unsolved murders and mysteries

Jack the Stripper

Upon reading the name "Jack the Stripper" many mistakenly believe that it is a typographical error of "Jack the Ripper;" however, the two cases are two different cases altogether. The Jack the Stripper cases are also referred to as the Hammersmith murders or the Hammersmith nudes cases, and the London nude murders. Just like Jack the Ripper, Jack the Stripper was known for targeting prostitutes. He is believed to have killed six, but possibly eight prostitutes between the years of 1964 and 1965. The bodies of his victims were found dumped in London's River Thames and throughout London.

As with the case of Jack the Ripper, the case of Jack the Stripper had little evidence to point toward a suspect for the murders other than the presence of paint from a motor manufacturing plant that turned up on a number of the bodies. While there was no actual arrest in the case there have been many suspects. The most likely suspect in the murder cases was a Scottish security guard named Mungo Ireland. Ireland was tied to the case through his position as a security guard at a factory where the flecks of paint found on the bodies were traced to. Unfortunately for the case, Ireland committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning shortly after the flecks of paint were traced back to the factory where he worked. The most significant piece of evidence that pointed to Ireland's involvement in the cases was the suicide note that he left for his wife stating "I can't stick it any longer" in addition to stating "To save you and the police looking for me I'll be in the garage." While this note could indicate an involvement in the cases, other evidence points to Ireland being out of town when one of the Stripper murders took place and that it could not have been his doing. Other suspects have been fingered in the case; however, none have been convicted.