Last Podcast On The Left
Last Podcast On The Left
"The next year the killer struck again; this body had been divided down the spinal column and contained evidence that had been to decomposing in line for a time before being dumped in the river but for some reason when the jury came back with whether or not it should be investigated as a murder they left it as an open verdict meaning they admitted it was suspicious but didn't say it was an out-and-out murder." — Marcus Parks
"So pretty much the only thing they could glean from the body was that it was dismembered by someone who obviously knew what they were doing the joints were opened and the bones were disarticulated with the only sawing being the hip joints and the shoulders." — Ben Kissel
"Both were product killers; all the Jack had a fair amount of process thrown in there as well. That's saying that Jack is again, saying that Jack the Ripper was one person, yeah, which is probably was multiple people." — Marcus Parks
The episode begins by introducing a mini-episode format, setting the stage for a discussion tied to "The Alienist." The hosts then pivot to the primary subject: the "Torso Murders" of Victorian London. They highlight that between 1887 and 1889, six dismembered female torsos were found, a grim reality often overshadowed by the more widely known Jack the Ripper case. The discussion emphasizes the primitive forensic techniques of the era, such as attempts to reconstruct bodies by sewing parts together and using detached faces for identification, which were largely unsuccessful and often gruesome.
The narrative details specific instances, including the discovery of a woman's remains in the Thames in 1873, where body parts were recovered over time, leading to a rudimentary reconstruction. The role of Dr. Thomas Bond, who examined these cases and also worked on Jack the Ripper investigations, is mentioned as one of the earliest criminal profilers. The episode contrasts the dismemberment techniques of the torso murders, suggesting the skill of a butcher or "knacker" (one who disposes of dead animals), with the more frenzied mutilation observed in some of the Ripper's canonical victims.
Further into the episode, the hosts recount the discovery of a skull with flesh stripped off and a thigh in 1884, along with a body parcel containing a tattoo that hinted at the victim's profession. They also discuss a torso found near the new Scotland Yard construction site, a daring placement that highlights the killer's audacity. The episode concludes by noting that while most torso murder victims remained unidentified, Elizabeth Jackson was identified as the fifth victim, explaining why these cases are less known. The discussion touches upon the ongoing debate among "ripperologists" about the potential connection to Jack the Ripper, with most leaning towards separate perpetrators or distinct criminal activities.