About Russell Edwards
Russell Edwards is a 48-year-old businessman, originally from Birkenhead, who after years of dedicated research uncovered new evidence in the world’s most infamous unsolved case: the murders of Jack the Ripper. Married with two children and now living in the south east of England, he explains how chance, persistence, and science led him to the breakthrough.
It all began more than seven years ago at an auction, when I bought a large, damaged, silk shawl. I have purchased many valuable things over the years, but nothing has had a greater impact. The shawl, said to be linked to the murder of Catherine Eddowes, would become the key to unlocking the mystery.
My interest had started earlier, almost by accident, after watching the film From Hell. I began reading everything I could find, trawling archives, and exploring every theory. For years it was a personal obsession and escape from work, but I eventually concluded the case might truly be unsolvable.
Then, in 2007, the shawl appeared for sale. Family history traced it back to a policeman at the scene of Eddowes’ murder. At first dismissed by experts, I noticed its floral border matched a description of her clothing: a pattern of Michaelmas daisies. That detail convinced me it was worth pursuing.
I consulted the curator of the Black Museum, who confirmed that police at the time had suspected a Polish immigrant named Aaron Kosminski, but lacked the evidence to prove it. I felt sure modern forensic science could help.
With Dr Jari Louhelainen of Liverpool John Moores University, the investigation began. Tests revealed that the dark stains on the shawl were consistent with arterial blood spatter. More significantly, another stain fluoresced under special lighting, suggesting the presence of semen. If confirmed, this could provide the killer’s DNA.
The process was painstaking. Samples were degraded, and results were lost or delayed, but gradually the work progressed. Mitochondrial DNA was extracted from the shawl and compared with that of direct descendants of Catherine Eddowes and of Aaron Kosminski’s family line. After months of testing and retesting, the results showed matches.
The evidence confirmed the shawl’s authenticity and linked it directly to the scene of the murder. For the first time, DNA evidence connected Aaron Kosminski to Jack the Ripper.
Seven years after I had bought it, the results were clear: the Catherine Eddowes shawl DNA analysis provided the breakthrough. For decades, Kosminski had been one of many suspects in the Jack the Ripper case, but modern testing finally confirmed the link.
For more on Russell’s amazing discovery and to read about his life as a Ripperologist, click on the link below:
Copyright © Russell Edwards 2014
4 Comments