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[Music] from audioboom studios and woodcut media what makes a killer returns for season
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four i'm jennifer natoso and i'll be your host as we examine 13 new killers this season we'll take a look at
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infamous killers including diane downes gary ridgeway the green river killer ted
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bundy and dennis rader the btk killer follow us on spotify or subscribe on apple podcasts stitcher or wherever you
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find your favorite shows [Music] our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents if you feel at any
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time you need support please contact your local crisis center for suggested phone numbers for confidential support
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please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website [Music]
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i'm speaking from london [Music] it is late afternoon and the people of london are preparing for the night
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everyone is anxious to get home before darkness falls before our nightly visitors arrive
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the dusk is deepening listening crews are posted all the way from the coast to london to pick up the
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drone of the german planes soon the nightly battle of london will be on this has been a quiet day for us
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but it won't be a quiet night the searchlights are in position the guns are ready
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the people's army of volunteers is ready they are the ones who are really fighting this war
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the firemen the airaid wardens the ambulance drivers and there's the whale of the banshee
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[Music] the nightly siege of london has begun the city is dressed for battle the sun set over wartime london
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blanketing the entire city in darkness the streetlights on the mostly bare roads were dimmed or turned off
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slotted covers were fitted onto traffic lights and emergency vehicles to direct their bright glow to the ground
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pedestrians navigated the shadowy streets with great difficulty they were permitted to carry a small
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six-inch flashlight but it had to be casted downwards and could only be turned on sparingly
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this was the life of a londoner since september 1939 the war had become the backdrop of
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everyday life walls were plastered with propaganda posters warning of nazi espionage
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sandbags were piled high around lamp posts and in doorways barbed wire encircled government
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buildings which were protected by anti-aircraft weaponry pontoon bridges spanned the river thames
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its embankment peppered with concrete guard posts brick bomb shelters had been constructed
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throughout the city for civilians to swiftly hide in should the enemy breach the perimeter
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most people chose to spend evenings at home hidden behind windows covered with cardboard thick curtains or black
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painted glass strict penalties were doled out to anyone who let even the slightest sliver
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of light escape to hinder enemy aircraft from bombing attacks the city had enforced the
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nightly blackouts the least popular of all anti-bombardment implementations it left the city's nightlife in quiet
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stasis disrupting many lives and lowering morale looting theft burglaries robberies and
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gang-related crime increased under the cover of darkness as did rape and murder [Music]
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on the night of sunday february 8 1942 41 year old evelyn hamilton arrived at a boarding house in london's west end
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she would only be staying for one night as she made her way further north to the
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port town of grimsby after unpacking and settling into her room evelyn asked the boarding house
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owner where she could get a late meal she was directed to a restaurant approximately half a mile away on oxford
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street [Music] it was nearing midnight when evelyn rugged up and made her way through the
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cold dark streets to the restaurant one of the few places that maintained some element of the boisterous pre-war
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festivities was lion's corner house the large ornate eatery was a popular haunt for military men and volunteers
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tasked with safeguarding london at night while it appeared dark and quiet from the outside
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inside the restaurant was a buzz with live music and patrons drinking to forget about the everyday stress of war
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evelyn was led to a table and ordered a celebratory glass of wine not only was it her birthday she was
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about to start a new job as a pharmacy manager and was looking forward to new beginnings
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by the time evelyn finished her meal it was early monday morning and the sun had
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yet to rise the transition from the bright restaurant interior to the unlit foggy
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streets was disorientating enough but evelyn had to walk extra cautiously in her high heels
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she made her way along montague place passing a cluster of unoccupied above-ground bomb shelters
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[Music] as she walked by the central shelter she was suddenly grabbed from behind and
