Jayne MacDonald | |
|---|---|
 MacDonald, c. 1977 | |
| Born | Jayne Michelle MacDonald 16 August 1960 Leeds, West Yorkshire, England |
| Died | 26 June 1977 (aged 16) Chapeltown, Leeds, England |
| Cause of death | Hammer blows (x3) to skull. Multiple stab wounds to upper chest and back |
| Body discovered | 9:25 a.m. 26 June 1977, Chapeltown Road, Leeds53°49′04″N 1°31′59″W / 53.81773°N 1.53314°W (approximate) |
| Resting place | Harehills Cemetery, Leeds, England 53°48′26″N 1°30′05″W / 53.80714°N 1.50147°W (approximate) |
| Occupation | Shop assistant |
| Known for | Victim of serial murder |
| Height | 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) |
The murder of Jayne MacDonald is a British child murder case dating from June 1977 in which a 16-year-old girl was murdered by a combination of bludgeoning and stabbing in Chapeltown, Leeds, while walking home from an evening socialising with friends. Her murder was rapidly attributed to a series of murders committed by a serial killer known as the Yorkshire Ripper.[1]
Although investigators believed MacDonald's murderer had attacked and/or murdered a minimum of seven women in the two years prior to her death, contemporary misogynistic and sexist attitudes among police officers and society in general had led police and the media to categorise the Ripper's victims as prostitutes and "good-time girls".[2] As such, investigators believed the perpetrator solely preyed on women of specific sexual ethics and the crimes—although the subject of heightened, ongoing investigation—had only received moderate nationwide coverage.
MacDonald's murder caused considerable public alarm and forced the Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police, Ronald Gregory, to appoint his most senior investigator in command of the investigation to apprehend the perpetrator.[3]
- ^ Deliver Us from Evil ISBN 978-1-472-11658-1 p. 320
- ^ "Police Urge Ripper to Give Up". The Guardian. 27 October 1979. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- ^ Somebody's Husband, Somebody's Son: The Story of Peter Sutcliffe ISBN 0-7493-1331-5 p. 184