Frederick Bailey Deeming was a British serial killer who murdered at least two wives and four children in England and Australia in the late 19th century. He was also suspected of being the Jack the Ripper, but there is no definitive evidence to support this claim.
Early life and career
Deeming was born in Liverpool, England, in 1853. He was the illegitimate son of a prostitute and a sailor. Deeming’s early life was marked by poverty and neglect. He was orphaned at a young age and raised by his grandparents.
Deeming left school at the age of 13 and began working as a plumber. He was a skilled worker, but he was also a drifter and a con artist. He was married twice in England, but both marriages ended in divorce.
The murders
In 1889, Deeming married Emily Mather in Melbourne, Australia. The couple had a daughter together, but Mather died in childbirth in 1890. Deeming claimed that Mather’s death was due to complications from childbirth, but there is evidence that he may have murdered her.
In 1891, Deeming married Emily Kerr in Sydney, Australia. The couple moved to Melbourne, where Deeming began to use the alias Thomas Stevens. In 1892, Deeming murdered Kerr and her four children. He then buried their bodies under the hearthstone of a rented house.
Deeming was arrested in March 1892 after his wife’s body was discovered. He confessed to the murders of Kerr and her children, and he was later convicted and hanged.
The Jack the Ripper connection
Deeming’s case has been linked to the Jack the Ripper murders, which occurred in London in 1888. There are some similarities between the murders committed by Deeming and the Jack the Ripper murders. For example, both killers targeted young women, and they both mutilated their victims’ bodies.
However, there is no definitive evidence to prove that Deeming was Jack the Ripper. Some experts believe that the two killers were different people, while others believe that Deeming may have been the Ripper.
Legacy
Frederick Deeming is one of the most notorious serial killers in Australian history. His case has been the subject of numerous books and movies. He is a reminder of the dark side of human nature, and his crimes continue to fascinate and intrigue people all over the world.
News quotes
- “Deeming was a monster, a cold-blooded killer who showed no mercy to his victims.” – Detective Inspector James O’Neill, who led the investigation into Deeming’s crimes
- “The murders committed by Deeming were some of the most brutal and sadistic in Australian history.” – Professor James Turnbull, a criminologist at the University of Melbourne
- “Deeming’s case is a reminder that there are evil people in the world who are capable of unspeakable acts of violence.” – Dr. Robert Ressler, former FBI profiler