Jack the Ripper's true identity uncovered: A cigar-maker from 19th-century London?

The great-great-granddaughter of a police officer who investigated the "Jack the Ripper" murders in 19th-century London has uncovered what she believes to be the killer's true identity. Sarah Bax Horton's book on her research into local cigar-maker Hyam Hyams reveals a suspect who closely matches witness descriptions from the time of the gruesome murders.

The "Jack the Ripper" killings, where at least six women were brutally murdered in London's East End in 1888, have remained one of Britain's most notorious unsolved cases, spawning an entire industry of books, exhibitions, and tours exploring the Whitechapel district, the site of the crimes.

Bax Horton identifies Hyams, an epileptic and alcoholic with a history of mental health issues and stays in asylums, as the likely culprit. Witnesses from the time described a man in his mid-30s with a stiff arm, an irregular gait, and bent knees, and these descriptions match Hyams' medical records from 1888, when he was 35 years old.

Hyams had an injury that rendered his left arm immobile and caused him to drag his foot and be unable to straighten his knees. His height and build also closely matched the witness descriptions. Medical records indicate he suffered from regular seizures due to epilepsy.

Hyams was permanently committed to a mental asylum in September 1889 and passed away in 1913. Bax Horton's investigation suggests that his physical and mental decline, exacerbated by alcoholism, may have driven him to commit the gruesome murders, which included attacking his own wife with a "chopper."

While Hyams' name had previously been on a list of potential suspects, he had not been fully explored as a Ripper suspect until now. Ripper expert Paul Begg praised Bax Horton's research as a well-written and long-needed examination of a likely suspect in the infamous case. Her book titled "One-Armed Jack: Uncovering the Real Jack the Ripper" will be released next month.

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