On April 16, 1980, a Boots ninety-minute cassette was hand-delivered to the FBI Laboratory in Washington. It had come from England, and on it was a man's voice saying he was the Yorkshire Ripper. West Yorkshire police had built much of their hunt around that tape and the letters that came with it, and they wanted American audio specialists and document examiners to tell them what they could about the voice and the handwriting.
The tape was a hoax. It would be another twenty-five years before John Humble was identified as the man who made it, and by then Peter Sutcliffe had been in prison for a quarter of a century. This file is the American end of that mistake: laboratory work on a fake, requests for blood grouping, and a steady trickle of Americans telephoning the FBI to say they knew who the Ripper was - a man one woman had met in London six or seven years earlier, a suspect the Richmond field office thought worth passing on, tips relayed to the legal attaché in London for the English police to sift.
The Bureau had no jurisdiction and never pretended to. What it had was a laboratory, an office in London, and a public that wanted to help.
Sutcliffe does not speak in these pages and neither does any witness. The murders were committed in Yorkshire and Manchester between 1975 and 1980, investigated by British police forces and tried at the Old Bailey in 1981, where he was convicted of thirteen murders and seven attempted murders. Nothing in an American federal file is a finding of an English court. What this file holds is liaison traffic, laboratory work done at British request, and tips from the American public.
Most of what the Americans were working on was fabricated. The tape examined here and the letters beside it were the work of John Humble, a hoaxer from Sunderland who was not identified until 2005 and who had never met Sutcliffe. The file does not know that - it is dated 1979 and 1980 - so it should be read as a record of an investigation being misled, which is the most useful thing in it. The audio specialists' opinion and the handwriting comparison are in the pages below.
The Bureau's own paperwork, released under FOIPA request 1484287-000 and public domain. The release also states what it removed: a deleted-page information sheet listing 32 withheld pages, most of them marked simply "Duplicate".
Of 140 pages and 24,105 words, 12,132 are printed here. The file is mostly teletype, and the capitals are the form rather than emphasis. The scanner's usual work is visible - "MURPERS" for murders, "FOPWARD" for forward, "TRAT" for that - and we have left every one of those alone rather than guess, because a teletype abbreviates so heavily that a repaired word is often an invented one. Passages that arrived as characters rather than words are not printed, and duplicate passages were collapsed to one copy each. Some paragraphs still end without a full stop, which is the file rather than the transcription: a teletype page stops where the paper stops.
ARE INVESTIGATING SERIES OF JACK THE KILLINGS OF PROSTITUTES IN THAT APREA. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVEN MURDERS AND FOUR ATTEMPTS SINCE MARCH 975. THE KILLINGS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY VIOLENT 5.045 AND MUTILATIONS AND POLICE ARE CERTAIN THEY ARE CONNEC THE POLICE RECEIVED ANONYMOUS CALL THAT THE KILLINGS ARE SIMILAR TO SERIES OF KILLINGS IN TAMPA, FLORIDA. IT WAS POINTED OUT THAT THE CALLER MAY HAVE BEEN REFERRING THE 50- CALLED "HILLSIDE STRANGLER" IN CALIFORNIA.
MUTILATIONS ARE BY KNIFE OR SCREWDRIVER IN THE CHEST OR THROAT AREA. DOCUMENTED KILLINGS WERE IN OCTOBER 1975 JANUARY 1976, FEBRUARY 1977, APRIL 1977,: 1977 FEBRUARY EBRUARY 1978.
BUREAU REQUESTED TO RELAY TO GELES AND TO DIE CONTACT LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO DETERMINE IF THERE BE ANY
RE TELETYPE, FEBRUARY 10, 1978, ADVISED FROM 1973 TO 1978 FIVE. FEMALES WERE MURDERED IN TAMPA AREA THAT ARE POSSIBLY CONNECTED, THREE IN PASCO CO., ONE IN PINELLAS CO., AND ONE IN HILLSBOROUGH CO.
ALL CHARACTERIZED BY NUMEROUS SHOTS IN HEAD, IN ALL CASES A 22 WAS BELIEVED TO BE WEAPON. NO SIGNS OF VIOLENT BLOWS AND MUTILATIONS. INDICAT ur USE
SIMILARITIES TO THOSE IN WEST YORKSHIRE, ADVISED THERE ARE NO KNOWN SUSPECTS IN "THE" MURPERS.
THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT, STPANGLER TASK FORCE," ADVISED THERE ARE NO APPARENT SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE YOUKSHIRE RIPPER CASES AND THE 43 STRANGULATION MURDERS WHICH HAVE OCCURRED THE GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA DURI NG THE PAST SIX MONTHS, See ADMINISTRATIVE.
REFERENCE BUREAU TELETYPE TO TAMPA AND LOS ANGELES DATED FEBRUARY 11, 1978, CAPT TONED AS LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT, "STRANGLER TASK FORCE," PROVIDED THE ABOVE INFORMATION TO AUTHOR OBTAINED FROM THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
FBIH IS REQUESTED TO FOPWARD THE ABOVE INFORMATION TO LEGAT, LONDON.
Memorandum TO Director, DATE: 3/10/78 Reference: Butel dated 3/7/78. Dissemination, as outlined below, was made on dates indicated. bID Du One copies of above referenced furnished for information.
FOR INFORMATION OF THE PIE THAT SHE FELT SHE HAD SOME PERTINENT INFORMATION CONCERN ING THE YORKSHIRE RIPPER WHO IS CURRENTLY BEING SOUGHT
CRONKITE NEWS BROADCAST, TAPE sima, OF A MAN CLAIMING TO BE THE YORKSHIRE RIPPER. SHE SAID SHE THOUGHT SHE RECOGNIZED THE VOICE AS BELONGING TO one 16 1979 DEPARTED ALBUQUERQUE, FOR ENGLAND, PROBABLY 777 Sees
LONDON, SOME SIX OR SEVEN YEARS AGO. SHE SAID THIS MAN, WHO CLAIMED TO BE OF EUROPEAN NOBILITY, WAS MARRIED TO A WOMAN BY THE NAME ALBUQUERQUE AND HAD THREE CHILDREN BY HER. SHE SAID THAT HE WAS WELL EDUCATED, BUT HAD VIOLENT TENDENCIES TOWARD THE WIFE AND THE CHILDREN, AND APPROXIMATELY SIX OR SEVEN YEARS AGO TOOK THE CHILDREN AND LEFT FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN ENGLAND. THE WIFE, BEING FROM A FAIRLY WEALTHY FAMILY, JOURNEYED TO ENGLAND AND RETRIEVED THE CHILDREN. SHE HAS NO IDEA EMPLOYMENT MIGHT BE OR HIS CURRENT RESIDENCE, SHE DESCRIBED
REVIEW OF BUREAU FILES SHOWS THAT LEGAT, LONDON'S FILE CONCERNING THIS MATTER if THE POLICE OFFICER HANDLING KNOWN WHY THIS VOICE TAPE WAS AIRED ON THE WALTER CRONKITE NEWS PROGRAM AND LEGAT, LONDON, MAY WISH TO QUERY AUTHORITIES THERES THE BUREAU IS REQUESTED TO DISSEMINATE TO LEGAT, LONDON,
NO OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AND ALBU QUER SUE POLICE DEPARTMENT RECORDS CONTAIN NO INFORMATION CONCERNING ANECY.
Use of form 0-73 is restricted to incoming teletype messages received within the last 3 says which require transmission all other teletype messages must be prepared using form 0-93. FEDES, GF Thy. Additions such as notes and administrative data for a specific addressee are nd trative data is required for a particular addressee separate 0-73 form must be prepared.
3. The message will be transmitted just as it appears. The person approving the message is solely responsible for assuring all necessary editing changes have been made,
Enclosed for the Bureau for forwarding to LEGAT, London, are the origins. containing This information, furnished to SA may be of assistance to British authorities in their investigation of the Yorkshire murders.
identity be strictly protect desired that her furnished the following information on December 13, and has just first met in the mately four ago she was contacted her.
has never from advised she has just returned spent the past six weeks i has claimed to be an intimate This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to your agency; it and its contents are not to be distri
last name unknown who was supposed to advised that English Customs were supposedly trying to contact During conversations advised that his step Although claimed to be never worke six weeks be she was there nor did she observe him spend a great deal of ix money. advised she has no specific or direct
information regarding the killings at Yorkshire, ust ae! advised that she does desire the information she has furnished remain confidential and that not learn the source of the information.
