Friday, September 12, 2014

Jack the ripper mystery no longer?


Jack the Ripper stalked the streets of 19th century London. Image Credit: John Atkinson Grimshaw (1880)

Author Russell Edwards believes he has determined the identity of the infamous 19th century killer.

It's one of the best known and enduring murder mysteries the world has ever known, yet more than 120 years after Jack the Ripper's killing spree through the streets of London there has never been a definitive answer as to who he really was.

Now author and "armchair detective" Russell Edwards believes that he has finally unmasked the killer and that his real identity was Aaron Kosminski, a 23-year-old Polish immigrant.

Edwards has based his conclusions on a blood-stained shawl that he purchased back in 2007 and that he claims holds criticial DNA evidence that proves Kosminski was the infamous killer.

"I've got the only piece of forensic evidence in the whole history of the case," he said. "I've spent 14 years working on it, and we have definitively solved the mystery of who Jack the Ripper was."

The shawl belonged to Catherine Eddowes, one of Jack's victims, and contains the DNA of both her and Kosminski who was already one of six prime suspects in the case.

"When we discovered the truth it was the most amazing feeling of my entire life," said Edwards.

Source: Yahoo! News