If Mary Kelly had looks a man and home why was she killed by Jack The Ripper?

Answer 1

Mary Kelly remains somewhat of an enigma. Younger and by most accounts better looking than other Ripper victims, some doubt that she was killed by Jack The Ripper but fell prey to the violence of the east end.

Kelly had been sharing a small rented room with her man named Joseph Barnett just prior to her death. Although they seemed to get along by people that knew them, they had a serious rift about a woman friend of Kelly's. Barnett caught them in a compromising situation (in the bed he shared with Kelly). Barnett left, but the two continued to stay in touch and Barnett, good man that he was, helped Kelly with money when he could.

At the time of her murder, Mary Kelly was weeks behind on her rent and had no new prospects for a provider. Life in the 19th century could be brutal for a woman without a man. Kelly was forced into the street every night to earn a sparce living any way she could. Jobs were in short supply in Whitechapel, which left only one way for Kelly to earn her rent money. It probably didn't help that Kelly was a drinker, and had most likely been drinking on the night of her death. Mary Kelly's life seemed to be in a slow decline. She didn't hit absolute bottom because she instead met Jack The Ripper.

Answer 2

Since Kelly was one of the only victims that actually had a place to call home it could be that she didn't have to service her customers in dark doorways or alleys. She had the luxury of privacy.

It is also possible that the killer was getting nervous. Previous to Kelly's murder was the 'double event', the murder of Elizabeth Stride and Katherine Eddows. The Ripper was interrupted which is most likely why Stride was not mutilated. There was some sort of verbal exchange between a man who was with Eddows and a local, just minutes later Eddow's body was discovered. That was two close calls for the killer in a single night. He may have been relieved to be indoors with Kelly where the threat of discovery was reduced.