3 aKa Jack th Ripper. Police RE Raed A dubbed copy tape prepared by purporting to have been made by the self-styled Jack the Ripper and 3 censored handwriting exemplars were transmitted via the FBI laboratory for analysis. Manifest Description of Tape and Written Documents b7D The written documents are too meager for any detailed analysis. However, b7E they, like the tape, show no apparent signs of attempt at disguise. As with the tape, the style of communication is telegraphic-like and laconic in style. The composition of the notes is untidy if not sloppy. The first person pronoun is peculiarly rendered and although not within the normal methodology of the Psycholinguistic methods is worthy of remark for its psychological implications. Punctuation is variable and uneducated in style.
Vocabulary is low level and frequently draws upon argot forms.
The recording evidences fluent but slow speech free of defect. There are numerous pauses but a striking absence of hesitation vocalizations. At one point between the words never listen" and at the rate I'm going there is an obvious spike voltage on the tape consistent with the effect of a physical interruption of the recording. Its origins, and the rather high level of white noise present on the tape, cannot be determined due to the coping.
There are clear sounds of respiration which imply the use of a hand held microphone positioned quite close to the mouth. The absence of overmoduiation distortion, in turn, suggests the intervention of automatic gain control circuitry commonly found on moderately to higher priced tape recorder.
No attempt was made in connection with this report to ascertain the bias frequencies or spectral characteristics of that machine since, again, the material in hand is at least a second generation copy.
The noisy character of the breath inspiration and their shortened periodicity suggest the possibility of lowered vital lung capacity associated with a heavy smoker. addition, there are signs of vocal fold associated with irritation. The fundamental pitch appears to be somewhat lower than that which would be associated with the natural period of the foid length; ie., the habitual pitch is lower than the natural pitch.
Such attempt at compensation for a naturally higher pitched voice suggests, in turn, that UNSUB is of slight to
986 do recording was apparently made relatively noise free environment and does not evidence reflective reverberation effects; ie., one in which there are many sound absorbing objects as in a furnished room.
If the tape gap was not the result of police censoring, the character of the noise associated with that gap suggests a mechanical shut-off rather than the sort of circuit-breaking switch normally located on the microphone.
The only self-revelatory clue offered by UNSUB in the phrase, The only time they came near catching me occurs in a context which my experience indicates to be subterfuge. is my judgment that the UNSUB is attempting to misdirect the authorities back to his earlier activities near Chapeltown. am not familiar with the geographies of the area in question, but would be led to infer from the confusion of subterfuge that UNSUB does not reside or have associations in this area.
The speech phrasing of the recording is consistent with extemporaneous rendition rather than reading from a prepared script. In turn, such absence of preparation implies the absence of compulsiveness also elected in the written composition.
Demographic Profile of UNSUB Based upon an analysis of the content, style and voice characteristics of the tape recording, it is my opinion that the UNSUB is a high school educated, average intelligence, Caucasian male between the ages of 25 and 35. am not sufficiently familiar with UK dialects to bazard a conclusion regarding birthplace except to observe that the dialect is provincial in character and consistent with one who has resided a restricted locality for most of his life.
Psychological Profile of UNSUB The most salient aspect of the recording is that of the flattened to depressive affect which consistently marks the speech of this UNSUB. There is clear contact with reality and orientation with respect to person, place and circumstance. As is often the case with multiple murderers, the clinical picture is complex. There are clear signs of self-aggrandizement but an absence of hallucinatory or psychotically bizarre delusional mechanism. There are none of the signs of personality disintegration or disorganization in ideation which would warrant a diagnosis of psychosis.
Nonetheless, the manifest symptomology implies a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder or alternatively the syndrome which has been described as pseudo-psychopathic schizophrenia.
Manifestly, there is suicidal ideation, withdrawals and alienation which generally is associated with schizo-effective disorders. Such individuals typically lead isolated, asocial lives. They form no close relationships, consider themselves to be superior to others, are suspicious, secretive, do not use intoxicants, never publicly display emotions and avoid social contacts by presenting the persona of a quiet; pleasant, unremarkable, ordinary individual. They frequently seek employment which requires work in the evening hours. They often are drawn to police or security work as a means of acting out their sad-masochistic fantasies.
In many ways, this case and the UNSUB profile parallel that of the selfseyle this UNSUB has had a history of distorted or it can be expected that broken family relationships in which the mother was abused by the father but who in turn psychologically abused and dominated the UNSUB.
Conflicted by the of loving and hating their parents, they seek to act out their hostilities through the rationalizations of moral indignation and compulsion. Uniike sd however, this UNSUB parently is not attempting to use the rationalization of mental disorder.
This and the different means employed in the homicides are probably due to the cultural milieuof criminals, The only average intellect displayed by this UNSUB and the absence of compulsive defense mechanism imply that he does not employ elaborate or convoluted planning in the execution of his crimes. His murderous outbursts are undoubtedly spontaneous acts against targets of opportunity.
Thus, it is not likely that he extensively pre-plans his acts, keeps his intended victims under surveillance or is acting out some encrypted pattern of locals, victim names, circumstances, or other such compulsive manifestations.
It is reasonably clear that this UNSUB is depending against his. knowledge of the wrongfulness of his acts by assuming that he will be apprehended and that he will punish himself, ultimately, by taking his own life. In my opinion, the latter is merely a rationalization which the UNSUB will not put into action. long as the UNSUB can move the sordidness of his acts to the abstract level of a "game" he is playing out with the authorities, he will successfully compensate for his self-loathing.
Such speculation suggests that the extensive publicity afforded to the search for the killer, although of clear investigatory value, also serves to support such compensatory defenses on the part of the UNSUB. In my opinion, this UNSUB's vulnerability is in the area of the depressive reactions which I have detected. The published profiles, which UNSUB undoubtedly collect and pores over, have not attempted to play upon UNSUB's moodiness or depressive episodes. Since killing for this UNSUB is employed as compensation and a distraction from his inadequacies, stress on this manifest behavior only serves to bolster the defense.
In my opinion, this UNSUB will communicate with the authorities again and will continue to murder until apprehended. I do not see any basis for the hope that UNSUS will disintegrate into severe psychosis, commit Suicide, give himself up to the authorities or adopt compensatory defenses which would ameliorate his actions.
Beclosed cassette received 1159 pi two photacoples of a report setting forth rosalts of the psyeke Wapoistic examination of aforementioned enclosures, prepared by tho Boreas Syraeugo 5 University. An examination of the exemplars falco comitctod by Laboratory linguist, who placed the age of the at botwoen 25 40 years. Other than that, nothing could Aded tO Enclogares A AIR AE 1 Behavioral Science Unit, copy Exec AD In, Exee AD MAR 26 1980 Exec AD Asst.
copies of above Laboratory examination, furnished in reply to request for assistance. 4 Pertinent information from Name and Location of Agency Date Furnished Classified and Extended by 6159 Reason, FCIM, II, 1-2.4.2, Date of Review 3/27/2010 Bureau Foreign Liaison Desk) 24 8 re ee Caen Laborpioty Legal Coin.
