On September 30, 1888, London’s famous serial killer, Jack The Ripper killed his third and fourth victims. Catherine Eddowes was found horribly mutilated with numerous disfiguring wounds and internal organs systematically removed. Bizarre carvings were found on her face and her nose had been removed. Earlier in the night the body of Elizabeth Stride was found with a single cut across her throat. It is speculated that The Ripper had been interrupted during the Stride homicide as all his other victims suffered ritualistic mutilation.

Jack The Ripper is believed to be responsible for 5 murders of prostitutes in London between August and November 1888. He was never captured and it is speculated that the killer either died, was institutionalized, or moved, putting an end to the murder spree in London. There were a total of 11 killings included in the Scotland Yard case file, but only 5 were of the definitively tied to the man known as The Ripper. Investigators based this on the ritualistic mutilations of the victims, with the exception of Stride.

Many of the same investigative techniques we would see in a modern serial killer case were used in The Ripper case. A task force was created, canvasses of individuals and residences were conducted, attempts at a profile were made, and detailed autopsies and sketches were done. Most of the case files were destroyed decades later in the London Blitz during 1940. There is no surviving evidence to attempt to create a DNA profile. The killer was never identified. Today, police agencies work diligently to identify serial killers before they go on a similar spree or move to another location and continue their deranged acts. The FBI administers the ViCAP (Violent Crime Apprehension Program) which facilitates communication and evidence sharing on serial offenders. Law enforcement agencies can add or query data to attempt to link cases.