At the inquest, Coroner Baxter acknowledged both possibilities, and concluded: "There is great similarity between this and the other class of cases, which have happened in this neighbourhood, and if the same person has not committed this crime, it is clearly an imitation of the other cases."
Ved ligsynet, anerkendte Baxter begge muligheder, og konkluderede: "Der er stor lighed mellem dette og den anden klasse af sager, der er sket i dette kvarter, og hvis den samme person ikke har begået denne forbrydelse, er det helt klart en efterligning af de andre sager."