Jack the Ripper’s Identity May Finally Be Confirmed With DNA Evidence After 130 Years

The infamous mystery surrounding Jack the Ripper—London’s most notorious unsolved serial killer case—may finally be reaching a breakthrough. New DNA evidence could officially name the killer responsible for the gruesome Whitechapel murders that terrorized East London in 1888.

Researchers Demand Legal Confirmation of Jack the Ripper’s Identity

For over a century, historians, criminologists, and true crime enthusiasts have speculated about the identity of Jack the Ripper. But now, descendants of his victims—alongside researchers like Russell Edwards—are pushing for an official inquest to name Aaron Kosminski as the perpetrator.

Kosminski, a Polish immigrant, was one of the original prime suspects but was never charged. He died in 1919 without facing justice. However, modern forensic evidence has reconnected him to the crimes, thanks to a DNA match from a shawl found at the murder scene of one of his victims, Catherine Eddowes.

Breakthrough DNA Evidence Points to Kosminski

A study published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences in 2019 revealed that DNA recovered from the crime scene matches a living relative of Kosminski. Edwards, who spearheaded the research, shared his excitement about the findings.

“It’s very difficult to put into words the elation I felt when I saw the 100 percent DNA match,” he told The Sun in an interview published on Jan. 31, 2025. “This brings closure and a form of justice for the descendants.”

Victims’ Families Seek Legal Recognition

Among those advocating for an official ruling is Karen Miller, a descendant of victim Catherine Eddowes. She believes it’s time for the British legal system to formally acknowledge the evidence.

“We have the proof,” Miller told The Daily Mail on Jan. 12, 2025. “Now we need this inquest to legally name the killer.”

Skepticism Surrounding the DNA Evidence

Despite the excitement, some forensic experts have raised questions about the validity of the DNA findings.

• Walther Parson, a forensic scientist at Austria’s Innsbruck Medical University, pointed out a lack of transparency in the published research. The genetic sequences of Eddowes and Kosminski’s modern relatives were omitted, replaced by a graphic representation of the alleged DNA link.

  • “Otherwise,” Parson told Science.org in 2019, “the reader cannot judge the result.”

• Hansi Weissensteiner, another scientist at Innsbruck Medical University, emphasized that mitochondrial DNA can only exclude suspects, rather than confirm their guilt with certainty.

  • “Based on mitochondrial DNA, one can only exclude a suspect,” Weissensteiner explained.

Next Steps: Will Jack the Ripper Finally Be Named?

Despite skepticism, Edwards and his legal team are preparing to call for an official inquest to cement Kosminski as the true identity of Jack the Ripper.

The debate over Jack the Ripper’s identity has raged for over 130 years, but with modern DNA testing and legal action, could this finally be the moment that history books get rewritten?