On October 31st 1966, the body of Cheri Jo Bates was discovered lying in a driveway adjacent to the Riverside City College library, stabbed six times in her upper torso and right arm, before being slashed seven times across her neck in a callous and senseless murder. This murder would be accompanied by six communications in the form of a desktop poem, two typed Confession letters and three handwritten notes promising "there will be more". Although no further mutilation of the body occurred, the possibility exists that the person who murdered the young 18-year-old college student, was a ruthless individual inspired by a far more sinister series of events seventy-eight years previous.
In 1888, a densely populated area in London spawned the Whitechapel murders of Jack the Ripper, claiming the canonical murders of Mary Ann Nichols on August 31st 1888, Annie Chapman on September 8th 1888, Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes on September 30th 1888, described as the double event, and Mary Jane Kelly on November 9th 1888. Apart from Elizabeth Stride, in which the murderer was likely disturbed in the act, the other four women were extensively mutilated with disembowelment and the removal of organs an abhorrent feature of these attacks. Other disturbing findings, such as the Thames Torso Murders between 1887 and 1889, and the Pinchin Street Torso Murder on September 10th 1889, have also been suggested as possible Jack the Ripper murders. Undoubtedly, being the most high profile murders in recorded history, it isn't surprising that future murderers may have been influenced by the depravity that came before them. This may not have been the case in the murder of Cheri Jo Bates, however, there are some disturbing features of this crime that deserve a closer look. Could the individual who murdered Cheri Jo Bates have had an unhealthy interest in the Whitechapel murders of 1888?
In 1888, a densely populated area in London spawned the Whitechapel murders of Jack the Ripper, claiming the canonical murders of Mary Ann Nichols on August 31st 1888, Annie Chapman on September 8th 1888, Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes on September 30th 1888, described as the double event, and Mary Jane Kelly on November 9th 1888. Apart from Elizabeth Stride, in which the murderer was likely disturbed in the act, the other four women were extensively mutilated with disembowelment and the removal of organs an abhorrent feature of these attacks. Other disturbing findings, such as the Thames Torso Murders between 1887 and 1889, and the Pinchin Street Torso Murder on September 10th 1889, have also been suggested as possible Jack the Ripper murders. Undoubtedly, being the most high profile murders in recorded history, it isn't surprising that future murderers may have been influenced by the depravity that came before them. This may not have been the case in the murder of Cheri Jo Bates, however, there are some disturbing features of this crime that deserve a closer look. Could the individual who murdered Cheri Jo Bates have had an unhealthy interest in the Whitechapel murders of 1888?
Whether from the hand of the killer or the press, the Jack the Ripper murders spawned many letters during 1888 and beyond, and caused fear and panic in the East End of London. The murderer of Cheri Jo Bates made contact with the authorities and the newspapers six times in only five months - possibly beginning on November 29th 1966 and ending on April 30th 1967. These writings undoubtedly glorified in the thought of knifing women, by revelling in the imagery of blood "spurting, dripping and spilling" over a young girl's dress, and the inevitable pleasure of a "next time".where the victim wouldn't be so lucky.
The Confession letters to the Riverside Police and Riverside Press-Enterprise newspaper ramped up the terror by further glorifying in the murder of Cheri Jo Bates, whose author appeared to gain satisfaction from the pain he inflicted on the obviously terrified young woman. Phrases such as "she is now battered and dead", "she went to the slaughter like a lamb", "I said it was about time for her to die", "she squirmed and shook as I choked her" and "I finished the job out cutting her throat", should leave you with no doubt that this individual was a warped sadist, who enjoyed the physical and emotional suffering he caused through the act of murder (if indeed the murderer and writer were the same person). And in true Rippereseque fashion threatened to "cut off female parts and deposit them for the whole city to see". Every Jack the Ripper victim had their throats slashed, but unlike Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes, the injuries to the neck of Cheri Jo Bates were far greater in number.
The main focus of the Riverside attack was above the nipple line, with three of the five wounds to her front torso striking her breasts. The Confession letter author even made a point in typing "Her breast felt very warm and firm under my hands", so it isn't difficult to conclude that this attack was sexual in nature. The unusual wording of "I finished the job out cutting her throat. I am not sick. I am insane. But that will not stop the game", is not dissimilar to the workmanlike language seen in the Ripper communications such as the "Dear Boss" letter on September 27th 1888, which stated "How can they catch me now. I love my work and want to start again. You will soon hear of me with my funny little games. I saved some of the proper red stuff in a ginger beer bottle over the last job to write with, but it went thick like glue and I cant use it".
The Confession letters to the Riverside Police and Riverside Press-Enterprise newspaper ramped up the terror by further glorifying in the murder of Cheri Jo Bates, whose author appeared to gain satisfaction from the pain he inflicted on the obviously terrified young woman. Phrases such as "she is now battered and dead", "she went to the slaughter like a lamb", "I said it was about time for her to die", "she squirmed and shook as I choked her" and "I finished the job out cutting her throat", should leave you with no doubt that this individual was a warped sadist, who enjoyed the physical and emotional suffering he caused through the act of murder (if indeed the murderer and writer were the same person). And in true Rippereseque fashion threatened to "cut off female parts and deposit them for the whole city to see". Every Jack the Ripper victim had their throats slashed, but unlike Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes, the injuries to the neck of Cheri Jo Bates were far greater in number.
