Liberty University DNA expert weighs in on Jack the Ripper developments

Dr. Tom McClintock says recent developments highlight power of DNA

LYNCHBURG, Va. – News that DNA evidence may have confirmed the identity of infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper has been making headlines recently, especially since that evidence is more than 130 years old.

Dr. Tom McClintock, a professor and director of forensic science at Liberty University in Lynchburg, says this latest development illustrates the power of DNA and its applications.

"The level of sensitivity of these instruments now is incredible, so what we could not do years ago, we can now perform," McClintock said. "If you have a garment, again, with the suspected stain, you could extract the DNA, generate these profiles and maybe get a little information about our history, our past."

This all comes after recent news that genetic tests had finally identified Jack the Ripper, 131 years after he allegedly murdered at least five women in London. Scientists said they used DNA from a shawl reportedly found at a crime scene to positively identify a Polish barber named Aaron Kosminski as the suspect. Kosminski was a prime suspect in the crimes at the time.

"If you can identify a stain and possibly the biological origin -- is it saliva, blood? -- you can extract the DNA from these samples and generate, in most cases, DNA profiles," McClintock said. "It may not be a full profile, it could be a partial, but at least it could give you some clues to the possible identity of the contributor of that sample."

Critics of these latest developments have questioned the science used to identify Kosminski. 

McClintock said the evidence strongly supports the possibility that Kosminski was Jack the Ripper. He said new DNA techniques and applications will continue to allow forensic experts to grow the science.

"It's just allowing us to move into a new territory where we were not able to go before," McClintock said.

McClintock also shared that Liberty's forensic science program just received full accreditation. He said the university is now working to get its forensic lab accredited, which would allow the lab to work on current and cold cases and offer its services to law enforcement agencies.