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dragged inside [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] hours later at 8 40 a.m two men were
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walking along montague place when a weak beam of light caught their attention it was emanating from a small torch that
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lay in the doorway of a nearby bomb shelter the men went to investigate just inside the door lay the lifeless
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body of evelyn hamilton her torn blouse exposing one of her breasts her skirt had also been lifted up with
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her underwear pulled below her knees the men rushed out to alert a police officer and the cramped shoulder was
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soon teeming with detectives scuff marks on evelyn's shoes and broken pieces of mortar indicated she had
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fought to free herself during the skirmish but she had no defensive wounds meaning
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her killer struck fast and unexpectedly before she could gather her bearings and
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fight back bruising and fingernail abrasions along her neck showed that she had been
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manually strangled which prevented her from screaming for help and resulted in her death
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[Music] the absence of foreign fingerprints meant her killer had worn gloves evelyn's wristwatch was frozen in the
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one o'clock position likely broken during the assault this allowed detectives to narrow down
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the exact time she was set upon a light layer of snow had fallen across the city that morning but there was no
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chance of retrieving the perpetrator's footprints from outside the shelter the movements of onlookers detectives
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and other crime scene examiners had turned the snow into slash the blackout had worked in the killer's
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favor by providing them with a cover of darkness and isolation because of this no locals had seen or
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heard anything suspicious yet the scene showed the killer was rushed and likely didn't finish what he
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had intended while there was no physical evidence that evelyn had been sexually assaulted
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the state of her clothing indicated her assailant had intended to do so but fled
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amid attack perhaps he feared he would be caught in the act evelyn's handbag was found discarded on
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the pavement not far from the crime scene it still contained evelyn's identity card and a ration book but her wallet
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was empty of cash evelyn's sister told detectives that evelyn was known to carry large amounts
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of money as she didn't trust banks believed evelyn had 80 pounds stolen from her bag the equivalent of 4 000
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pounds today it seemed highly unlikely that evelyn knew her killer given she was only
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briefly passing through london she had never been in a relationship and there wasn't anyone within her social
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circle that could be immediately highlighted as a suspect men who evelyn had encountered during
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her short stay in london were questioned including the owner of the west end boarding house and other patrons at the
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restaurant she visited one by one they were ruled out leaving homicide detectives with no feasible
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leads [Music] later that monday night 35 year old evelyn oatley sipped a scotch in the
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king's arm pub just under two miles from where evelyn hamilton had been killed less than 24 hours prior
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evelyn oatley had called london home for the past six years making the big move from a poultry farm in blackpool in the
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hopes of becoming a stage actress the west end was renowned for its theaters meaning it was the perfect
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place for evelyn to settle down and begin her new career the outbreak of the war changed
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everything with evelyn's theatre dream halted she did whatever she could to get by
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it was a hard and lonely time as the neon theater lights that drew her to the west end were permanently shut off
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when the king's arms pub closed evelyn stepped outside into the crisper darkness and made her way to her bedside
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apartment on wardor street she shared the building with two other tenants an elderly man who lived on the
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floor above and a woman named ivy pool who lived across the hall evelyn arrived home just before midnight
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as she opened to the front door and stepped into the hallway she was suddenly bathed in light
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ivy stood on the landing above having quickly flicked on a light to help evelyn find her way up the stairwell
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evelyn expressed her thanks and made her way up she wasn't alone she was joined by a man in his mid-20s
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and the pair disappeared into her apartment together ivy was aware that evelyn occasionally
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engaged in sex work to make ends meet but this was the first time she had seen her with a client so young
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ivy returned to her own apartment and could hear evelyn's wireless radio playing as she chatted quietly with her
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male companion [Music] at around 12 30 just as ivy was beginning to doze off she was jolted
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awake by blaring jazz music the wireless in evelyn's apartment had been turned up as loudly as it would go
