A computer image of suspect Kosminski
DNA from a bloodied shawl worn by a victim of Jack The Ripper could reveal the killer’s identity after 137 years.
Now, relatives of the five women killed in London’s East End are calling for a new inquest to help solve the crime.
The shawl was found to be splattered with the blood of a known suspect at the time of the Whitechapel murders.
Polish barber Aaron Kosminski was never arrested as no evidence linked him the crimes.
A Penny Illustrated drawing of Kate Eddowes
However, the shawl, said to have been found on the body of fourth victim Catherine Eddowes, had her DNA and that of Kosminski.
Karen Miller, 53, is three times great granddaughter of Ms Eddowes.
Her DNA was a match to the sample on the shawl.
Ms Miller told the Daily Mail:
“The name Jack the Ripper has become sensationalised; it has gone down in history as this famous character.
“It has all been about him, this iconic name, but people have forgotten about the victims who did not have justice at the time.
“What about the real name of the person who did this?
“Having the real person legally named in a court which can consider all the evidence would be a form of justice for the victims.
“We have the proof, now we need the inquest to legally name the killer.
“It would mean a lot to me, to my family, and to a lot of people to finally have this crime solved.”
Descendants of the Ripper’s other victims – Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride and Mary Jane Kelly – have also backed the campaign.
Sue Parlour, whose husband Andy is distantly related to Ms Nichols, said:
“There was no justice for these victims at the time. It was all such a long time ago.
“But it would mean a lot to finally be able to name the killer, to get some closure on this.
“These women have been dismissed as just prostitutes like they did not matter, but they did.”
Kosminski’s descendants have also supported the move.
Amanda Poulos, his three-times great-niece, said:
“I’m more than happy to finally establish what really happened.”
An inquest in 1888 returned a verdict of “wilful murder”.
A new inquest would have to be considered by Richard Hermer, the Attorney General.
Ripper authority Russell Edwards – who bought the shawl – said:
“A second inquest is the only way of confirming what happened.
“As we now have identified the true murderer with a wealth of evidence putting the man we named as the Ripper in the frame, we want justice to be served.”
