USA: CRIME NOVELIST PATRICIA CORNWALL CLAIMS DNA DISCOVERIES REVEAL SERIAL KILLER " JACK THE RIPPER " WAS BRITISH ARTIST WALTER SICKERT
Record ID:
640726
USA: CRIME NOVELIST PATRICIA CORNWALL CLAIMS DNA DISCOVERIES REVEAL SERIAL KILLER " JACK THE RIPPER " WAS BRITISH ARTIST WALTER SICKERT
- Title: USA: CRIME NOVELIST PATRICIA CORNWALL CLAIMS DNA DISCOVERIES REVEAL SERIAL KILLER " JACK THE RIPPER " WAS BRITISH ARTIST WALTER SICKERT
- Date: 11th November 2002
- Summary: (W8) NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (NOVEMBER 11, 2002) (REUTERS) SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) CORNWELL SAYING : "I know that I am going to walk into a firestorm and there are several factors going on here, one, a lot of people don't want it solved, it is a great industry you know all those 'trick or treat' Ripper walks, five dollars a person and then come drink beer at the Ten Bells pub, they have hundreds of people who do that virtually every night in London, it is a tourist attraction, you have everything else that goes along with Jack the Ripper and it is a large industry and it has been a major pre-occupation for a lot of people, you know they wanted to solve this crime, and so this you know little blonde American woman comes flitting in there and does it, is not something that sits well." VARIOUS, COVER OF CORNWELL'S BOOK "PORTRAIT OF A KILLER"
- Embargoed: 26th November 2002 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES / UNIDENTIFIED FILM LOCATIONS
- Country: USA
- Topics: Entertainment,General
- Reuters ID: LVA4S9EKI6RVTVG3Z0H91U4OQIPF
- Story Text: A best-selling American crime novelist claims she has
uncovered Jack the Ripper's identity using DNA. Patricia
Cornwell says she has proof that famous artist Walter Sickert
was also the violent Victorian rapist who brutally killed at
least seven women.
The world's most notorious and mysterious serial
killer, immortalized most recently in the Hollywood
blockbuster "From Hell", may have been pulled from the shadows
by a best-selling American novelist. Patricia Cornwell's
research might have solved one of the greatest
murder-mysteries of all time - by revealing the identity of
notorious Victorian London murderer, Jack the Ripper.
Cornwell spent the last 16 months researching the serial
killer's identity, hiring some of the world's best forensic
scientists.
Examining DNA, collected from the Ripper's letters sent to
police, Cornwell claims it matches that of artist Walter
Sickert - a respected painter in his day whose works are still
collected by some of the world's most famous museums.
Cornwell details her case in her new book "Portrait of a
Killer, Jack the Ripper, Case Closed" out on the shelves today
(November 11).
The author says the scientific evidence has convinced her
that Sickert is indeed the Ripper.
"To me you know, layer after layer, after layer after layer
of this, you know, Sickert water marks, Ripper water marks,
paper matches, to call it coincidence becomes ridiculous," she
said.
Cornwell examined DNA found on stamps from letters sent by
the Ripper to London's Metropolitan Police, and matched them
with DNA found on stamps from Sickert's correspondence. She
also matched watermarks on the writing paper.
Total proof though may never be available, because Sickert
was cremated in 1942, when he died aged 81.
Cornwell also studied Sickert's paintings, coming to the
conclusion he was a tortured soul, who possessed a violent
hatred of women.
In 1988, at least seven women were murdered by Jack The
Ripper, they were all prostitutes, whose bodies were
dismembered and slashed to pieces. The identity of the
Victorian killer who terrorised London has fascinated the
world ever since.
Cornwell says though, that uncovering his identity does
little to demystify the man.
"Here is the irony, I think that now that you know who Jack
the Ripper is, and when you see in my book the real nature of
his crimes, he is far far more frightening that anybody has
ever imagined. He in my opinion is the worst serial killer
that I have ever heard anything about," she said.
But, after many months studying Sickert, Cornwell says he
had a charming side to him also, and was the darling of the
aristocracy.
"This man was also a genius, he was creative, he was was
also very mathematical and scientific, he spoke more than
five languages, he hung out with the aristocracy and with
celebrities of the day, he was physically beautiful when he
was young, he was blonde blue eyed with physical features,
charming, started out as an actor and this sort of person you
would have enjoyed talking to at a party and may have even let
him walk you home and you would have had no idea," she said.
The mystery of Jack The Ripper is now a lucrative industry,
with numerous daily tours around the East End of London,
showing tourists the areas of London where the grisly murders
took place.
Last year there was even a blockbuster Hollywood movie
based on Jack The Ripper, "From Hell" starring Johnny Depp as
a detective trying to track down the killer.
Cornwell acknowledges that her claims will undoubtedly
cause a stir amongst those people who do not want the mystery
to be solved, or people who themselves have been chasing the
Ripper's identity.
"I know that I am going to walk into a firestorm and there
are several factors going on here, one, a lot of people don't
want it solved, it is a great industry you know all those
'trick or treat' Ripper walks, five dollars a person and then
come drink beer at the Ten Bells pub, they have hundreds of
people who do that virtually every night in London, it is a
tourist attraction, you have everything else that goes along
with Jack the Ripper and it is a large industry and it has
been a major pre-occupation for a lot of people, you know they
wanted to solve this crime, and so this you know little blonde
American woman comes flitting in there and does it, is not
something that sits well." - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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