On Tuesday, Richard Cottingham, 74, sat in a wheelchair in beige prison scrubs as he pleaded guilty to kidnapping the teenage girls and raping them for days before he drowned them in a motel. In April 1978, Cottingham's wife filed for divorce on the grounds of "abandonment" and "mental cruelty" (refusing to have sex with her after the birth of their third child, staying out until early morning, and leaving her with insufficient household funds). The cases had overwhelming evidence against Cottingham in the way of receipts with his writing, linking him to the hotel rooms, fingerprints, and testimony from three different survivors. Like the other victims, she to had been bound with handcuffs and tortured, her body would be found covered in bite marks. He was linked to several other women's deaths later on once his DNA began being run against cold cases in the area. But just a week later, police were able to apprehend him back at the Quality Inn when his would-be victim Leslie Ann ODell screamed for help. A year later, conviction on second-degree murder charges in the death of Maryann Carr added another sentence of 20 years to life. Although Cottingham has formally admitted to eighteen killings and has claimed to have killed as many as 100, he is known to have only murdered seventeen girls between 1967 and 1980 and attempted to kill a further four. An animal who lacked empathy for all and cared only for satisfying his sexual desires at any cost. Around dawn, they checked into the same Hasbrouck Heights Quality Inn where he had left Valerie Street's handcuffed body under a bed to be discovered by a housekeeper. He was also found guilty of kidnapping and assault, with his sentence going up to more than 200 years. His murders were calculated and methodical, and he managed to evade . Both 1974 cases would be dismissed. At the time of his arrest, he was living in New Jersey with his family and spending his days working in New York as a computer operator at Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. It also came out at one of Cottinghams trials that hed killed a fifth victim 28-year-old X-ray technician Maryanne Carr, whose body was found at the Quality Inn in 1977. Premiering on Dec. 29, the three-part season explores the case of Richard Cottingham, a New Jersey man who was dubbed "The Torso Killer" and found guilty of killing 11 women between 1967 and. One of Richards earliest crimes was committed in 1968. He killed several women over five months and injured many more. one strange rock gasp quizlet New Lab; glider timetable dundonald park and ride; 12 gauge 100 round drum; It was the same necklace that had been pictured on Reyner in a previous arrest photo for prostitution, In 2010, while serving multiple life sentences, Cottingham pleaded guilty in the 1967 murder of Nancy Vogel, 29. For the murders of Mary and Lorraine, Richard was to. Jacalyn "Jackie" Harp, aged 13, was randomly ambushed as she walked home in the evening of July 17, 1968, from school band practice in Midland Park and strangled with the leather strap of her bag. Cottingham pleaded guilty to 2nd-degree murder in the case of Diane Cusick. [15] In December 2022, Cottingham was convicted of Diane Cusick's 1968 murder and, under a non-prosecution agreement, officially admitted to killing another four women during 19721973 in Long Island, New York: Mary Beth Heinz, Laverne Moye, Sheila Heiman, and Maria Emerita Rosado Nieves. He also cut off her breasts and placed them on the headboard in the room. Even before he confessed to additional killings after his conviction, Cottingham was given life in prison with a sentence of more than 300 years. The man listened and suggested he could drive her to a different bus terminal in New Jersey to get her back home, away from her abusive pimp. [2] Four surviving abduction-rape victims testified against Cottingham; he was convicted in three of the cases and acquitted in one. Former FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong delves into Richard Cottingham, the Torso Killer. She had gone missing from Times Square in January 1979. Richard Cottingham has confessed to a number of other murders in recent years. It contained many items that linked him to the murders. I think it was just an evolution in his killing.. We Know What Kind of Creeps Are Out There ! He also confessed under immunity to the 1968 and 1969 homicides of New Jersey teenagers Jackie Harp, Irene Blase, and Denise Falasca. Richard Cottingham by his own admission claims to have killed upwards of 100 women and remains a suspect in dozens of unsolved cases. Cottingham was not charged with this murder until June 2022, when he was implicated by DNA.[10]. Anzilotti and BCPO subsequently confirmed the "exceptional closures" of these three murders.