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this was unlike evelyn who was considerate of her neighbors and never played music at such a volume
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ivy considered knocking on evelyn's door to ask her to turn it down but she didn't want to interrupt
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instead she rolled over and tried her hardest to get to sleep [Music] the music continued on for some time
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before it suddenly stopped and everything fell silent [Music] the next morning of tuesday february 10
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ivy was reading the paper when there was a knock at her door she was greeted by two workmen who were
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collecting money from the personal electricity meters installed in each apartment
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at the time light and heat were supplied to homes for an hourly fee via coin operated machines
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the two men asked if there was anyone else living in the building ivy told them about evelyn oatley whom
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she assumed was sleeping in after her late night ivy accompanied the workmen across the
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hall and knocked on evelyn's door to her surprise it swung open on its hinges evelyn's apartment was cold dark and
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quiet with the electricity meter having run out the blackout curtains positioned over
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the windows made it difficult to see anything inside so one of the workmen shot a torch into the room
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it illuminated evelyn's body lying diagonally across her bed her head extended over the side exposing
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a deep gash across her neck that pulled blood on the floor below ivy still clad in her pajamas rushed
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down the stairwell with the workmen in tow they burst out onto the street where they spotted a policeman and called for
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his attention we just found a dead woman one of the workmen cried out breathlessly
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it was estimated that evelyn oatley was killed three to four hours prior a blood-stained razor blade and a pair
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of hair curling tongs also caked in blood were resting on the blanket beside evelyn's head
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positioned between her legs was a metal can opener with a sharp tip that was used to pierce tin cans
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in this case it had been used to carry out a violent sexual assault and mutilation
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a small flashlight had also been inserted inside evelyn where it still remained although evelyn's throat had been cut
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bruising and abrasions around the gaping wound and the hemorrhaging of her eyes revealed that she had first been
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manually strangled once unconscious evelyn's throat was fatally slit with the razor blade
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the majority of the sexual violence occurred when she was on the brink of death with the flashlight having been
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inserted into her body post-mortem evelyn's handbag and wallet were still in her apartment but their contents were
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scattered and both were empty of cash only ivy pool could provide a description of the young man who had
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come home with her murdered neighbor he hadn't said a word as he followed evelyn into her apartment but ivy
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recalled his short wavy hair that was combed to one side his pointed jaw was clean-shaven except
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for a mustache that framed the top of his thin lips standing about five feet eight inches
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tall he had been wearing a light blue overcoat buttoned up to the collar two women had now been violently
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murdered in central london within a 24-hour period evelyn hamilton's case was rare
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involving an opportunistic killer snatching a random woman off london's darkened streets
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in contrast the murder of a sex worker wasn't nearly as uncommon evelyn oatley's murder was also far more
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bloody and violent carried out by a sadistic killer driven by sexual degradation
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while the differences between the two slangs implied two distinct perpetrators police weren't so sure
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after his seemingly unfinished public attack on evelyn hamilton the killer might have learnt from his mistakes and
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struck behind closed the doors where there'd be less risk or distraction then there was the bruising on each of
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the victim's necks it showed that they had both been strangled by a left-handed individual
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following the murder of evelyn oatley london sex workers were on heightened alert the west end area in which the
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killer struck was referred to in the papers as the mile of terror while some women were extra cautious
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about who they accepted as clientele others couldn't afford to be picky some refused to be inhibited by fear
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although frowned upon by society the act of paying for sex wasn't illegal and the
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sex workers were busier than ever wartime bred a sense of recklessness as no one knew what the future held driving
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people to indulge female police officers posed undercover as sex workers within the mile of terror
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hoping to flush the killer out but he didn't take the bait two nights after the hamilton and oatley
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murders 28 year old sex worker patricia borg walked the drizzly streets of london's paddington district on the
