Peter Sutcliffe
Peter Sutcliffe | |
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Personal details | |
Born | Peter William Sutcliffe June 2, 1946 West Riding of Yorkshire, England |
Died | November 13, 2020 (aged 74) Durham, England |
Year Active | Serial Killer 1975-1980 13 victims |
Peter William Sutcliffe (June 2, 1946 - November 13, 2020) is a notorious British serial killer known as "The Yorkshire Ripper". Beginning in July 1975 and culminating with his capture in January 1981, he was responsible for the deaths of 13 women and the attempted murder of 7 more.
A lorry driver by trade, his modus operandi involved picking up women in his car or truck and assaulting them using a hammer and a screwdriver before leaving them for dead. The manhunt for him was one of the largest ever by the British police force and involved using forensic techniques that were cutting-edge at the time.
The "Ripper" name given to him was attributed to the media covering the manhunt and is a reference to "Jack the Ripper" an historical London killer who also preyed on women.
At his trial Sutcliffe claimed to believe that God had told him to murder the women, who were prostitutes. Since his arrest and incarceration, several documentaries have been made about his life and an ITV film has been made about the manhunt that led to his arrest.
Death
He died on November 13, 2020 due to refusing treatment for Covid-19