Both seasoned investigators and casual enthusiasts have pored over the tantalizing clues left by the infamous Whitechapel killer. The enigmatic figure of the Ripper and his confirmed five victims continue to captivate minds. However, the central question that lingers is straightforward: Who was behind the gruesome murders of these women within a span of three months? Numerous suspects have been proposed.
Following the last victim, Mary Kelly’s demise on November 9, 1888, the police appeared satisfied to close the unsolved case. Interest in the Ripper case waned for half a century before resurging. In recent times, various publications, broadcasts, and discussions have continued to speculate on the Ripper’s true identity, fostering a myriad of theories and potential suspects.
Numerous theories have been posited, suggesting the Ripper could have been a self-proclaimed enforcer targeting East End prostitutes, a surgical practitioner with a penchant for butchery, or an undertaker skilled in anatomical dissections. Some even proposed the Ripper might have been a law enforcement officer, utilizing his nightly patrol as a perfect alibi for his nocturnal activities. Alternatively, the notion of a female perpetrator, possibly a midwife entangled in personal struggles, was also floated.
In a surprising twist, speculation arose linking the Ripper to a member of the British royal family. Notably, Inspector Robert Sagar, a key figure in the Ripper inquiry, hinted at a suspect residing in Butchers’ Row, Aldgate, whom they deemed mentally unstable. This individual was eventually confined to a private asylum, coinciding with the cessation of the Ripper’s gruesome acts.
One prevalent suspect in Ripper investigations is Montagu (or Montague) John Druitt. In the book “The Ripper Legacy,” authors Martin Howells and Keith Skinner highlighted Druitt, a financially struggling barrister with medical training and a family history of mental health issues, as a compelling candidate.
Druitt’s body was discovered in the Thames shortly after the last murder, fueling suspicions. Additionally, the anaesthetist Richard Gordon, known for his literary works, suggested that the Ripper likely possessed medical knowledge, potentially even anesthesia expertise, based on the victims’ injuries.