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lookout for potential clients it was nearing 10 pm and business was quiet wanting a break from the cold patricia
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stopped by an empty storefront and lit a cigarette just as she was considering calling it a
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night a man approached and asked patricia will you take me home i have two pounds
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given the city-wide blackout patricia struggled to see the man through the dark but he spoke with a refined english
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accent that indicated he was highly educated two pounds was a substantial amount for
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the time but despite being desperate for the money patricia declined something about the man's mannerisms
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gave her the creeps and the brazen way he propositioned patricia made her wary the man took a deep inhale of a
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cigarette and backed away he asked if patricia knew of any woman who would have him for two pounds
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she said no the man then walked down the road and disappeared into the shadows case file will be back shortly thank you
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a gas attack as the services and they should take the same precautions you should have your gas mask with you
00:24:04
always if you're out in the street when the warning rattle goes put on your gas mask
00:24:12
and get undercover wherever you go have your gas mask with you always later in the evening after patricia borg
00:24:26
turned down her prospective client 25 year old catherine mulcahy was standing on the corner of regent street in the
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west end a young man approached his face barely visible in the faint glow of the
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cigarette he inhaled with each smokey breath he stepped closer eyeing catherine from head to toe he
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asked will you go with me catherine was apprehensive although the man smiled broadly and
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appeared friendly his eyes were emotionless like empty pits nevertheless she accepted his offer and
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the pair climbed into a taxi bound for catherine's apartment near hyde park by the time they arrived catherine was
00:25:18
having second thoughts but she had already taken the man's money and feared his reaction should she deny her
00:25:25
services now neither catherine nor the man had change for the electricity meter so catherine
00:25:33
burned a piece of paper in a saucepan to provide them with a few minutes of light
00:25:39
they removed their clothes and climbed into bed for a brief moment everything seemed to
00:25:45
be going as planned then the man dug his knees hard into katherine's stomach winding her
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he moved so quickly that catherine had a little time to react before she knew it the man had wrapped
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his hands around her throat there was no doubt in katherine's mind that she was about to be killed
00:26:08
she fought back as best she could thrashing clawing and grabbing at her attacker
00:26:15
it was no use he wouldn't let up realizing she was still wearing her boots catherine sourced what little
00:26:24
energy she had left and kicked the man hard in the stomach he rolled off the bed cradling his gut
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giving catherine the opportunity to run out the front door kitty mcquillen lived across the hall
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from catherine mulcahy it was 11 pm when she heard the commotion outside her door and was
00:26:47
startled by catherine's voice screaming murder police kitty opened her front door just as
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catherine rushed inside naked except for a pair of boots kitty caught side of the silhouette of a
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naked man through the doorway into katherine's dark apartment before slamming her own door shut and arming
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herself with a heavy vas the man called out in an unusually calm voice give me a light
00:27:21
miss give me a match kitty opened the door and threw them in a box of matches he collected them off the floor then
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struck one to observe his surroundings kitty could make out his pointed chin but very little else
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have you seen my boots he then asked kitty and catherine watched nervously as the man stumbled about in the dark
00:27:50
collecting his clothes when his match burnt out he lit another once he had managed to dress himself he
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moved towards kitty's apartment door she raised her vars defensively while catherine gripped her tightly from
00:28:07
behind catherine was well aware of who she had crossed paths with the man she had brought home had been
00:28:16
the topic of conversation amongst those who occupied a london streets at night his horrific acts had reignited memories
00:28:25
of an infamous unidentified killer that proud the city 50 years prior jack the ripper slashed and mutilated
00:28:34
sex workers in rage fueled attacks in london's east end between 1888 and 1891 while some theorised that he might still
00:28:45
be alive and was continuing his spree others were convinced the current killer was merely a copycat
00:28:53
they referred to him as the blackout ripper you're a murderer catherine mulcahy yelled as the blackout ripper approached
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without saying a word he reached into his pockets and pulled out a wad of cash he counted out eight pounds in one pound
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notes and threw them towards catherine saying i'm sorry i think i had too much to drink
00:29:25
he then walked down the hallway clambered down the stairs and headed out into the dark street
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[Music] it was then that the blackout ripper crossed paths with doris juanette [Music]
00:29:43
several years earlier henry juanit had been aimlessly shopping on oxford street when he spotted a woman named doris
00:29:50
waiting at a bus stop he had noticed her in the west end before but never felt it was appropriate
00:29:56
to introduce himself this was his chance what followed was a whirlwind romance that led to their marriage two months
00:30:06
later at the outset of the war like many others henry and doris found themselves
