International Infamy Podcast: Who Was Jack The Ripper?

 Did you know that though a number of other women were murdered in 1888 in Whitechapel, Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly are most likely to have been the Ripper’s victims. They are known in Ripper lore as the ‘canonical five.’

All five killings took place within a mile of each other. The women’s bodies had all been mutilated in a sadistic and unusual manner, with organs such as the kidneys removed. This indicated that their killer had substantial knowledge of human anatomy.

To learn much more about the infamous Jack The Ripper, listen to the third episode of Spotify’s latest Original true-crime podcast from Parcast, INTERNATIONAL INFAMY, hosted by Ashley Flowers.

In the episode, a 19th-century London district is terrorized by a serial killer who murders and mutilates women. Each gruesome case is investigated relentlessly — but even after 133 years, the notorious Ripper’s true identity remains unsolved

This newest episode explores the case of Jack the Ripper and the infamous crimes he committed in 19th century London. Jack the Ripper was known for his inconceivable methods of killing at the time, injecting fear into the heart of London. After committing a series of heinous murders on the streets of Whitechapel, Jack the Ripper created a reputation for himself quickly. With his identity a mystery to this day, Ashley Flowers leads a detailed investigation revealing some theories on who may have committed these unsolved murders.

International Infamy with Ashley Flowers is the first Spotify podcast to launch day in date across the USA, Mexico, and Brazil. In every episode, Ashley breaks down interesting and high profile crimes from a foreign country, sharing the twists and turns of the case while also exploring the cultural details that make the stories unique. Ashley has demonstrated her ability to tap into the mystery and history genres with her existing Parcast podcasts (Supernatural, Very Presidential), and in this new show, she returns to true crime but with an international twist.

Ashley Flowers is the Founder & CEO of audiochuck, a female-focused podcast network. In addition to her work executive producing and hosting audiochuck shows, she also hosts Supernatural and Very Presidential for Parcast. Ashley was born and raised in the midwest and has been true-crime obsessed since birth. She grew up with aspirations of becoming a detective and solving cold cases, and ultimately went to college at Arizona State University to study biomedical research.

Every few decades, there is a crime that rocks the entire country - the Lindbergh kidnapping, the Manson Family Murders, OJ Simpon, etc. - and these infamous stories have become part of America’s cultural DNA. Every country around the world has at least one case of this nature, some of which are almost too shocking to believe, and International Infamy will explore 15 different crimes from 15 different countries, including: in France, a conman whose charade ends in mass murder. In Mexico, a masked wrestler turned serial killer. In Iceland, six people confess to a murder that never actually happened. And more.

In the episode, you'll learn more Ripper lore such as that at least six other murders have been linked to Ripper. Among them, Martha Tabram, a Whitechapel resident who had been working as a prostitute. Her body was found on August 7, 1888 in George Yard Buildings, having suffered 39 stab wounds to the chest and abdomen. The post-mortem revealed that the killer had used two different knives, one of which may have been a bayonet. The police therefore deduced that her murderer was a sailor or soldier. However, Inspector Abberline later referred to Tabram as the Ripper’s first victim.

In one of the most famous elements of the Jack the Ripper case, several letters addressed to Scotland Yard soon emerged, claiming to be signed by “Jack the Ripper.” Contained within the letters were details of the killer’s activities and also warnings about future crimes.

Because of the limited technology at the time, the letters couldn’t be traced like they would be today. They might have been a hoax orchestrated by cruel pranksters. But some believe that the murderer really did send letters to the London Metropolitan Police.

Listen: HERE to learn more about Jack The Ripper.