In March 2019, the Journal of Forensic Sciences published a study analyzing the mitochondrial DNA from cells extracted from a bloody shawl found near the body of victim Catherine Eddowes. This study, conducted by scientists at Liverpool John Moores University, confirms that mitochondrial DNA on the shawl matches present-day Kosminski descendants. But does this really prove anything?
In the early hours of September 30, 1888, the body of Catherine Eddowes was found dead in a pool of her own blood on the streets of Mitre Square in London, adding to the list of other women believed to be murdered and mutilated by the unidentified serial killer known as Jack the Ripper. Reporting in the Journal of Forensic Sciences, scientists have carried the “most advanced” genetic analysis of the “only remaining physical evidence linked to these murders”. Their findings suggest that the’ killer might have been Kosminski, a Jewish Polish barber who was one of the main police suspects, thereby implying he may have been Jack the Ripper.
In 1984, Assistant Commissioner Melville Macnaghten wrote about Kosminksi saying: “He had a great hatred of women, especially of the prostitute class, and had strong homicidal tendencies; he was removed to a lunatic asylum about March 1889.”
But unfortunately, you can’t accurately identify someone from their mitochondria, it’s typically only used by police to exclude people from a list of suspects. While this means that Kosminski can’t be excluded from the group of suspects, it is also not possible to exclude many other suspects.