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in a financially precarious situation henry took a job as a staff manager of a hotel on regent street
00:30:23
at 7 pm on friday february 13 he arrived home after spending nearly 24 hours at the hotel
00:30:33
to his surprise the milk was still sitting on the doorstep from that morning's delivery
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henry opened the front door and called out to doris there was no response it was pitch black and he struggled to
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find the light switch once he did his eyes were drawn to the remains of last night's meal still
00:30:57
sitting on the kitchen table henry knew immediately that something was wrong doris was extremely tidy and she
00:31:07
wouldn't lay food out overnight henry walked down the hallway towards their bedroom
00:31:15
he could see that a light was on inside but the door was sharp and there was no response when he called out
00:31:22
when henry tried to open the door he realised it had been locked from the inside
00:31:30
henry rummaged through the apartment looking for something he could use to jimmy open the door
00:31:36
unable to find anything and with a growing sense of worry henry summoned the police
00:31:44
an officer soon arrived and circled the exterior of the building looking for a window
00:31:51
the one leading into henry and doris's bedroom was covered by shutters and also locked from the inside
00:31:59
with no other option the officer went inside and gave the couple's bedroom door a big hard kick
00:32:07
the door dislodged from its hinges granting the officer access to the room his attention was immediately drawn to
00:32:16
the bed although it appeared to be made something was clearly underneath the blankets
00:32:24
the officer pulled the covers back exposing doris joanna's body she was naked aside from a black
00:32:32
nightgown that was left open a silk stocking was wrapped tightly around the 32 year old's neck
00:32:42
flesh had been carved out from under her left breast multiple deep incisions had
00:32:47
been made across her body and her genitals had been viciously mutilated the officer exited the bedroom and told
00:32:56
henry i must advise you not to go in that room detectives who were still in the midst
00:33:06
of investigating the murders of evelyn hamilton and evelyn oatley were summoned to the joanna residence
00:33:13
the blackout ripper had struck again henry was aware that doris had been a sex worker before the two met and he
00:33:23
conceded that she must have returned to the profession while he worked nights at
00:33:27
the hotel still her murder was a complete mystery to the devastated henry who later told
00:33:35
reporters lived for each other i wish myself dead because we were so fond of each other
00:33:46
as detectives were documenting the crime scene a police dispatcher pulled up on a
00:33:50
motorbike outside he walked into doris's room with a letter in hand inside was a brief message to detectives
00:34:02
another body had been found earlier that day fifteen-year-old barbara lowe took the train into london
00:34:16
barbara attended a boarding school in the resort town of south andon sea but she ventured into london on the third
00:34:23
friday of every month to spend the weekend with her mother margaret the pair valued their catch-ups which
00:34:31
were often spent shopping walking through the city's famed gardens or seeing a film at the cinema
00:34:39
on the afternoon of february 13 1942 barbara arrived at her mother's apartment on gazfield street in west
00:34:46
london bags in hand barbara excitedly knocked on the front door there was no response
00:34:57
after trying a few more times barbara walked down the road to visit her mother's friend
00:35:03
the friend hadn't seen margaret for a few days and didn't know where she could be
00:35:10
barbara spent the next hour wandering the streets thinking her mother must have gone out and that she might run
00:35:16
into her failing that she returned to gazfield street and stood at her mother's door
00:35:23
once again banging loudly suddenly a neighbor's door swung open and he asked barbara to step inside
00:35:34
two police officers were waiting within holding a package that had been left ignored on margaret's doorstep for
00:35:41
several days margaret's neighbours had summoned the police after becoming worried
00:35:49
they always kept an eye out for margaret as they were aware she took on sex work
00:35:53
to help pay for her daughter's tuition as a result margaret had met some rough and violent men
00:36:04
two days earlier in the early hours of february 11 a neighbor had heard a man wearing heavy boots come and go from
00:36:11
margaret's apartment but they hadn't seen her since [Music] the officers gained access to margaret's
00:36:18
apartment using a set of spare keys they moved through the darkened sitting room and into the cramped kitchen
00:36:28
at the back was a bedroom with a locked door unable to locate a key one of the officers kicked the door down
00:36:39
the room inside was pitch black the officer felt along the wall until he came upon a light switch and clicked it
00:36:48
on the burst of light exposed the bed on the right side of the room margaret lowe laying it face up with
00:36:58
blankets pulled up to her chin the officer pulled the covers back slightly revealing a stocking tied
00:37:06
tightly around her neck margaret lowe bore the brunt of a vicious attack several incisions had been made around
00:37:16
her groin with one 5-inch long cut partially exposing her internal organs lying near margaret's legs was a large
00:37:25
bread knife two dinner knives a paring knife and a metal fire poker all of which were used in the attack
00:37:35
a wax candle was found inside her sourced from a glass candle holder on a nearby mantelpiece
00:37:44
the blackout ripper had now claimed four victims within a two-mile radius in just
00:37:49
five days with each new attack surpassing the previous in severity police knew that at
00:37:56
this pace he could strike again at any moment later that evening thirty-year-old
00:38:09
margaret haywood who was known to friends as mary sat alone in a crowded bar in piccadilly circus a short walk
00:38:17
from the west end she was waiting for a date minutes ticked by and mary soon reached
00:38:25
the conclusion that she had been stood up as 8 30 approached a well-dressed and handsome young man walked over and took
00:38:34
a seat behind her in a refined british accent he asked mary if she would like a drink
00:38:43
mary said she was waiting for someone but this didn't dissuade the man he carried over two glasses of whiskey
00:38:51
handing one to mary and downing his own with a single swig he then stared at mary enough to make
00:39:00
her uncomfortable she didn't care for his overconfidence or charisma but he persisted
00:39:09
smiling he asked to take her to dinner adding i have to be back at my unit by 10 30.
00:39:18
mary reluctantly agreed a decision she regretted the longer she spent in the man's company
