Who was Aaron Kosminski? Jack the Ripper Identity Confirmed 136 Years Later
February 14, 2025
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A historian said the identity of notorious killer Jack the Ripper has been confirmed, over 136 years after the murders were committed.
Why It Matters
Jack the Ripper has maintained public interest, even over a century after his alleged crimes. The suspected killer has yet to be identified by law enforcement officials.
Jack the Ripper in one of his notorious slashing attacks. Jack the Ripper in one of his notorious slashing attacks. Bettmann / Contributor/Getty Images
What To Know
During an interview with the Australian Today Show, historian Russell Edwards identified the killer as Aaron Kosminski, a 23-year-old barber at the time of the murders.
Kosminski, a Polish immigrant, was previously considered a suspect in the case. An 1894 memorandum written by Sir Melville Macnaghten, the Assistant Chief Constable of the London Metropolitan Police, names “Kosminski” (no first name included) as one of the suspects.
How Did They Identify Kosminski?
Kosminski was reportedly identified using DNA evidence from a shawl found at the scene of one of the murders. Descendants of the suspect and a victim assisted in the investigation, according to Edwards.
DNA studies linking Kominski to the murders have received criticism for a lack of peer review and inability to produce original data.
Who Was Jack the Ripper?
Jack the Ripper was an unidentified suspected serial killer active in 1888. The killer is accused of cutting victims’ throats before performing abdominal mutilations.
Why Is Jack the Ripper Famous?
Jack the Ripper gained notoriety from widespread media coverage of the unsolved killings.
How Many Victims Did Jack the Ripper Have?
Jack the Ripper is believed to have killed at least five women. The five victims, Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly, were all killed in London in 1888. Their murders were never solved.
How Did Jack the Ripper Die?
While Jack the Ripper’s cause of death is unverified, Kosminski died in a mental institution in 1919.
What People Are Saying
Edwards, in an interview with the Australian Today Show: “We basically want to close the story, that’s really what we’re trying to do.”
What Happens Next
Edwards said a letter has been sent to the attorney general requesting permission to go to the high court and initiate the legal process to reopen the case.
“We now know the name and we’ve placed the murderer at the murder scene,” Edwards said. “Now we want that to be public knowledge though, accepted by the courts.”
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