Jack the Ripper was an unidentified Victorian era serial killer, whose victims were women who earned their income as prostitutes. His victims throats were slit, and most of their bodies mutilated. He was never found or caught by anyone. His weapon of choice was a knife. Other names for him at the time were "The Whitechapel Murderer" and "Leather Apron".
Victims
The victims killed by Jack the Ripper were female prostitutes. Their names were Mary Ann Nichols (43), Annie Chapman (47?), Elizabeth Stride (44), Catherine Eddowes (46), and Mary Jane Kelly (25?). They were cut apart into pieces and parts of them taken. All the victims were found dead on the streets, except the last who was found in her boarding room. There might have been more victims of the Ripper.
Suspects
Nobody knows the identity of Jack the Ripper. And after more than one hundred and twenty years, it’s safe to say that we’ll almost certainly never know the identity of the infamous serial killer. Still, that hasn’t stopped police, authors and armchair detectives alike naming literally hundreds of suspects over the years. Many have believed that he was a doctor, because he had knowledge of the human body and the organs contained. It's also possible that he was a butcher.
In Popular Culture
Jack the Ripper has since become the inspiration for many fictional villains. The very name Jack, which was once considered whimsical and endearing, is now enough to make a villain seem dangerous. Many serial killers from slasher-fiction can be considered a homage to the original Ripper.
- Jack the Ripper is an accomplice of Dio Brando in the anime and manga series Bizarre Adventure JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
- Raiden from the Metal Gear franchise is nicknamed Jack the Ripper because of his violent past.
- The DC villain Vandal Savage is an immortal who is rumoured to have either been or worked with several real-life villains. Jack the Ripper
- Jack the Ripper is the main antagonist in the novel Savage by Richard Laymon. He reveals his name to be Roderick Whittle and his disappearance was explained as fleeing England to live in America. While in America, Whittle is able to continue his killings as he has assumed a position as sheriff and the locals are quick to blame any murders on the natives.
- Jack the Ripper is also the main antagonist in the Alan Moore graphic novel From Hell. He is played by Ian Holm in the film adaptation.
- Jack the Ripper appears as a boss in the video-game Shadow Man.
- In the comicbook series Doom Patrol, a cosmic being known as Red Jack claims to be both the Ripper and God.
- The anime series Soul Eater has a monster called Jack the Ripper.
- The videogame series Waxworks also has a more fantastic version of Jack the Ripper, who is revealed to be a devil-worshipper as well as a murderer.
- One antagonist from the Fansadox web comic series is known as Jack Ripley and his actions are depicted as those of a religious fanatic who believes that all women need to be punished with rape, torture and death.
- The main antagonist Jackson Rippner from the film Red Eye is a thinly-veiled reference. Despite this, Jackson is not a serial killer but instead a terrorist.