00:39:26
at one stage he took a large wad of notes from his wallet and counted 30 pounds in front of her
00:39:33
understanding that he was trying to proposition her mary clarified that she wasn't a sex worker and went to leave
00:39:42
the man persisted calling her a nice girl and saying he fancied her mary remained firm but ultimately agreed
00:39:52
to give him her phone number she wrote it down on a piece of paper that the man slipped into his coat
00:39:59
pocket mary moved towards the door and the man followed her out insisting they spent
00:40:08
the night together while mary found him handsome she didn't even know his name she continued to refuse his advances
00:40:18
until he seemingly accepted the rejection and said he'd escort her back to piccadilly circus
00:40:26
they walked along in silence when all of a sudden the man asked do you know that i knocked a girl out
00:40:33
once he said the girl's father had interfered in their relationship which prompted him
00:40:40
to lash out it was a strange remark but the man didn't elaborate he just continued onwards
00:40:51
struggling to see through the dark mary stumbled on some uneven pavement and took a small flashlight from her back
00:41:00
she had just turned it on when the man yanked it from her hands and switched it off admonishing her for shining light in
00:41:07
the street it was then that mary realised they were heading in the wrong direction
00:41:17
mary pointed this out but the man brushed off her concerns he wanted to kiss her and asked mary if
00:41:24
she knew of any bomb shelters nearby unsure what to do mary walked with him a little longer until he eventually pulled
00:41:33
her into an arched doorway he tried to undress her but mary fought back and attempted to run
00:41:43
the man grabbed her arm pulled her back and blocked the entrance to the doorway so she couldn't escape
00:41:51
he then wrapped his hands around mary's neck seemingly in a trance and with little
00:41:59
emotion he pressed his thumbs into mary's windpipe as she struggled against him the last thing she heard was the sound
00:42:08
of his voice whispering over and over you won't you won't you won't it was approaching 10 p.m when 18 year
00:42:23
old john shine walked through st james's market towards regent street he was passing a shallow side alley when
00:42:31
he noticed a flashlight flickering on and off from under a doorway driven by curiosity jon headed towards
00:42:39
the light when he overheard the sound of a scaffold following the noise jon stopped
00:42:48
he could see a young woman lying in the doorway a man stood over her holding the
00:42:55
flashlight that had caught jon's attention earlier as soon as the man noticed to jon's
00:43:01
presence he dropped the flashlight and took off into the darkened surroundings john rushed towards the woman
00:43:11
it was mary haywood she lay unmoving with her head against the door and her legs pointing to the
00:43:18
street her dress had been torn open and pulled up exposing her thighs her face was dirty and smeared with
00:43:28
blood john knelt down beside mary when all of a sudden she began to moan in pain
00:43:36
he tried to help mary to her feet but her legs were weak and she was disorientated
00:43:44
a police officer who happened to be passing by noticed them and made his way over to help
00:43:52
mary began to cry what has he done she pointed at her bag which was lying on the ground its contents scattered
00:44:01
about just as she went to collect her things jon noticed a small pack lying in the
00:44:08
doorway it was a haversack which was a type of bag typically carried by military
00:44:15
personnel inside was a gas mask [Music] the constant fear of being bombed loomed
00:44:24
over londoners the average person was far more worried about a chemical gas attack
00:44:31
potentially fatal mustard gas had been deployed during world war one and there was a genuine fear it might be used
00:44:39
against civilians again as a precautionary measure the london county council suggested that civilians
00:44:47
carry a gas mask with them at all times john shine picked the gas mask up off the ground and asked mary if it was hers
00:44:57
she said no mary haywood had survived an encounter with the blackout ripper after taking her statement the attending
00:45:09
officer collected the haversack in the gas mask that the killer had left behind printed on the bag's inside flap was a
00:45:18
royal air force number five two five nine eight seven case file will be back shortly thank you
00:45:45
for supporting us by listening to this episode sponsors now a word from our sponsor betterhelp
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you support case file to continue to deliver quality content fight our pilot the words convey something of the spirit
00:47:31
that lies in our squadrons something young and vigorous decisive wanting action at once and finding its
00:47:37
expression in the struggle going on daily over our southeastern shores but you have not yet been let into the
00:47:44
mind of the men who do the flying nor showing their feelings when in the air and going into a fight
00:47:50
the long periods of waiting are a test of temperament some pilots occupy themselves actively others pass the time
00:47:56
in sleep corporal charles johnson of the royal air force was stationed at the aircrew
00:48:06
receiving center had sent james close in regents park at 10 30 that friday night the phone
00:48:13
rang on the other end was a police officer i need you to search records and trace
00:48:22
the number of an airman corporal johnson was told he grabbed a pen 525987 the number was allotted to leading
00:48:36
aircraftman 28 year old gordon cummins cummins had arrived at the center on february 2 to begin training as a
00:48:45
fighter pilot a week later evelyn hamilton was murdered in a bomb shelter less than
00:48:51
half a mile away corporal johnson went to inform cummins that the police wished to speak to him
00:48:58
but he was nowhere to be found a 10 30 pm curfew was in place for cadets but it wasn't until 4 30 am that
00:49:07
cummins was spotted trying to sneak into his living quarters he apologized explaining that he'd been
00:49:15
drinking heavily and had trouble making it back in time it wasn't particularly unusual for
00:49:22
cadets to break curfew as they often ventured into the city at night to let off steam and over-indulge
00:49:30
when cummins was informed that his gas mask had been found at the scene of a crime he seemed confused
00:49:38
he had his haversack with him with his gas mask inside however the number inside the bag
00:49:45
confirmed it wasn't his cummins then realized what must have happened he'd been drinking at a pub with other
00:49:54
cadets and had placed his haversack by his feet alongside the others someone must have taken his by mistake
00:50:04
the heavily intoxicated cummins couldn't remember exactly who had joined him that
00:50:08
night and of those he could remember he didn't know their names but he was confident he'd be able to