8. FOR INFORMATION OF RICHMOND. ON APRIL 25. 1980. LONDON ADVISED AS FOLLOWS: rd ADVISED FORENSIC EXPERTS HAVE7 ELIMINATED HANDWRITING AS BEING IDENTICAL WITH THAT OF UNSUB. RIPPER. REGARDING TAPE. IT IS OPINION OF AUDIO SPECIALISTS THAT IMITATING VOICE OF RIPPER AS GEORDIE ACCENT INITIALLY USED DOES NOT CONTINUE. AUTHORITIES
DO NOT FILE WITHOUT COMMUNICATIONS STAMP DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FEDERALBUREAU OFINVESTIGATION tee COMMUNICATION MESSAGE FORM CONTINUATION SHEET 2 DE HA ANSA UNCLAS EFTO HAVE NOT LOCATED BLOOD TYPE AND REQUEST FBI 20 ASSISTANCE TO SECURE IF AVATLABLE IN RIPPER HAS BLOOD AT THIS BEEN EIGHTY PERCENT ELIMINATED, SINCERE APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE FOR INTEREST AND ASSISTANCE OF
DO NOT TYPE MESSAGE BELOW THIS LINE ENCLOSURE BEHIND FILE AND IS FILED BEHIND AE! UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Enclosed for the Bureau are 6 copies of a poo self-explanato for transmittal to Also is an envelope co dividual to the FBI in this matter for appropriate investigative use, Laboratory comparisons and any other investigative assistance
on 4/9/80, appeared at the Charlottesville Resident Agency of the FBI, Char based upon a previous interview arranged with SA to discuss information in her possession which ma relevant to the investigation being conducted Wass Slayings in ipper case.
was interviewed by the FBI Agent at Charlottesville Resident Agency, and she voluntarily provided the following list of items which are being enclosed herewith
Postal from postmarked Also enclosed is a copy of an article that appeared in the April, 1980, issue of "Life" magazine, detailing events surrounding the Yorkshire Ripper case as well as a seen of a map of England indicating the relationship between residence and the six locals where the murders have occurred.
Case Agent is unable to i of certainty the accuracy or motivation for coming forward at this time, other than what would appear to be a bona fide list of similarities between and the possible Yorkshire Ripper.
All possible information was solicited fron her appearance at the Charlottesville and her only request Was that her name and identity not be divulge outside law enforcement circles, either in the United States or England. She further requested that should be eliminated as a suspect in this matter, that all items submitted by her be returned to her at the culmination of any investigation.
It is being left to the discretion of the Bureau as to whether or not any teletype message should be forwarded to Legat, London, to advise English police authorities that information is forthcoming regarding as a possible suspect, so that they may be aware of it as expeditiously as possible. However, it is noted that although there are a striking number of similarities which would make Jackson a legitimate suspect of some sort, there is no degree of certainty or indication of any positive type information which would indicate he is in fact the subject.
The Bureau is requested to forward to Legat, London, the enclosed self-explanatory containing information regarding possible suspect in the Yorkshire Ripper matter, as well as other items enclosed, which can be utilized by the police authorities in England for voice print, fingerprint, and handwriting analysis comparisons as well as photographs of all of which should be provided to the appropriate police authorities in England.
Legat, London, should also be aware of the fact that remains fully cooperative in this matter and contact will be maintained with her for possible further inquiries by British authorities or until such eliminated as a possible suspect.
The self-explanatory should be forwarded to Legat, London, for dissemination to appropriate police authorities in England, and they should also be apprise of the fact that should any additional interviews off required, they can be accomplished an expeditious manner.
Will maintain periodic contacts new significant or additional information should she develop any in this matter.
mentioned in attacked air ainad geraiosici cbi information of Richuens, al Attache, Lo the through beg from British authorities for of of of the enclosurceinips rep rod ion and ion Unit of the Tre future of the Division, if pertinent andoenclosupes. farn i nien 8-24-8 of FOIUQ fox 7 con, HEISE advised Leg al ir ion in estimation eno has not con to the 48 1believed te have de nd ogwAy. intensive ts shik mone previe ws ou vic us i
The Technical Services Division, has advised that if the original tape recording sent Ly the Ripper to tho police was wade available to comparizens could be nade with the recording machine of tests, Richsend requested to determine how obtained the tape recording sailed te TBIHQ aad Legel Attache, Londen, of the regu NOTE: 3 Richmond Office furnished information concerning a multiple murder investigation in Yorkshire, England. The information included'a tape recording and other material of possible interest to Legal, Attache, London, advised telephonically, In view of a time delay
Will make periodic contacts with For any zedditionel information coming to her attention regarding this matter.
BEEN COMPLETELY EL IMINATED AS SUSPECT IN RIPPER MURDERS DUE TO SHOE SIZE AND MEDICAL PROBLEM WHICH WOULD RENDER IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE COMMITTED THE MURDERS. i ORIGINAL ITEMS SUBMITTED AS EVIDENCE WILL BE RETURNED.
Complete appropriate boxes: date, precedence. List addresses immediately following the TO or place a check mark in the appropriatego Boies, Type or PRINT the subject in the space provided.
1. Xerox 1 copy of incoming teletype message. A notation shall be made on the original 1incoming teletype copy made for relay to SACS OR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES) 2, Minor editing changes shall be made on the xerox as follows: using a lead pencil ONLY draw single line through the first and last lines of the heading and connect these lines from top right to bottom left forming a figure.
DO NOT OBLITERATE THE HEADING.) Use horizontal lines to deleted sentences or words. Printed changes of a word or two to the text of the message may be made; however, changes to the existing text involving more than a word or two necessitate the originator to initiate new message using form 0-98.
3 Administrative data or notes may be typed immediately following the text and will be transmitted to all addresses.
4. When using the 0-73 form to disseminate information to field offices, Legal Attaches and other Government agencies simultaneously, the text, notes and administrative data must be identical for addresses, 7 FBI 1
One direct copy was made of each side of specimen 01 onto a magnetic tape cassette.
Specimen and the direct copies were hand delivered to Special Agen April 16, 1980, koli lab
Enclosed for each recipient is one copy of report of 10/17/80, setting forth request concerning born is requested to conduct appropriate at INS in an effort to determine any available
regarding subject. St Louis is requested to conduct check if feasible, at as Corporation, regarding subject.
During the years 1975 and 1979 a number of women have been 1 found murdered in various parts of the North of England.
The offender has become popularly known as the Yorkshire Ripper.
Examined This inquiry originated from sightings of a motor car on diverse dates in August and September, 1978 in Red Light' areas of Leeds, Bradford and Manchester. It is desired to trace i i i uirieg i revealed pie ted oe story that he Prior to hi i is employment 4 is area he was i 1 Submitted with a aged approxima
end of April, 1979. Ib is asked that this report be forwarded to the Legal Attaches Department, United Grosvenor Square, London, for the attention to ascertain
Continued 4 1 forward the above report for your information i Legal Attache's Depts, United States Embassy, Grosvenor Square,
SHE sip SHE RECENTLY, READ A STORY ABOUT THE MURDERS BEING 2 COMMITTED BY TRE: YORKSHIRE RIPPER IN: ENGLAND. AFTER READING THE STORY, SHE SAID THE COMPOSITE GIVEN BY BRITE SH POLICE IS SIMILAR TO SHE DATED WHO WAS FROM ENGLAND. SHE SAID THAT THE MAN'S NAME HEIS APPROXIMATEL OLD,
SINCE THE SUBJECT HAS, STATED 10: Ha That HE WILL KILL. AGAIN ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER EE i 4588, i EQUESTED THAT
lL ADVIS og CONTENTS OF RZTYL WHILT APPRECIATIVE OF INFORMATION, POLICE WOULD LIKE ANY MOLD ARROW THEIR LOUIRIES, ER., SAMPLES OF HIS YANDVRITING LIVE OR SHIP ON WHICH PLOYED IN Ww ADDRFSS TELEPHONE NSER SHE CORIS POED WITH HI 1974-1976; SPECIFIC DATES WHEY MAS IN OP TAPES WITE VOICE, ETC. AS 2 em RY UETTED TO WAVE ALBUSUTRANE
RE RUREAU TELETYPE TO ALBUQUERQUE, 28,1989, ON NOVEMBER 29, WAS PE-INTERVIFUFD AT TEMPORARY RESIDENCE in ADVISED THAT SHE NO LONGER HAS ANY OF THE LETTERS VAITTEE TO HER SHE REMARRIED. SHE WAS UNABLE TO GIVE SPECIFIC Stay IN THE UNITED STATFS, PELIFUFS THAT HE MAS IN HOUSTON IN SEPTEMBER OF 1974, AND AUGUST OF 1976, SHE MAS UNARLE TO RECALL THE NAME OF THE SHIP THAT BUT BELIEVES THAT IT A NORVFOIAN FREIGHTER BECAUSE SHE POARDED THE SHIP 5
ALSO SHE REMENPERS THAT SHE vroTE To SHE DOES NOT RECALL THE MALLING ADDRESS REMEMBERS THAT HE TOLD HER THAT SHE COULD ALMAYS RFACH ASYING FOR HIM. SHE SAID THAT SHE DID THIS THREE FOUR TIMES. SHE
MORE GLOVES PECAUSE OF THE JoB, are TOLD HER THAT HE WAS DIVORCED AND HAD ONE CHILD. SHE WAS UNABLE TO ANY HAMDURITING SAMPLES PUT SAID THAT SHE MADF A VISA APPLICATION FOR HIM WITH INS HOUSTON IN LATE 1974 OR EARLY 1975. SHE SAID THAT HE HAD TO FILL OUT A PORTION OF THE APPLICATION MHICH SHE SENT TO AND HE RETURNED IT AND IT WAS FILED WITH INS. SHE SAID THAT HER ON THE APPLICATION AT THAT
FULL rane 1 DATE OF PIRTH URFRON IS A WHITE MALE, APPROXIMATELY trans WILL IN ar UNTIL 19, 1927,
HOUSTON AT HOUSTON, VISA APPLICATION 41 TEXAS: WILL CHECK THE INS RECORDS AND FORFARD TO HFADGUARTFAS.
