Is Jack the Ripper Buried in Rochester, NY?

Jack the Ripper is one of the most infamous unsolved serial killer cases ever. It has fascinated professional and armchair detectives alike for over 130 years. The shocking brutality of these murders, even by today’s standards, is unbelievable. While a parade of suspects shuffled through Scotland Yard, a Jack the Ripper has never been truly divulged. These are, however, a few suspects that rocketed to the top of Scotland Yard’s list of suspects and have stayed there for a century. One of these suspects was Dr. Francis Tumblety, who just so happens to be buried in Rochester, at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery.

About the Jack the Ripper Case

From August through November 1888, 5 brutal murders took place in the Whitechapel district of London. Actually, there were other murders prior to August, but these five murders are the only ones that can be definitely said to have been committed by Jack the Ripper.

The Victims

MARY ANN NICHOLS -Murdered on August 31st, 1888

ANNIE CHAPMAN – Murdered on September 8th, 1888

ELIZABETH STRIDE – Murdered on September 30th, 1888

Elizabeth Stride was the first victim of Jack the Ripper on this date. He was believed to be interrupted and couldn’t engage in his trademarked butchery. He then went on to murder Catherine Eddowes.

CATHERINE EDDOWES – Murdered on September 30th, 1888

MARY KELLY – Murdered on November 9th, 1888 – His last and possibly most brutal murder.

Why Scotland Yard Saw Dr. Francis Tumblety as a Viable Suspect

There were several reasons Scotland Yard believed quite vehemently that Dr. Francis Tumblety was Jack the Ripper, so much so that they had him trailed when he fled to France and then back to the United States.

He lived conveniently close to all the crime scenes in Whitechapel.
In the last sighting of Annie Chapman alive, she was seen talking to a man in his late forties who had a foreign accent.
Scotland Yard had a large dossier on Tumblety, who had an arrest record for gross sexual indecency, among other things.
He was a doctor, and it was widely speculated that Jack the Ripper had medical training, especially in human anatomy.
Tumblety was a known misogynist. His hatred of women was well-known and documented.
Tumblety was known to harvest organs and keep a collection of specimens. Jack the Ripper took a kidney from Catherine Eddowes.
The murders ceased after he fled London.

While we may never know for sure if Tumblety was truly Jack the Ripper, it is interesting to think that the most notorious serial killer in history is buried right here in New York.

Finding The Grave of The Man Who Could Be Jack the Ripper

The grave is actually very easy to find. Holy Sepulcher Cemetery is on both sides of Lake Avenue. The section of the cemetery where Tumblety’s grave resides is on the east side of Lake Ave. There is a small parking area just inside the gate; from there, walk toward the section of the cemetery to the left of the chapel. Tumblety’s grave is quite obvious among the other graves with its reddish color.

Exploring Holy Sepulcher Cemetery

This is a gorgeous cemetery. Old tombstone memorials, ancient trees, a small lake, and rolling hills make this a beautiful place to explore. What we really loved about visiting was how quiet and peaceful it is here, and we had the place to ourselves.

We had a great time walking around this beautiful graveyard. There are several trails on the outskirts of the cemetery. If you walk the trail at the very back of the cemetery, it runs right along the Genesee River, which you can see from above. It is hard to see the River, except in certain spots, when the trees have leaves on them. However, I imagine if you visited when the leaves have fallen, you would be able to see the River quite clearly.

One of the most beautiful parts of Holy Sepulcher is the All Souls Chapel. This chapel was commissioned in 1876 by Bishop Barnard McQuaid, who is buried here. (This is also who McQuaid Jesuit High School is named for.)

Other notable people buried here are:

We plan to revisit in the Fall when the leaves are at their peak color change because it is obvious that it will be absolutely spectacular here.

Louise Brooks (Actress from Silent Film Era)
Richard Rober, (Actor)
Red Dooin (Baseball Manager of the Philadelphia Phillies)
Assunta Cantisano (Founder of Ragu)
George Mogridge (pitcher for the New York Yankees and Washington Senators)
Colonel Patrick O’Rorke (Civil War hero)
Ralph E. Quattrociocchi, ( New York State Senator)

On our visit, we were surprised to see two large bucks in the cemetery. It was really an amazing sight to see such elegant and beautiful creatures walking amongst the tombstones.