00:50:15
recognize them if he saw them again cummins was taken to the west end central police station where he was
00:50:23
directly questioned about mary haywood the two had been drinking at the same piccadilly circus pub prior to mary's
00:50:32
attack cummins spoke of having a hazy recollection of walking around the streets with a woman but was too drunk
00:50:39
to remember what happened after that he denied attacking mary saying i remembered i should be back at my
00:50:48
depot i caught a cab and went to regent's park cummins agreed to provide a written
00:50:55
statement during which detectives noticed that he wrote with his left hand there were also fresh abrasions across
00:51:03
his knuckles which cummins claimed had occurred when he was working on an airplane motor
00:51:10
when asked to view a police lineup that featured cummins mary haywood unhesitantly identified him as the man
00:51:17
who had assaulted her cummins maintained his innocence stating that mary must have confused him with
00:51:24
another airman who was attempting to frame him detectives were unconvinced by his story
00:51:31
and placed him under arrest for assault inside cummins pockets police found an array of miscellaneous and seemingly
00:51:40
trivial items including a plastic comb with some teeth missing a fountain tip pen engraved with the initials dj and a
00:51:49
wristwatch with a broken band that had been repaired with tape [Music] he also had a strip of paper with a
00:51:56
number on it it was mary heywood's phone number scrawled in her handwriting she had told police that she'd given it
00:52:06
to her assailant prior to the attack the question remained was gordon cummins the blackout ripper
00:52:17
evidence had pointed to the four-time killer being in some way connected to the royal air force
00:52:23
the man who had attempted to strangle catherine mulcahy in her apartment had left behind an item of clothing as he
00:52:30
scrambled around in the dark trying to get dressed before fleeing it was a belt which was part of the
00:52:37
royal air force uniform this aligned with the recollections of the other women who had interacted with
00:52:44
the ripper they all said he claimed to be an airman positioned at the entry hall of the
00:52:57
saint james close air aircrew receiving center was a log book cadets were required to record the time
00:53:05
they left and returned each day with an orderly stationed at the logbook to ensure that everyone complied
00:53:13
a detective flipped through the book to the dates and time periods that evelyn hamilton evelyn oatley doris juanette
00:53:20
and margaret lowe were killed to his surprise gordon cummins's name was signed in on each occasion
00:53:29
meaning he was at the center when each woman was targeted yet something stood out
00:53:37
while some of the logbook entries were penned in ink others had been scrawled in pencil
00:53:44
all of cummins's entries coinciding with the time of the murders were in pencil meaning they could have easily been
00:53:50
altered in some cases they were written in a different pencil to all the others on
00:53:57
the page an entire page from that week was also missing with the entries from another
00:54:04
date copied into its place the detective wrote in his report the booking in book at st james's close
00:54:14
is far from being a true record of men being off duty according to the cadets who bunked with
00:54:23
cummins he often stayed out past curfew and snuck back in before dawn when he went out with others cummins
00:54:31
would sometimes go off on his own it was no secret that he was out seeking sex workers
00:54:38
[Music] cummins with his unruly wavy blonde hair trimmed mustache narrow facial features
00:54:45
and wide smile was considered an attractive man who often bragged about his conquests
00:54:52
he had earned the reputation amongst his fellow cadets as being a ladies man and
00:54:57
a party animal women were often charmed by his looks intellect and refined british accent as
00:55:04
it reflected nobility and wealth [Music] a search of the trash cans outside of the aircrew receiving center's entrance
00:55:14
resulted in an unusual find the soles of two shoes with a distinctive tread pattern
00:55:22
back at the police station gordon cummins was asked to show detectives the soles of his shoes
00:55:29
surprised he lifted his feet for the detective to see the tops of his souls had been replaced
00:55:37
with a new tread although no discernible boot prints had been uncovered at any of the crime
00:55:44
scenes detectives theorised that cummins had changed the souls out of fear that their unusual pattern might be traced
00:55:52
back to him when asked to explain why he had recently changed the souls of his shoes
00:55:59
cummins just shrugged his shoulders the aircrew receiving center was searched extensively revealing a
00:56:08
significant item in the very back of a cupboard in the shared kitchenette it was a white metal cigarette case
00:56:16
engraved with the initials lw inside was a photograph of a woman it didn't resemble any of the victims
00:56:26
but when shown to their loved ones evelyn oatley's former husband identified the case as belonging to his
00:56:33
actress wife who used the stage name lita ward the photograph inside was of her mother
00:56:46
detectives showed the items found in gordon cummins pockets to the victims families
00:56:52
doris joanna's husband henry immediately recognized the comb fountain pen and wrist watch as having belonged to doris
00:57:01
a connection was also established to evelyn hamilton via a green lead pencil that was found in a dust bin in cummins
00:57:08
living quarters she had borrowed it from a friend shortly before her murder the night after evelyn was killed
00:57:18
cummins was seen flashing a large amount of money given that around 80 pounds was stolen
00:57:24
from evelyn's purse this had likely been her money two one pound notes that the blackout
00:57:32
ripper had tossed at catherine mulcahy featured serial numbers that were traced back to cash that was paid to gordon
00:57:38
cummins earlier that day traces of blood were found on cummins clothing but restraints in scientific
00:57:47
testing meant it couldn't be compared to the blood of the victims yet there was one test that could
00:57:54
provide investigators with a smoking gun detective chief superintendent frederick
00:58:01
cheryl had been working the blackout ripper case since the murder of evelyn hamilton
00:58:07
cheryl was the head of scotland yard's fingerprint division and regarded the country's leading fingerprint expert
00:58:15
he had managed to lift several key fingerprints from two of the rippers crime scenes two were uncovered in evelyn
00:58:23
oatley's apartment one was on the can opener that was used to mutilate her and the other on a piece of glass in her
00:58:30
purse he'd also found foreign fingerprints on a candle holder in margaret lowe's
00:58:36