eisai Naval Investigative Service Director of Security Security Section Commandant, 8. Coast Guard Drag Enforcement Administration General National Security Agency General Services Administration Crimes Section 800)) WASHDC area, specify office) Assistant for Director, Defense Intelligence Administration Agency Security 7 7 Director Other, Areas, specify pter qd Services Staff ir. Secret Service Federal Aviation Administration tnnigration Service Federal Protective Service staralization Service 8. Postal Service Secretary of State Chief Postal Director Bureau of Inspector Intelligence Research VISA Office Room 709 SA2
has submitted requests for Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) checks regarding, For information of FBIHQ, has been experiencing delays of approximately two months regarding these matters.
AT WASHINGTON, DC. Will forward INS checks received.
Enclosed for Los Angeles one copy each of Bureau. letter dated November 15, 1980, Legat London airtel to the Bureau dated: November 3, 1980, with attached October No. 1 Task Force Report. For information of Los Angeles, on November 26, 1980, a check was made of the Missouri Departme computer for driver's license listing for date of birth with negative results check of the Regional Justice Imrormation Service computer for a criminal record for the individual was negative.
4 December 8, 1980, cDonneli Douglas Corporation, Headquarters Brown Road, St. Louis, Missouri, advised thathe not nor had been McDonnell Douglas Corporation at St. Louis, Missouri. A review of the payroll records reflected the above. contacted McDonnell Douglas Corporati California, and of birth firm supplying McDonnell Douglas Corporation, Long Beach, California, with i 25 basis. advised that the Transmitted
security officer at McDonnell Douglas Corporation, Long Beach, California, should be contacted regardi i in this matter and, in particular, regarding LEAD
Will contact the security officer, McDonnell Douglas Corporatio regarding subject, and conduct leads as set forth in Legat London airtel to the Director, dated November 3, 1980.
As no further investigation is outstanding in the St. Louis Division, this matter is being RUC'd.
Enclosed for the Bureau is the original and seven ee of letterhead memorandum reflecting interview Investigation reflected in the was conducted by It is noted that Buded in this matter has expired, i however, referenced communication was not received at Los Angeles until 12/15/80, and the Donnell Douglas Corporation offices were closed for the holiday and, therefore request to obtain the present whereabouts
from employment records was not possible until the completion of the holiday season.
was an employee of the firm and provided his present residence address.
On December 30, 1980 residence telephone the Douglas Aircraft Company, Donnell Douglas Corporation, Lakewood, Galiforni He stated he resided with his present wife. explained time, he was not married to his wife and that she used her date of birth advised that prior to 1977, he lived with He stated that in March 1979, he came to the US. and began employment for Donnell las Corporation while residing ae himeat thataaddress in approximately joined May 1979.
stated he and his wife were married on who was ill and residing at ENCLOSURE in this district, he noticed Police Officers taking his license number, but he did not fear the authorities since he felt he had done nothing wrong.
ReLegat, London, airtel to the Bureau and Bureau airtel to St. Louis dated 11/15/80. Enclosed for the Bureau are the original and five copies of an reflecting investigation conducted by
representative is Special agent 62 Bureau 1 ee 18 88, pa Lpptog fitted as 1982 (Number) (Time) 3
A search of the files of the Office of Security and Visa Office, Department of State, conducted on February 10, 1981, found no record concerning the subject. search of the files of the Regional Office, b7C Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), conducted on b7E February 10, 1981, found no record concerning the subject.
Re HO to 12/3/80, and newspaper article from Houston Post sent to 1/15/81.
In view of referenced news release it appears the Yorkshire Ripper has been identified and captured, Therefore, Houston will this matter, UACB.
Information Concerning; Title changed to show the correct name of former UNSUB, aka Yorkshire Ripper". DAIR Following is in its
Enclosed is unclassifie which should be passed to the Secret Srvice and to local police authorities in Milwaukee Wisconsin.
life imprisonment on the 22 May 1981 for cases of murder and 7 cases attempted murder. While it is considered essential a con 7 of the subject letter should be communicated to authorities, it has been requested that the source of this information be protected in order to prevent any embarrassment to If the letter is considered to be practical joker, the contents should be closely examined, would appear the author is mentally deranged. Encs. SENC she Bureau 1 INTD, Liaison Unit
Federal Bureau of Investigation In Reply, Please Refer to Washington, 20535 File No. September 28, 1982 confidential source abroad, on September 16, 1982, furnished the following contents of a letter addressed to Peter Sutcliffe, also known as the Yorkshire Ripper", who is currently serving a life sentence in the United Kingdom on conviction of 13 cases of murder and 7 cases of attempted murder. These attacks (with two exceptions) were directed against prostitutes and carried out in the most horrible manner.
Sutcliffe achieved considerable notoriety, and was commonly known the Yorkshire Ripper".
She proved to be Mrs. Wilma McCann, the 28- A bobby walks his lonely beat in Bradford in the heart of the drab and disreputable urban hinterlands that are the Ripper's Despite the best efforts of more than 250 Investigators and over million, the murderer continues to evade the police common derelicts of the seeking tenements, rag dumped on the fringe of a playing field.
that her neck had been severed down to the ing apart from her husband and who had set vertebrae. And when, later, the body was ex out from home the previous evening to seek there are differences as well as posed for examination in the local mortuary, the lights, the warmth and the male company similarities. The Victorian Ripper Dr. Ralph Llewellyn. the police surgeon, dis of her favorite city pubs. Wilma McCann was confined his operations to an area of covered that she had been virtually disembow the first victim of Yorkshire's Jack the Ripper. about a quarter of a square mile in eled. She was Mary Ann Nichols, a 42-year With her death began a new legend, a modern Whitechapel. The modern Ripper, alold prostitute, and she was the first victim of saga of death and horror that four years and most certainly traveling by carorvan Jack the Ripper. 12 murders later may still not be at an end. and with the freedom of the north Today Jack the Ripper and his bloody ex It is unlikely that the Yorkshire Ripper con ern motorways, has a somewhat larger parish ploits are still legendary. Books, plays, TV sciously models himself on his Victorian coun of death. All the 12 murders attributed to htm turns and films have been written about him: terpart, but given the potency of the legend, it have taken place in six industrial towns and numerous theories, credible and bizarre, have was probably inevitable that he should sign cities in northern England: four in Leeds, three been propounded as to his identity. And the 90- himself Jack the Ripper in the taunting let in Bradford, two in Manchester, one in Presodd years that have transformed the slums ters he has sent to the police and that the press ton, one in Halifax and one in Huddersfield. in through which he stalked his prey have done and public should confer on him from the first addition, there have been four murderous atnothing to mitigate the atavistic horror of his the same sobriquet of horror. After all, their tacks on women in Keighley, Halifax, Bradford unsolved but unforgotten crimes. primary compulsion is the same; they are in and Leeds, in which the victims have survived But now he has a rival. Early on the misty deed blood brothers. but, because of the suddenness of the assault morning of October 30. 1975, a milkman and Like his predecessor, the modern Ripper and the appalling injuries suffered, have been his brother were on their rounds in the seedy prowl the drab, insalubrious streets of the unable to give the police enough information Chapeltown area of Leeds, the largest city in city fringe seeking prostitutes to murder and tolead them to the assailant.
