Was a Texas Killer The Real Jack The Ripper? Get our free mobile app Have you ever heard of "The Servant Girl Annihilator"? That's a pretty intense moniker. And some folks believe this Texas serial killer went on to become Jack the Ripper. This "Annihilator" was also dubbed the Austin Axe Murderer, which is a little more catchy but not quite as shocking. Some folks believe this uncaught killer was a man named Nathan Elgin, while other folks think the unknown killer sailed overseas to become Jack the Ripper. The Annihilator had a very clear pattern of murdering women. Each of the eight women he murdered suffered axe wounds to the head while they slept and then were moved from their beds into their yards and sexually assaulted. This spree of murders all happened in 1885. He left bare footprints behind at the crime scene. This would prove to be an important clue during an era of criminal investigation that lacked many of the forensic methods we take for granted today. Fingerprinting would not be invented for another seven years.