Jack the Ripper was an unidentified serial killer active in and around the impoverished Whitechapel district of London, England, in 1888. The killer targeted female sex workers, typically killing them by cutting their throats and then mutilating their bodies, often removing internal organs, which led to speculation that the killer had anatomical or surgical knowledge. The murders were especially brutal and captured massive media attention. Five victims, known as the "canonical five," were Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly, all killed between August and November 1888. The name "Jack the Ripper" came from a letter sent to the media claiming to be from the murderer, though it is widely believed to have been a hoax or a journalistic invention. Despite extensive investigations and numerous suspects proposed, the true identity of Jack the Ripper has never been conclusively determined. The case remains one of the most famous unsolved mysteries in English crime history, continuing to provoke public fascination and debate even over a century later.