JACK THE RIPPER SUSPECTS.

Once upon a foggy, eerily dark morning in the heart of Victorian London, a tale of terror and mystery began. Charles Lechmere, a man on his way to work, had the misfortune of stumbling upon a seemingly inebriated lady sprawled out on the pavement at 3:40 AM on August 31st, 1888. Little did he know that this ordinary morning would lead to an extraordinary nightmare.

In the gloom of Whitechapel's notorious East End, Lechmere assumed the woman had indulged in a bit too much of the local brew. However, fate had other plans. As if straight out of a suspenseful novel, a second figure emerged from the thick fog—Robert Paul. They found themselves in a perplexing quandary. Paul suggested propping up the damsel in distress to aid her recovery, while Charles favored leaving her be.

In a comical twist of indecision, they decided to seek help. Meanwhile, the foggy London streets harbored an unexpected visitor—PC John Neil, a local bobby on his beat, wielding a lantern. In a bizarrely dramatic fashion, the lantern's glow revealed something neither Lechmere nor Paul had noticed in the dim morning light—a spreading pool of dark liquid beneath the woman's neck. She was not merely inebriated; she was lifeless.

Unbeknownst to all at the time, history's most infamous serial killer had claimed his first victim. Over the ensuing 70 days, London was gripped by fear as the enigmatic murderer, who would later be known as Jack the Ripper, took four more lives. Jack wanted more than any killer before him, mutilating his victims with shocking brutality.

Just when it seemed the terror would never end, Jack vanished into thin air, leaving the city to wonder who had stalked its streets. The last Ripper victim was laid to rest more than 130 years ago, yet interest in this gory unsolved mystery never waned.

Countless professionals and amateur sleuths have dedicated endless hours to cracking this gruesome puzzle. Questions remain: How did the killer evade capture in the bustling streets of London? Why were so many lives taken in such a short span? Why did Jack the Ripper cease his spree in 1888? Most importantly, who was this notorious murderer?

While I can't claim to have a definitive answer to that last question, let's explore a strong candidate not often mentioned in Ripper discussions. But before we dive into the meat (no pun intended) of the matter, let's recap this 130-year-old true crime story.

Mary Ann Nichols, the Ripper's first victim, suffered a brutal death, her body discovered by Lechmere and Paul. The subsequent victims faced even more gruesome fates. As Jack's reign of terror continued, Londoners were captivated by the sensationalized reports, and suddenly, the Ripper himself began writing letters.

Hundreds of letters, most likely hoaxes, flooded the scene, but one, the 'From Hell' letter, delivered with half a human kidney, stands out. The letter's authenticity is questioned due to its horrifying content. Regardless, the police had a suspect in mind.

The Ripper targeted prostitutes, committing his heinous acts within a mile of each previous crime. This suggests he was familiar with Whitechapel, likely an ordinary local man. Amidst the sea of suspects, a few intriguing candidates emerge.

John Pizer, known as Leather Apron to local prostitutes, had a history of threatening them and a prior stabbing conviction. However, he had alibis for two murders.

James Maybrick, a cotton merchant, surfaced as a suspect due to a diary found in 1992. Yet, it was later revealed as a forgery. A pocket watch with incriminating engravings added to the intrigue but still left doubts.

Aaron Kosminski, linked through DNA to a shawl, was a paranoid schizophrenic living in Whitechapel. However, mitochondrial DNA can be shared by many, and the shawl's true ownership is disputed.

Now, for our grand finale—Charles Lechmere. A seemingly ordinary man, Lechmere had an unusual encounter with Mary Ann Nichols' body. He waited for Robert Paul to arrive, behaving oddly in the aftermath. Lechmere's route to work brought him near the murder scenes, and his job as a meat cart driver would explain any blood on his clothes.

The Ripper's identity remains an enigma. Each suspect comes with compelling evidence and significant doubts. The Ripper may have mingled among ordinary Londoners, leaving his gruesome legacy a perplexing puzzle for the ages.

So, dear sleuths and armchair detectives, as you ponder over your cup of tea or a freshly sliced steak, remember that the streets of London concealed a sinister secret, and Jack the Ripper may forever remain a mystery lurking in the fog of history.