[13][8]. Cops eventually tied him to the crime when they found Reyner's necklace among his 'trophies.' You're a whore and you have to be punished.". Inside they found the bodies of 22-year-old sex worker Deedeh Goodarzi[9] and an unidentified woman estimated between 16 and 22. Now she's accused of killing 5 in horrific Windsor Hills crash. According to Janet, Richard spent a lot of time in a room in the basement where she later discovered female clothing, shoes, handbags, jewelry, and other . Richard Cottingham was convicted of five murders and numerous counts of kidnapping and sexual assault using evidence found in his 'trophy room' combined with a matching fingerprint left on. I am proud of the growth and achievements of JRMA and the community of talented architects, engineers, and project . The comments below have not been moderated. He began torturing her, nearly biting off one of her nipples. Cottingham was apprehended in the hallway by arriving police officers. Richard had abducted the woman and brought her to a hotel. Richard also had a self-described obsession with bondage and had had numerous extramarital affairs. Both girls were strangled to death. The legs were laying side by side as if still attached to a body. He would commute daily to New York for his job, but once in a while, when the mood struck, Richard would not go home after work. 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Though Cottingham resisted at first, he slowly began to reveal details of his past crimes. Her body would be left in the room and subsequently set ablaze by Cottingham before fleeing the scene. Richards wife filed for divorce in 1979, after years of affairs, but it was never finalized. She was also the mother of a then-four-year-old girl. In a similar case, Richard killed Jean Reyner, a sex worker, in another hotel in New York. A father of three, Richard Cottingham seemed an unlikely killer. Without heads and hands, authorities were unable to identify the victims. A few months later he would be charged with robbery and sodomy. Irene Blase, aged 18, vanished on April 7, 1969, in Hackensack and was found face down in four feet of water in the Saddle River, strangled with a wire, a cord, or perhaps the chain of a crucifix she was wearing. They executed a search warrant on Cottingham's family home where they found a secret, locked 'trophy room' that stashed souvenirs of his evil deeds. After his arrest, NYPD drew comparisons to the numerous unsolved sexual assault cases with similar hallmarks to the New Jersey crimes. Walter Leporati/Getty ImagesPornographic films are advertised in Manhattans Times Square in January 1971. When arrested, he had handcuffs, a leather gag, two slave collars, a switchblade knife, replica pistols, and a stockpile of prescription pills. He admitted that he brought the two girls to a motel room where he tied them up, raped them, then drowned them in bathtub. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. They had been doused with lighter fluid and set alight. But it had a much seedier reputation in the latter half of the 20th century. Richard Gere's wife Alejandra shares new photos of 73-year-old actor as they celebrate her 40th birthday in Mexico - after he was hospitalized with pneumonia Richard Gere is 'mostly recovered . He had three children, two boys and a girl, with his wife. He decapitated the women and cut off their hands before setting them on fire. Leaving some without hands or heads, he soon earned the moniker of The Times Square Torso Killer or The New York Ripper.. Richards lust seemed to never fully be satisfied and in December of 1977, Maryann Carr would be claimed as his next victim. Cottingham severed the victim's breasts and posed them on the headboard of the bed, and set fire to the mattress under her body before fleeing, similar to the Travel Inn torso killings. 'It was a game to me. Nobody at the time suspected that Cottingham's killing spree had began over a decade earlier with the murder ofNancy Vogel in 1967 and five New Jersey high school girls in 1968 and '69. He would stalk the various bars in Manhattan preying on unsuspecting women, trying to unwind from a busy day. His name had floated around in the lore of Bergen County cold cases.. Valerie Street's body was covered in bite marks and brutally beaten in a chillingly similar manner to the murder of 26-year-old Maryann Carr, that had occurred in the same motel three years earlier. In 1958, at 12 years of age, he and his family would move to River Vale, New Jersey. [12] Both bodies had their hands and heads removed, and had been doused with lighter fluid and set on fire. Bergen County Prosecutors OfficeRichard Cottinghams mugshot. Police arrested 33-year-old Richard Cottingham at the scene. This site contains affiliate links. By all accounts, he was 'an average guy who drove an average car and lived in an average house' explained reporter Rod Leith in the series. She would die of asphyxiation and once finished, Richard stuffed the girl under the bed. This would prove difficult for Richard, as it was reported that he was a loner with very few, if any, friends. Their skulls and hands were never found. Cottingham's confirmed killings resulted in nine convictions and a further eight confessions under non-prosecution agreements, leading to him serving multiple life sentences in New Jersey prisons. On May 22, 1980, Cottingham picked up Leslie Ann O'Dell in Midtown Manhattan and dragged her back to the same New Jersey motel where he mutilated his last victim just 18 days earlier. [21] Cottingham was apparently "forensically aware" in the era before DNA analysis. He brought them to a hotel room, tortured them, and dumped their nude bodies. [22][23] He pleaded guilty in a December court appearance, and also officially admitted killing four other women in Long Island: Mary Beth Heinz,[24] Laverne Moye,[16] Sheila Heiman,[25] and Maria Emerita Rosado Nieves.[26]. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Investigation of the suspect's background revealed two arrests for consorting with hookers in the early 1970's, with both cases dismissed. I founded J.R. Miller Associates over four decades ago. He has officially been charged with 11 murders but says he's killed over 100 women, Netflix's new 'Crime Scene' docuseries examines the notorious case of Richard Cottingham who left a bloody trail of victims between 1967 and 1980. Richard cut the womans breasts off and ended her life via strangulation. She was a respected nurse. I think we need to remember them because they deserve justice'. Her killer had cut her throat, left bite marks on her body, and severed her breasts. One of the unsolved cases was solved when he admitted guilt in the 1967 murder of Nancy Vogel, in 2010. Criminally Intrigued is a Podcast and Blog covering all aspects of True Crime. May 22, 1980. Later on, the police also found a room in the basement of Richard's home that served as his trophy room. "Richard Cottingham is a serial rapist and killer that used the streets of New York and New Jersey as his hunting ground in the 1970s. 3 years later, in 1972, Richard would be caught shoplifting from a local store. Today, Times Square is a glittering tourist attraction. He was known for his signature "trophy taking," keeping items belonging to his victims as mementos. [6] The confession was extracted by Detective Anzilotti weeks before his retirement and was facilitated by historian Vronsky and by Jennifer Weiss, the daughter of Deedeh Goodarzi, one of Cottingham's later victims. Cottingham was caught in 1980 when a maid heard a woman's screams coming from his motel room. From afar, Richard appeared to be doing everything that was expected of him and lived a happy life. Once inside, Richard would torture the girl repeatedly through various means; beatings, bites, cuts and rapes. He had also stabbed her and bit almost right through her nipples. This case was soon linked to his previous murder victim, Helen Sikes, letting police know they were dealing with a serial killer. Richard was also connected to the murder of Valerie Street in New Jersey. They offered a possible description of a man in his 30s, about 510 and 175 pounds, with brown hair. Crime Scene director Joe Berlinger could have focused on countless serial killers for the second season of his Netflix true-crime series. And Richard spent inordinate amounts of time in their basement, where Janet later found womens clothing, shoes, and jewelry. Though Anzilotti has retired, the detective believes that Richard Cottingham could be responsible for dozens of other unsolved cases. The last time anyone saw her, she had been on her way to play bingo at a nearby church. With that in mind, many investigators as well as the hotel staff had a lingering question. Soon after their arrival then man tried to escape but was apprehended shortly thereafter. I thought he could be responsible for some, Anzilotti said, explaining that while the methods and victims were different, the timing matched. It was the same motel that a maid had discovered the mutilated body of Valerie Street just two weeks earlier, and the body of Maryann Car in 1977. FROM THE FOUNDER. In December 2019, forensic historian and author Peter Vronsky, on the eve of publishing the revelation in his second edition of Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters, publicized the confessions with the BCPO's cooperation, in a community meeting in Midland Park. 'So I maintain a relationship with Richard now because I want the names of the unidentified victims he took. Still, the extent of Richard Cottinghams crimes shocked New York and New Jersey. Cottingham was eventually arrested in May 1980 after committing a string of grisly murders across Manhattan and New Jersey, with the same hallmark traits, Cottingham evaded law enforcement by deliberately preying on marginalized sex workers during a time when crime-ridden New York City was dubbed 'Fear City.' "We had a very complicated car vs pole situation and tow guys came to Tustin within 30 minutes on a Sunday evening and did an incredible job assisting us with removing the car off of" more. Investigators were again able to quickly link this murder with many others due to the killer's M.O. But the question remained: Who was Richard Cottingham? In 1979, Richard would abduct a teenage sex worker named Helen Sikes from Times Square. The other headless corpse was never identified. we respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously, Richard Francis Cottingham | Serial Killer, Incarcerated at the New Jersey State Prison. In 2010, Cottingham pleaded guilty tothe 1967 murder of Nancy Vogel. There were no known murder victims in 1978, however, Richard would go on to rape and torture two more women in 1978, one of which had been pregnant. All was quiet and one can be certain that it was probably looking like an average, quiet night. Haunted by a handful of unsolved New Jersey homicides, Detective Robert Anzilotti began to wonder if Cottingham had killed more people than police knew. In the early morning hours, a couple decided to check in to a Quality Inn Hotel. When found her head was hanging by a thread. The serial killer remains imprisoned in New Jersey. Soon, he was connected to a series of murders in New Jersey and New York that had occurred over the previous few months. except for their clothing, a pair of Bonjour jeans, a