Michael Hawley holds a master's degree in invertebrate paleontology and secondary science education from the State University of New York, College of Buffalo, and a bachelor's degree in geology and geophysics from Michigan State University. He has published ten research articles in "Ripperologist," "Whitechapel Society Journal," and "Casebook Examiner." He is the author of "Curse of the Bayou Beast" (fiction, 2015), "Jack's Lantern" (fiction, 2014), "The Ripper's Hellbroth" (fiction, 2013), and "Searching for Truth with a Broken Flashlight" (nonfiction, 2010). He has been involved in genealogical research since 1992, which ultimately led to his interest in Ripperology research. He is a commander and naval aviator in the U.S. Navy (retired), and is currently enjoying a career as a secondary earth science and chemistry teacher at Tonawanda City High School. He resides with his wife and six children in Greater Buffalo, New York.