country, and to many people in the south the But they probably found their life as much of the cooperative efforts of four efficient and retwilight areas of the great northern conurba a daily struggle as did Mary Ann Nichols and specter north country forces, chiefly by the tions are as alien a territory as was Victorian had just as great a need for the excitement of West Yorkshire Metropolitan Police, in whose Whitechapel to the prosperous middle classes bright lights, the noisy camaraderie of the pub, area most of the murders have taken place, of Belgravia. The north, dependent as it is on thesolace of drink.
large-scale manufacturing industrieswool, The Victorian Ripper moved out of the gas he inquiry is headed by Assistant cotton, steel and shipbuildinghas suffered lit murkiness and killed at most seven women, Chief Constable George Oldfield, more than the south from economic decline. more probably five, over a period of 10 weeks holder of the Queen's Police Medal, Unemployment rite, the death and infant between August and November 1888. The whose commitment tothe case is abmortality rates are higher than in the more Yorkshire Ripper, whose toll of 12 puts him solute and for whom the hunt for the prosperous south, and fewer of the children easily at the head of modern mass murderers Ripper has become a personal 50 on to higher education. The people are by in Britain, has been at his gruesome work for sade. Oldfield is the type of officer tradition sturdily independent, plainspoken, almost four years. His calendar of murder whom the public and his own men best unimmensely hospitable, and they enjoy some of stretches from October 30, 1975, to September derstand. His strength in the traditional the most magnificent scenery in Britain. The 2, 1979, with two unexplained and possibly policing qualitiesdedication, patience, percultural life is a great deal more vigorous, significant periods of about a year each when sistence and the ability to sustain moral particularly musically. than the south is apt he was mysteriously quiescent. through the weariness of disappointing years.
tosuppose. The Victorian Ripper was hunted by the He is a heavily built, gray-haired man with But the twilight areas of the cities, blighted Criminal Investigation Department of the Met a strong, uncompromising face, a slightly by recession, poverty and the urban redevel ropolitan Police, formed only 10 years earlier leaked nose, skin that is blotched with tiredopment that only too often substitute tower after a series of notorious corruption trials. It ness, and wary eyes that have looked on too blocks for living, self-supportive communities, was undermanned, ill-equipped, lacking pub much evil. He looks like a countryman, a prosare as natural a territory for the modern Rip lic confidence and led by an arrogant, reac perous farmer or a small-town bank manager, per as were the slums of east London to his pre tionary and high-handed commissioner, Sir but one to whom the feckless or evasive would decessor. Poverty is relative. The professional Charles Warren, an ex-Army officer who was be ill-advised to apply for a loon.
Police launched poster campaign to alert the public. From the beginning the Ripper concentrated on, in police parlance, good-time girls. Thenhe killed a shop cleric, Jayne MacDonald, 16. Police receivedaletter inwhich the writer apologized for preying on a dece tives, he enjoys. Perhaps he finds a cleaning were killed by shooting is a measure of the ef And there are other problems for the po relief on the Yorkshire moors, where the pred fectiveness of the law against the possession lice. The inhabitants of the drab and disrep actors kill for food, not lust; where the prey is of firearms and the reinforcement of the view utable urban hinterlands that are the Ripper's known, and where death is swift and clean. held by both the police and the public that the killing ground seldom share the middle-class George Oldfield last year became ill and had routine arming of the police could only encour view of the police as the deferential servants a heart attack, but he is now back on the job, age an increase in the use of arms by proves of society, dedicated to the preservation of heading a team of over 250 dedicated proves sional criminals and the consequent risk that their lives, liberties and property. Their more signals equipped with the aids of modern innocent bystanders could be caught in the usual attitude is one of wary and prudent suspolice science and technology. To date, after crossfire. picion. These are districts in which raised four years and 12 deaths, they have been no What is particularly interesting is that in voices and curses in thedarkness go unregardmore successful in catching their quarry than 356 cases of the 485, the victim was related to ed. People do not rush out to investigate a were their Victorian counterparts. or known to the suspect, being often a scream in the night. Prostitutes who are frightband, wife or cohabitant. Murder in real life, ened by a violent client do not normally lodge urder in England is still happily unlike fictional murder, is frequently domes complaint at their local police station. Men an uncommon crime. The crim sordid). pathetic and neither unusually in who consort with streetwalkers are frequently inal statistics for 1978 thatcover teresting from the forensic or legal aspect nor reluctant to come forward when information England and Wales Scotland particularly difficult to solve. Often, especially issought.
has its own and different crim when it is a domestic murder, the killing is And there are the sensitivities of the civil inal justice system) show a total lowed by the suicide of a suspect. liberties movement to consider. The medical of 485 offenses recorded as ho But homicide by a person unknown to the records of men who have been treated for vemicide, that is illegal killing, of which 59 were victim, particularly mass murder and sex nereal disease are rightly regarded by doctors i the killing of children under five years of age. crime, presents the police with different and as highly confidential-although such records The commonest method used was stabbing or far more intractable problems. It is the killer, could lead to men who named prostitutes as cutting with a sharp instrument; the Ripper not the police, who has the initiative. He choos the source of their injection and who might, made his contribution to these 164 cases. The es his own time and place to strike. He is a therefore, harbor a pathological hatred for next four commonest methods were hitting or faceless, anonymous adversary, linked to such women.
kicking to death victims), strangulation or his victims only by chance, without accom In June 1977, when the toll of death was asphyxiation use of a blunt instrument plices, working alone in the darkness, driven five prostitutes or, in the words of the police,
and shooting That only 35 people only by his solitary and dreadful iust. good-time girls continued on page Questioneg NOYS UTENTE letter was sent, the police found another memento" from the the battered body Jear-old Josephine Whitaker ina park residential neighborhood of Halifax, where she had spent the evening at her grandparents house.n there was anew and sinister development. The ing of the first innocent" male victim. The this, his 12th and. most recent victim, it was ap Ripper killed his first innocent victim. Early tradition that a murdered prostitute forfeits parent that no woman waiking alone at night on the morningofSunday, June 26, a five-year the tribute of outrage and sympathy paid to in the northern cities Wassafe.
that prostitutes, by the choice of their danger confident 20"year 019 student of Bradford profession, somehow half deserve their University, took a walk alone after an evening Dear Officer, fate. And indeed, if some female psychopath spent with her university friends and was Sorry I haven't written, about a year to be began striking down the men customers of er seen alive by them again. Her huddled body, exact, but I haven't been up North for quite
55349 Handwriting experts say that samples of the Ripper's script indicate that he ts angry, obsessive and probably arrogant. But the only thing these letters to thepolice prove is that he was tn Sunderland about March 8 and 13, 1978, when they were postmarked, be Chapeltown too bloody hot there, maybe Perhaps we find some comfort in a belief that age, he may be a casualty of the war. Bradford's Manningham. Might write again if when wickedness is so appalling that it isal may have lost his mother in childhood, or up North. most beyond human comprehension, the per er known her, or been the child of a prostitute Jackthe Ripper. petrator must be mad, categorized as uniquely brought up series of foster parents or inin PS. Did you get the letter 1 sent to Daily set apart from the humanity that heviolates, stitutions. He himself has made 25 children Mamchestor Certainly tha mast and man Handwriting experts say that samples of the Ripper's script indicate that he ts angry, obsessive and probably arrogant. But the only thing these letters to the police prove is that he was in Sunderland about March 8 and 13,1978, and March 23, 1979, when they were postmarked.
murderers have had a number of psychology than perfect, but others were deeply caring It is interesting that the punctuation, correct ical traits in common that can provide some and all were the only real mothers their chilin the first sentence, deteriorated at the end of Kind of mental identikit picture of the York den will ever know.
the letter, as if the writers increasing tension shire Ripper, All have been aggressive, cruel, has made him uncaring. This is a man to incapable of remorse, totally insensitive to the none of this psychological surmiswhom correct punctuation does not come feelings of others, impulsive, with a limited or ing is particularly helpful to the pother easily or naturally, who is unlikely to no capacity for human affection or love. Often lice. They can hardly follow up the work with words. And the way in which he the lust for cruelty and the criminality man histories of every deprived, ill-treathas written the date could be significant, ifest themselves early. ed or institutionalized child during March 23rd The figures seem to have been Peter Krten of Dsseldorf, perhaps the the last 30 years. And even if they formed with greater assurance than the let most notorious ofmass murderers and the one could, there can be no certainty that ters. The impression gainedand it could be of whom we know most, was the child this particular killer follows the same psychono more than a hunch-is that he is accus and debauched father and committed logical pattern. When he ts discovered, as the toyed to writing the date, perhaps on invoice first murder asa teenager. police firmly believe he will be, he may cones, order forms or accounts. Peter Manuel, the British multi-murderer found all our preconceptions.
