Jack the Ripper: Case Study

Lesson 3: A Host of Ripper Suspects and Theories

In this lesson we will take a look at other possible Ripper suspects who have come under speculation either at the time of the crime or in some instances, much later. A look will also be taken at several popular and interesting theories about the Ripper crimes.

A Host of Ripper Suspects

Was Jack the Ripper a cunningly clever man or was he a dumb, animal-like butcher? Some believe the police encouraged the myth that Jack was a clever, educated man because of their failure to catch him.

Modern detectives often make the mistake of trying to make the Ripper fit their pet theory, ignoring viable information that does not fit the idea they are trying to prove. Others try to fit the present into the past by applying modern motives to an old crime.

Many suspects were looked at in the course of the investigation, including a man named Thomas Cutbush. Not much is known about Cutbush except that he was eventually ruled out as a strong suspect.

There are countless other both likely and unlikely candidates for Jack the Ripper, including Dr. John Hewitt, poet Francis Thompson, George Hutchinson, James Kelly, magician Robert Stepenson, and Nicholas Vassily.

The most unlikely candidate who had come under suspicion of being Jack the Ripper appears to be Lewis Caroll. A number of Jack the Ripper suspects were not suspects at the time of the crimes, but came under fire much later as a result of historians digging up further research.

To learn more about these and other suspects, go to the website Casebook: Jack the Ripper and look under suspects.