: Summer Wells ([108:09])
A brief spotlight on a current case, keeping with the pod’s mission to aid contemporary investigations.

[End of Summary]