Twelve days after Oldfield received this let who was hanged on July 11, 1958, was first Meanwhile the police know a lot about their ter the Ripper was indeed on the job. Josephine found guilty of a serious crime at th quarry. He is male and he is white. He is un Whitaker became his 1 1th victim. of 12. likely to be as young as 20 or as old'as 60, and The police, the psychiatrists advising them, Almost certainly the Yorkshire Rippef his strength suggests a man in early middle and the mass media have frequently described experienced. childhood-true never age, perhaps between 30 and 45. He is tough the Ripper as a psychopath. It is a convenient learned to love in the only way humans can and strong; not all the bodies were killed where label, particularly to a generation that has an learn, by being himself consistently loved in they were found, and it is known that he-realmost prurient distaste for the word "sin." his first, vital years. If he is now in early mid turned to the scene of at least one murder ae After the body of student Barbara Leach, 20, was found in a Bradford alley, the police conducted a painstaking fingertip search of the area clues, By the end of 1979 more than 200,000 people had been interviewed tn connection with this massive manhunt.
was posted from Sunderland to Oldfield or October, even sooner IfI get the chance, I'm Why couldn't he get to Could porting tocome from the Ripper. not sure where, maybe Manchester. I like it long-distance lorry driver with only a To listen to it Is an extraordinary expert there; there's plenty of them knocking about. ited power to alter or determine his schedu ence. The voice, with its unmistakable north They never learn, do they, George? I bet And why the implied doubt about the
east or Geordie accent, is flat, controlled, you've warned them but they never listen. of his victims? Surely he knows how many almost expressionless. The effect 15 of a sec At the rate I'm going I should be in the has killed. Is this an attempt to mislead, or ond-rate actor reading his lines carefully and Book of Records. 1 think it's eleven up to indication that the speaker genuinely does without passion or, indeed, much conviction, now, isn't it? know the toll, that the tape is a And but with an unmistakable note of underlying Well I'll keepon going for a while yet.Ican't. is genuine, how can he be so confident that contempt. There are no hesitation and the im see myself being nicked just yet. Even if you has left no prints? He may wear ordinz pression gained is that the man is reading from do get near, I'll probably top myself first. Well, gloves when he accosts his victims, but aprepared script. it's been nice chatting to you, George. Yours, would surely be difficult, cumbersome a Jack the Ripper. time-consuming at that awful moment wh I'm Jack. I see you are still having no fuck No good looking for fingerprints. You every second must count, to mutilate the be catching me. I have the greatest respect for should know by now it's as clean as a whis wearing wooden or leather gloves, Does you, George, but, Lord, you are nearer See you soon. perhaps wear under them pair of membrar catching me now than four years ago when I thin surgical gloves? Is he a male nurse started. he tape must be unique in the his hospital or laboratory technician, a 1 reckon your boys are letting you down, tory of criminal investigation, not who is used to protective clothing and George. You can't be much good, can ya? The because it exists but in the number work with gloved hands, swiftly, skillfu only time they came near catching me was a of people who have heard it. It was
Jew months back Chapeltown when 1 was broadcast on local radio and a tee The tape ends with a snitch of a pop disturbed. Even then it was a uniformed cop phone service was installed where Thank you for being a friend. an incongr per.not detective. by people could ring a special final that ts more chilling even than Iwarned you in March that strike again. number and hear it played and replayed. One speech.So we know two minor facts Sorry it wasn't Bradford. 1 did promise you listen to that flat, unemotional voice in an him: own or has access to a tape record that, but couldn't get there. not quite sure intensity of concentration as if to wrench and a record player, and, unless he chose a Mearns Questioned
BARRY Maureen Long, attacked by a man believed to be the Ripper, listen to a tape recording he sent to the police, Officers used. a description from an informant to create the composite photograph in the inset above. The picture has been distributed widelywith no results, or bought that record specifically for the The police believe that someone some could even be married, a respectable husbar.
main that this information could have been a ing over his obsession, floating over the toll of But is there somewhere a woman who lies lucky guess on the part of a that both death, bereavement and misery for which he, rigid beside him at night tn the darkness letters and tape are cruel practical jokes. And single-handed in his cleverness and cunning, wondering? And if there is, how long if this should be so, then the major efforts of has alone been responsible. it be before she has the courage to react the police are being misdirected and wasted. But the reality could be very different. He for a telephone? 2, Mearns Questioned
B.JAMES The undisputed successor to the late Agatha Christie's title as queen of the British detective story is James, author of seven highly acclaimed novels. May book, Innocent Blood, will be published by Charles Scribner's Sons. LIFE asked James to investigate a mass murder case in Yorkshire that has confounded police for more than four years. This ts her report.
Police Constable 97, John Neil of Division of the Metropolitan Police, was making his way through the gaslit shadows of Bucks Row in Whitechapel. east London. in the light of his bull's-eye lamp he saw the body of a woman sprawled in stable gateway. was not in itself an unusual sight. Women. dead drunk on starving, even raped, were the In the greary streets of Bradford (left) the Yorkshire Ripper found and killed his 12th victim. Below are the dozen women who were murdered and mutilated ina triangle of terror in England's industrial north.
3 Wilma McCann, killed October 30,1975 2 Joan Harrison. killed November 20, 1975 Emily Jackson, killed January 20, 1976 Irene Richardson, killed February 6, 1977 8 Patricia Atkinson, killed April 24,1977 Jayne MacDonald. killed June 26,1977 7 Jean Jordan, killed October 1.1977 8 Yvonne Pearson, killed January 21, 1978 2 9 Helen Rutka. killed January 31. 1978 30 Vera Millward. killed May 17.1978 13 Josephine Whitaker. killed April 5, 1979 12 Barbara Leach killed September 2, 1979 A bobby walks his lonely beat in. Bradford tn the NOSNIM art of the drab and disreputable urban hinterlands that are the Ripper's Desptte the best killing ground.
the network of sinister courts and alley that asphyxiation), then later using a sharp cutting Seconds later they were gazing in horror at instrument to inflict on the body his distincmade up the Whitechapel slums. the battered and mutilated body of a woman.
But this body was dreadfully different. In tive trademarks of hatred and contempt. Like She proved to be Mrs. Wilma McCann, the 28- his mentor he gets his sexual release from killthe light of his lamp, Police Constable Neil saw year-old mother of four children, who was livthat her neck had been severed. down to the ing and mutilationnot from rape.
mutilate. Almost certainly he uses a similar The social, political and economic differ England. They glimpse through the what method, first stunning his victim with a blunt they thought at first was a bundle of sudden ances between the north and the south of Engweapon the Victorian Ripper probably used land are remarkable for so small a
decessor. Poverty is relative. The professional Charles Warren. an ex-Army officer who was perpetually at odds with the home secretary Police officers retire early. and. at 56, Oldand semiprofessional prostitutes who fell vic field would normally be turning his thoughts tim to the Yorkshire Ripper had no need to so and whose subordinates were more qualified to subdued the helots of empire than to ives to his neglected garden and to the field sports limit for the price of a bed in a stinking doss that, like a number of other senior deter house nor to save their children from hunger. tigate crime. The modern Ripper is hunted by PP poo 5
16 years, at Leeds, Sunday, 26th June, 1977 4 A reward of25,000 offeredfor leading tothearrestapdconviction of.2 the respamuble the above-mentioned crimes. i Did you see The sponsors ate the West Yorkshire Metropolitan Police Authority who are her after offering up to and Yorkshire Post Newspapers who are offecmg up 10 10 pm.