bedroom it had held the candle that was later found inside her body gordon cummins fingerprints were taken
00:58:46
upon his arrest and detective cheryl cross-checked them against those from the crime scenes
00:58:52
they were a match furthermore traces of mortar on cummins haversack matched that found in the bomb
00:59:00
shelter where evelyn hamilton was murdered [Music] gordon cummins was ultimately charged
00:59:12
with the murders of evelyn hamilton evelyn oatley doris juanette margaret low and the attempted murders of
00:59:19
katherine mulcahy and mary haywood he was examined by a medical officer to determine if he was suffering from any
00:59:27
mental illness that might have influenced his violent behavior the doctor concluded
00:59:35
the character and sight of the wounds inflicted on the victims points to a sadistic basis for the murders
00:59:42
but throughout the period he has been in my care the accused has been normal in conduct and rational in conversation
00:59:51
at no time has he exhibited any evidence of mental disease this assessment aligned with those who
01:00:00
knew cummins while some found him vain and pompous he had never shown a dark side or a disdain
01:00:08
for women his father described him as a normal person without any cruelty in his nature
01:00:17
superior officers praised his military discipline and physical abilities which surpassed his fellow cadets
01:00:25
sex workers he'd been with didn't describe him as aggressive cummins also had a wife who steadfastly
01:00:32
defended him yet some noted that he had a gift for storytelling that would convince
01:00:39
listeners that whatever he was saying was the truth he was also caught lying about his
01:00:45
whereabouts on the night of the murders claiming he had alibis that were later disproven
01:00:54
english law dictated that if someone was facing multiple criminal counts they only faced trial for one
01:01:01
therefore in april 1942 cummins was tried for the murder of evelyn oatley the prosecution felt they were more
01:01:11
likely to secure a guilty verdict with this charge as it was the only one in which cummins fingerprints were found on
01:01:18
an item directly used to assault the victim cummins pleaded not guilty and appeared
01:01:25
his typical happy and relaxed self throughout proceedings even laughing with his lawyers
01:01:33
when he took the stand cummins admitted he had been in evelyn oatley's company shortly before her murder but insisted
01:01:40
she was alive and well when they parted ways he had told this information to police
01:01:47
but to cummins dismay they immediately accused him of being evelyn's killer cummins said one officer remarked
01:01:57
we have a rope around your neck and are going to hang you with it the officer who comes accused of making
01:02:04
this threat denied it wholeheartedly the prosecution's case rested primarily on the fingerprint evidence as it showed
01:02:14
cummins had handled the sharp can opener used to mutilate evelyn's genitals the defense worked to discredit the
01:02:22
prince calling them very faint and imperfect renowned fingerprint expert detective
01:02:29
chief superintendent frederick cheryl stood by his findings he was asked would you stake your reputation knowing
01:02:39
that a man is being tried for his life without hesitation cheryl responded yes the jury deliberated for only 35 minutes
01:02:53
before returning to the courtroom where cummins stood before them with fists clenched
01:02:59
the presiding judge summed up that the murder of evelyn oatley was a sadistic sexual murder of a ghoulish
01:03:07
type gordon cummins was found guilty when asked if he had anything to say come and studded
01:03:18
i am completely innocent sir the judge then donned a square black cap that historically was only ever worn by
01:03:28
english judges when delivering the following sentence quote there is only one sentence which the law
01:03:37
permits me to pronounce and that is that you be taken to a place of execution and
01:03:42
that you be there hanged by the neck until you are dead and may the lord have mercy on your soul
01:03:59
in the lead-up to his execution gordon cummins exhausted all avenues of appeal his family believed in his innocence and
01:04:07
wrote to the home secretary claiming it was a miscarriage of justice a petition supporting cummins received
01:04:15
10 000 signatures with his supporters highlighting his lack of violent history and clean criminal record
01:04:24
they questioned how someone so straight and narrow could abruptly begin killing women in such an immensely violent and
01:04:30
personal way the home secretary wrote the same response to all letters i have considered sympathetically and
01:04:41
carefully all the circumstances of the case i regret i have failed to discover any
01:04:47
grounds which justify me in advising his majesty to interfere in the due course of the law
01:04:57
in october 1941 just four months before evelyn hamilton was killed the body of nineteen-year-old maple church was found
01:05:06
in the wreckage of a building destroyed by overhead bombings in london's camden town
01:05:13
maple had been strangled with her undergarments as well as mutilated analysis of the wounds showed the killer
01:05:20
was likely left-handed maple had also been robbed [Music] four days after maple's body was
01:05:30
discovered the unconscious body of 49 year old edith humphreys was found lying across her bed in her flat just half a
01:05:38
mile away her skull had been fractured with a penetrating stab wound to her brain and
01:05:44
her jaw was broken there were also signs she had been manually strangled edith was still clinging to life and was
01:05:55
rushed to hospital but died of her injuries later that day reports differ but many say that edith
01:06:04
had been robbed with the jewellery and money missing with no signs of forced entry it
01:06:10
appeared she had willingly let her kill her into her home a background check showed that gordon
01:06:17
cummins was in the area when the murders of maple church and edith humphries took
01:06:22
place despite intensive investigations both cases remained unsolved yet given their similarities to the
01:06:32
blackout ripper's known crimes many have theorised that maple and edith might have been his first victims
01:06:39
[Music] to this day scotland yard strongly believes gordon cummins was responsible
01:06:45
for these crimes the man himself would never lay claim to any of the murders he was accused of
01:06:54
maintaining his innocence up until june 1942 when he was led to the hangman's noose
01:07:02
he offered no resistance and appeared stoic when the rope was placed around his neck
01:07:09
gordon cummins was pronounced dead minutes after am to the tune of an air raid siren blasting over london
01:07:19
at that exact time city dwellers huddled nervously in makeshift shelters listening for the sound of encroaching
01:07:27
german aeroplanes for londoners their fears had returned to the war now that the blackout ripper
01:07:34
was no longer lurking in the night [Music] you