The main focus of the Riverside attack was above the nipple line, with three of the five wounds to her front torso striking her breasts. The Confession letter author even made a point in typing "Her breast felt very warm and firm under my hands", so it isn't difficult to conclude that this attack was sexual in nature. The unusual wording of "I finished the job out cutting her throat. I am not sick. I am insane. But that will not stop the game", is not dissimilar to the workmanlike language seen in the Ripper communications such as the "Dear Boss" letter on September 27th 1888, which stated "How can they catch me now. I love my work and want to start again. You will soon hear of me with my funny little games. I saved some of the proper red stuff in a ginger beer bottle over the last job to write with, but it went thick like glue and I cant use it".
THE EVENING BULLETIN, DECEMBER 11TH 1888 Did the abductor and eventual attacker of a 19-year-old UCR college student on November 22nd 1966 recognise the brutality of the Cheri Jo Bates murder while tempting the hesitant female into his vehicle? Who, after mentioning the recent October 30th 1966 slaying to the University of Riverside student during conversation, uttered the words "Well, after all, I'm not Jack the Ripper". This encounter, detailed extensively in the Press-Enterprise newspaper on November 24th 1966, seemed to catch the interest of the Confession letter author, who plagiarized several key phrases from the wording used by the attacker in the newspaper article. Assuming they were different people.
Aside from this mimicry, one thing in the Confession letter looked contrived. Having remembered the use of movie quotations in the 3-page JonBenet Ramsey ransom letter from 1996, I wondered whether the author of the Confession letter, having typed "I shall cut off female parts and deposit them for the whole city to see", had borrowed a quotation from the times of Jack the Ripper to insert into his Confession letter.
The section of the letter which read "I said it was about time. She asked me "about time for what". I said it was about time for her to die", appeared like he had deliberately teed up the final line (and it wasn't an original thought). So I placed the phrase "it was about time for her to die" into a newspaper search engine from 1690 to November 29th 1966 and got only one result. It was from the year of Jack the Ripper, in an article entitled "The Sturdy Beggar" on December 11th 1888. Had the Confession letter author been searching for suitable Ripper quotes to place in his letter, when he stumbled across this story and its memorable quote during the microfiche searches he conducted at the Riverside library? (or elsewhere). I was not expecting any results from a search of eight consecutive words, but was flabbergasted when it returned a hit from 1888 (the exact year I had hoped for).
It's even more surprising when you can replicate this feat from a search of "man is the most dangerous animal of all", which I have found in only three newspapers from 1932. Uttered from the mouth of Merian C. Cooper, the assocate producer of "The Most Dangerous Game" upon release of the movie in the same year - and used by the Zodiac Killer in his 408 cipher on July 31st 1969..The author of the Confession letter and 408 cipher, both seemingly delving into the distant past to plagiarize a distinctive phrase to place within a menacing communication. Unless these individuals were one and the same person. Two confessions to murder on November 29th 1966 and July 31st 1969.
Aside from this mimicry, one thing in the Confession letter looked contrived. Having remembered the use of movie quotations in the 3-page JonBenet Ramsey ransom letter from 1996, I wondered whether the author of the Confession letter, having typed "I shall cut off female parts and deposit them for the whole city to see", had borrowed a quotation from the times of Jack the Ripper to insert into his Confession letter.
The section of the letter which read "I said it was about time. She asked me "about time for what". I said it was about time for her to die", appeared like he had deliberately teed up the final line (and it wasn't an original thought). So I placed the phrase "it was about time for her to die" into a newspaper search engine from 1690 to November 29th 1966 and got only one result. It was from the year of Jack the Ripper, in an article entitled "The Sturdy Beggar" on December 11th 1888. Had the Confession letter author been searching for suitable Ripper quotes to place in his letter, when he stumbled across this story and its memorable quote during the microfiche searches he conducted at the Riverside library? (or elsewhere). I was not expecting any results from a search of eight consecutive words, but was flabbergasted when it returned a hit from 1888 (the exact year I had hoped for).
It's even more surprising when you can replicate this feat from a search of "man is the most dangerous animal of all", which I have found in only three newspapers from 1932. Uttered from the mouth of Merian C. Cooper, the assocate producer of "The Most Dangerous Game" upon release of the movie in the same year - and used by the Zodiac Killer in his 408 cipher on July 31st 1969..The author of the Confession letter and 408 cipher, both seemingly delving into the distant past to plagiarize a distinctive phrase to place within a menacing communication. Unless these individuals were one and the same person. Two confessions to murder on November 29th 1966 and July 31st 1969.
Sourced from a 1932 newspaper (image added)
If the Riverside Confession letter author borrowed the wording "it was about time for her to die" from December 11th 1888, I wonder if he searched nine days after "The Sturdy Beggar" article and discovered the murder of Rose Mylett, another proposed Jack the Ripper victim, on December 20th 1888? The day and month his murders began in the Bay Area of northern California.
CONNECTING RIVERSIDE TO THE ZODIAC USING JACK THE RIPPER [IN 6 PARTS]
CONNECTING RIVERSIDE TO THE ZODIAC USING JACK THE RIPPER [IN 6 PARTS]
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