The terms under wtuch Ibis money is offered are as follows: Saturday, 25th June?
i IF SO, PLEASE CONTACT THE POLICE. ALL 1 INFORMATION WILL TREATED CONFIDENTIALLY. VITALLY IMPORT WHEN COSSIDERED VILIS TELEPHONE LEEDS 454173, 454187 INFORM.
INE 5050 OR CONTACT ANY POLICE OFFICER. WHAT YOU SAY WILL BE TREATED IN STRICTEST CONFIDENCE. YOUR IDENTITY WILL SE REVEALED, CAN YO HELP? IF SO, PLEASE CONTACT THE POLICE. ALL THINK HARD AND COME FORWARD NOW IF YOU KNOW OR INFORMATION WILL BE TREATED CONFIDENTIALLY.
her virtuous sisters was certainly held by the As in the case of the original Jack the Ripadventure playground found the battered body Victorians and dies hard. But the fact remains per, the police have received letters purporting of a 16-year-old shop girl, Jayne MacDonald. that with the death of Jayne MacDonald, the to come from the killer that they believe to be She had spent the previous evening with her situation changed dramatically. From now on genuine. Three were postmarked in Sunderboyfriend in a disco-pub, and they had then it was enough for the Ripper that the women Jand, on the 8th and 13th of March 1978 and gone together to his house in the hope that he walked alone at night in a district of ill repute. on March 23, 1979. The second was sent to would be able to borrow a car to drive her the Daily the others were addressed to home. The car wasn't available, and afterafur was to claim two further innocent George Oldfield by name. The greater part of ther short time out together they parted and victims, neither of these even walk the 1979 letter was released by the police as she apparently made the fatal decision to take ing in a red-light area. On the night part of their publicity campaign. The facsim Shortcut home through the Chapeltown red 4 of April 4. 1979, Josephine Whitaker, with a gap where sentences that may later light district. She was struck down in the street a 19-year-old clerk, set out to walk provide vital or useful evidence have been deand her body dragged to the playground and her home in the good-class reis leted, exert a powerful fascination, as if the dumped there, within a quarter of a mile from ential district of Halifax after spend black spike letters, which look as if they have herhome. ing the evening with her grandparents. The been heavily scored onto the paper, must yield The woman's movernent protected at the next morning her battered and mutilated body police and media description of Jayne their secret under the concentrated scrutiny was discovered in an area of open parkland. million eyes and the microscope of the ex Donald as the first innocent victim, presenting In the early hours of the morning of Sepwhatthey saw atthe chauvinistic assumption pert graphologists.
streetwalkers and mistakenly killed a man exact, but I haven't been up North for quite a bearing the marks of the Ripper, was found while. I wasn't kidding last time I wrote, walking home on his lawful business. it is by a policeman in a backyard within yards of That was last month. so 1 don't know when I ficult to imagine the police or newspapers wit her flat. By the time the murderer had claimed will get back on the job but 1 know it won't
morethan 200,000 people had been interview a painstaking fingertip search connection with this mass ofithearea and moved the corpse. He can ive manhunt, drive where I will strike again, but it On a date just before June 18, 1979, a tape will be defi from the words some concrete clue was posted from Sunderland to nicely some time this year, maybe to the Oldfield September mans identity.
with no results, er bought that record specifically for the The police believe that someone somepose of taunting George Oldfield, he buys pop could even be married, a respectable husband where knows who he is. What is almost music. Both facts may be helpful corroborative in and father, perfectly normal except in this one credible is that such a Person should evidence if he is caught; neither Is particularly keep dreadful compulsionthat he gets his kicks silent knowing, as he or she must, that helpful in catching him. 12 out of killing and mutilating women. And his women have died and that others will almost If this were a detective novel, the trading of wife could be totally unsuspicious ofthe truth.
Portunity perhaps for an interesting or anus 7 the sadistic mass murder No man is an island, entire of itself; every ingly written scene between the detective hero er Peter Krten confessed to man is a piece of the continent, a part of the and the shopkeeper. But real life is less his wife so that she could colmain. In modern industrial society that accommodating. The police have vigorously let the reward by giving him must be physically as well as philosophically followed up the clue of the Pop song, but he found it almost imposor theologically true. Even the loneliest, without success. the most solitary, the least companioriable and the ES sible to convince her that he But of one fact they feel certain: the man most friendless have some contacts with was a killer. It is said that he who wrote the three letterstwo to the police, described the details to her while they were man life, with a landlady. with colleagues at one to the Manchester office of the Daily Mirror out together having a meal. Not surprisingly, work, with an employer. Even if he lives alone, also sent the tape, since the handwriting on she was too sickened to be able to finish her someone must share a house with him, Pass the envelopes is the same. The police believe food; Krten. disliking waste, ate it for her.
him on the stairs, sell him food and patrol, that the letters are genuine, partly because Perhaps there are some suspicions so ex work with him or for him, speak to him somepert graphologists have advised that they dreadful that the mind refuses fully to acare time during the day.
unlikely to be fakes, but also. apparently knowledge them. Perhaps the wife or be It is perhaps natural to picture him in a solicause they contain certain information, not re family are too frightened of him or too tary bed-sitting-room or small flat, livingalon leased to the public, which could be know ashamed to come forward. Dreadful crimes opening his tins of soup and baked beans, feedonly to the killer. But the possibility must have been committed and condone in the re ing his gas fire with tenpenny pieces, brood main that this information could have been name of social respectability.
NEGATIVES INITIALS FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION DELETED PAGE INFORMATION SHEET
Always obtain signature of addresses or agent) IL have received the artife described above.
had previously contacted an Agent of the FBI to arrange an appointment and interview regarding information she may have regarding a possible suspect in the Yorkshire Ripper case involving the homicides of twelve girls in the Yorkshire area of England.
who appeared to be rational, intelligent, articulate, and calm throughout the entire interview, stated she had read a recently published article in the April, 1980, issue of "Life" magazine, wherein there was a lengthy story and article as well photographs regarding the Yorkshire Ripper case, and b7C stated that based upon numerous similarities to an individual b7D known to her she felt compelled to come forward at this time and provide is information and the similarities to the FBI for appropriate dissemination to stated she currently resides at and has a home telephone number of area whose date of was born at employed as a This document contains neither recommendations nor b7E conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency.
She advised she began corresponding type relationship and eventually met him Englan and developed an amorous association with him.
advised that she has had recurring various times has been separated from During a period of separation during the past year she received a number of letters ron and always corresponded with him through letters and cassette tapes.
stated that in July of 1978, i writing that he had some form of and was going to a pain clinic for this be ness. state that she became interested in helping and made arrangements for him to come to the United receive treatment at the through a advised arrangements had been made for to come to the United States on September 1, 1979, but he became extremely upset in telephone conversations with her on that date, indicating that he could not get his via arrangements made, and would not be able to depart England and come to the United States on September 1, 1979, as planned. It is noted that the last of the slayings, Barbara Leach, occurred on September 2, 1979.)
stated Jackson did not come to the United States until October He was seen jan stayed and i until November 23, 1979, when he returned
leavisea that during this time, she had several conversations with about the Yorkshire Ripper case, and he would frequently kid with her about possibly being the "Ripper" himself. advised that her marital problems in the United States increased, and she December 10, 1979, after returning to him for a short period of time.
Jadvised that in her le lephone calls and cassette tapes that she exchanged sssssi she had made arrangements for him to come to the United States again, which he did on January 25, 1980. She advised he remained here for several weeks but stated after awhile he had to return because of heart condition and she was to follow at a later time to England to join him.
stated a number of things have occurred in her thinking dolls par behavior, and inquiries her part determined that he evidently has been involved in some kind of drug addiction. Because of his disease which is known as ankylosing he takes numerous types of medications and drugs for this form of arthritis and evidently has been treated in the past in England as a drug addict.
that a number of things have occurred in the recent past regarding shar personality changes and erratic behavior on the part of which have lessened her 575 romantic involvement with him, and stated that upon reading a recent article published in the April, 1980, issue of Life" magazine regarding the Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper", she has detected a large number of similarities which may or may not be Significant, all of which indicate to her some possibility that be considered suspect.
was quick to note that she has evidence or anything of a specific nature relating to any of the murders, but stated that after reviewing this article in Life" magazine which contained a large number of photographs and other items regarding the case, she then began a review of the things that had occurred involving and noted these similarities. These similarities are set out in alphabetical order below and correspond to the appropriate alphabetical letter contained in the Life" magazine article, which is also being submitted in conjunction with this communication.)
Similarities provided a number of handwritten letters from which were sent to her and which show some similarities to various letters and writings sent by the "Ripper" to the police.
Use of Poetry advised that frequently write poems to her in the mail and noted that one of the letters indicates a form of poet b7c writing a letter b7D noted that in the which is marked page 68 of the article, the "Ripper" uses one quotation mark rather than two, and this is consistent with the style utilized 1eaters to her wherein he also uses only one quotation mark rather than two to set out quotes.
place a number of initials he bottom of his letters, the meaning of which she was to guess.
She noted that at the end of the 68 of the article, the letters appear in parenthesis at the end such is consistent with the style used by In conversations that thea with her here in the United States on his two visits here, both in October, 1979, and January, 1980, he made numerous references to the fact that the Ripper" could not be caught, because he was too smart, and repeated this indication that he was too smart" a number of times.
advised that she believes there is some possibility the letters the end of the letter may be indicative of the "too smart" statement which would asain be consistent with the style of writing
was formerly lL Jana his letters frequently reflect a journalistic style, similar to that contained in paragraph noted on page 68 of the article, wherein he says "Release of Drury Arouses Fury" which is headline style writing.
On April 18, 1979, advise that she sent a cassette tape to wherein she included on the tape a recording of the Beadles popular record Thank You For Being a Friend, as the general contents of her letter was thinking for being a friend. She stated this tape containing the song Thank You For Being A Friend was mailed from the United States on April 18 or April 19, 1979.
advised that after a review of the article, she notes that on page 78 of the article, there is an indication that a tape was sent from Sunderland in which the tape ends with a portion popular song Thank You For Being a Friend. This was two months after the day she 777 had sent the tape to jalso provided a copy of cassette tape that had been sent to her in which he makes references to the Ripper", also thanks her for being a friend", and contains several other statements which may be suitable for comparison with the tape received from the "Ripper" by the police.
It is to be noted Cis an avid stamp collector and on occasions, when she has been with him to mail letters, he has been extremely particular and has paid special attention to the proper and accurate placing of the stamp in the upper right-hand corner of the letter. ssatea Chat commented a number of times that one should take care to properly mount these stamps on a letter, and he would take an extended period of time to do so to insure that they were accurately and correctly placed in the corner.
noted that in the four letters contained under letter on page 76 of the article, all of these stamps are also very neatly and accurately placed in the upper right-hand corners.
one of the letters received by her fron he makes note of the fact that he has not been able to write her for a period of time because he has been up North" for a period of time. noted that on page 74 of the article, where letter appears, there is a portion of a letter from the Ripper" in which he quotes that he had not been up North". Such the Ripper" in communications tf is similar in word and style to an expression used Lb
I. The psychiatrists advising the police in England in their investigation of this mate indicate on page 76 of the article under letter that they feel "the Yorkshire Ripper" most certainly experienced childhood trauma, has never learned to love others, that he is a white male, bakween years of age, and would appear to be physically fit.
noted that all of these characteristics are consistent with including the fact that he noted his father was a strictly religious person, and his mother extremely timid and meek. He had no love for either of his parents, he had an extremely bad childhood filled with psychological trauma, all of which left him scared. She noted that in his recent trip to the United States in indicated that his parents had both died within a week of each other, that he felt "nothing" for them in their passing and had no remorse or borrow because of his extremely unsatisfactory childhood.
3. providea two photographs, one in b7D color and one in black and white (passport size) which bear resemblance to the composite photograph contained in the inset located on page 81 of the article.
netea that to come to the United States on September 1, 1979, but delayed this entry because he reportedly was having trouble obtaining his via to travel to the United States and did not actually do so until October 25, 1979. noted the slaying of the last victim, Barbara Leach, occurred on September 2, 1979.
stated that although many of these similarities may be simple conjecture on her part, and she has no way of correlating any direct or positive links between and the Ripper", there are sufficient similarities which she feels would warrant investigation.
ecent visit to the United States, mE stayed with one of her friends. On one occasion fiend observed NE had an astrological book. bookmark in this volume, utilized a newspaper clipping which contained a headline regarding the "Ripper" case. The friend had indicated that she had also observed the word the clipping.
advised that when her friend quizzed about the bookmark and what it was about, he stated that it was a secret".
noted that was and served in sometime dui with service at a station somewhere that she would remain fully cooperative in is matter and provide to the FBI any additional ation that should come to her attention for referral and requested that her identity not be divulge outside law enforcement.
All suspects in this matter should be considered armed and dangerous.
Re Bureau letter to Leget, London, 4/18/80. Enclosed for the Bureau six copies of on reflecting investigation conducted at Charlottesville, to be forwarded to regret, London, for trensnttol
It is noted investigation set out in enclosed was done an attempt to locate blood type for suspect and to further clarify the procedures used by with regard to the cassette recording she made of the song Thon You for Being Friend".
was meicoll examined in et Bospital on complaining of chronic lower The conduct on performed no blood type was recorded. eport of the exeminerion was sent by mail to in November, 1979.
Local Address: advised the examination of Jon October 29, 1979 failed to determine any cause for the lower beck pain which complained
On April 23, isso, advised she recordd the song "Thank You for Being a Friend" in April, 1979 directly from radio broadcast on Radio Stotion Charlottesille, Virginia. She further stated to the best of her knowledge, the cassette tee on which she med the recording he not been previously used for other recording. She stated the cassette recorder used is her personal property in her possession.
evises she recent telephonic contact with 3 he asked her to visit him in England on May 1, 1980. stated she does not went to interfere with any ongoing enforcement investigation but if is eliminated being the subject of the Yorkshire Ripper caso, she intend to visit him int She indicated she will not visit him until this matter 15 resolved.
ReButeleal to London 4-14-30 and London telcal to Enclosed for Legal Attache, London, are two copies of an airtel and three copies of an dated 4-18-80 fron Richmond. Also enclosed are the original enclosures b7D mentioned in attached airtel. For information of Richrond, permission was obtained through Legal Attache, London, for the reproduction and detention of a copy of the enclosures for the future use of the Behavioral Research Unit of the Training Division, if pertinent.
For further information of Richmond, the airtel, and enclosures furnished by Richmond are being hand-carried 4-21-80 by Inspector-Paputy Assistant Director of FRIHQ for delivery to which has advised legal Attache, London, tha has not come to their attention in this investigation and an intensive investigation 3 to have previous convictions for minor violation in England.
Specimens received Personally delivered by Special Agent Laboratory Division, on April 16, 1980. 91 One Boots Audio 90-minute magnetic tape cassette marked on side 1.
PAGE Do Not Include Administrotive Page Information Investigative Report Fatsoos letter to FBI, 5/13/80 Synopsis: completed eitminated as being a suspect. requests miscellaneous items be returned
Deleted Page(s) Duplication Fee ForthisPage Bulky Exhibit Inventory of Property Acquired as Evidence i FD-192 (Rev. 5-6-80) Date Title and Character of Case 4/18/80 i
i Date Broperty Acquired Source From Which Property Acquired Location of Property or Bulky Exhibit Reason for Retention of Properly and Efforts Made to Dispose of Same 1 i Bulky drawer To Be Returned Agent Submitting Property or Exhibit Agent Assigned Case i Yes No No Grand Jury Material Disseminate Only Pursuant to Rule ET, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, i Description of Property or Exhibit 3Case materials tape