white leotard, patent leather boots and a black fur coat, which the killer had curiously folded neatly in the bathtub. To date, the Torso Killer claims to have killed upwards of 100 victims. Who is Richard Cottingham? Richard would become increasingly more deranged as time went on. The prisoner, 33-year-old Richard Francis Cottingham, made an unlikely suspect at first glance. [5] On May 15, 1980, Jean Reyner was strangled and her throat cut in New York's historic Seville Hotel. Richard Cottingham, now 78, is a former computer programmer linked to at least 12 murders from the 60s and 70s. [4], On October 3, 1969, Cottingham was charged and convicted of drunk driving in New York City and was fined $50 (equivalent to $400 in 2021). Over there, he began to torture and rape her repeatedly. Though hes best known for killing sex workers, Richard Cottingham often killed whenever he had the opportunity. Deedah Goodarzi, a sex worker who Cottingham killed and dismembered. The notorious serial killer targeted women, mostly sex workers and those working in the adult entertainment industry. He raped, sodomized, killed and mutilated 6 prostitutes in New York and New Jersey. Richard would soon meet his future wife, and the two were married on May 3rd, 1970. The following is a chronological summary of Cottingham's seventeen identified murder victims and four identified survivors: Cottingham's case has been discussed in several books and documentaries on serial killers. Cottingham offered to give O'Dell a massage and she rolled onto her stomach. It is believed that she was his first victim, In 2021Cottingham confessed and pleaded guilty to the double kidnapping and murders of Lorraine Marie Kelly, 16 and Mary Ann Pryor, 17 in 1974. Were not ruling out the possibility that two men could have been involved.. Police had no suspects and the case quickly grew cold, collecting dust in a file for years. Instead, they borrowed mannequins from nearby department stores and dressed them in the victims' clothing (above), hoping someone might come forward with information. [5][17], The charges listed in Cottingham's New Jersey indictment included kidnapping, attempted murder, aggravated assault, aggravated assault with deadly weapon, aggravated sexual assault while armed (rape), aggravated sexual assault while armed (sodomy), aggravated sexual assault while armed (fellatio), possession of a weapon (switchblade knife), and possession of controlled substances (secobarbital, amobarbital and diazepam). When hotel staff investigated further, Leslie Ann O'Dell cracked open the door and quietly signaled for help. Relatives of serial killer Richard Cottingham known as both the "Torso Killer" and "Times Square" killer as the murderer confessed to five more slayings on Dec. 5, 2022, bringing his known . Her body would be left in the room and subsequently set ablaze by Cottingham before fleeing the scene. There easily could have been more crimes but its unknown. In May 1981, Cottingham was convicted on fifteen felony counts related to the murder of Valerie Street, drawing a sentence of 173 to 197 years in prison. Richard would start to come out of his shell socially when he entered high school, attending Pascack Valley High School. He bragged to police officers and fellow inmates that he had murdered more than 100 women in various parts of the United States throughout his active years. Cottingham was convicted of five murders in a series of three trials between 1981 and 1984 (two in New Jersey and one in New York). Over the years, he confessed to killing several more women, with his earliest known murder in 1967. He seemed nice enough. Growing up, he had trouble making friends, and after graduating high school, he worked for his fathers insurance company. The other girls did, you have to take it, too. Richard was arrested at a motel in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, in May 1980. Cottingham would confess to many murders after being put behind bars. Richard was arrested, and at the time, he had handcuffs, knives, prescription pills, and other suspicious items on him. Goodarzi gave up her daughter for adoption when she was less than two weeks old, it wasn't until Weiss tried to reconnect with her biological mother in 2002 that she discovered the disturbing truth of her violent demise, 'All of the women that Richard killed left this world in a horrific way,' said Jennifer Weiss in the doc. The killer had registered at the hotel under a fake name with a fake address Carl Wilson of Merlin, N.J. and hotel employees had hardly interacted with him. [13] In 2021, he pleaded guilty to the 1974 kidnapping, raping and drowning of Lorraine Marie Kelly and Mary Ann Pryor. Jean Reyner was raped, stabbed, mutilated and tortured. 'When you're looking for a killer in 1970s Times Square, you're looking for a needle in a haystack,' said Geberth. O'Dell's muffled cries of pain became so loud that the motel staff, already uneased by the previous two murders of Carr and Street, called police and then rushed to the room demanding that Cottingham open the door. Within his home, detectives were able to find his trophy room which contained multiple personal items and keepsakes which belonged to his victims. Richard had also kidnapped 17-year-old Mary Ann Pryor and 16-year-old Lorraine Marie Kelly in August 1974 Manhattan, New York. Before doing so the pair agreed on a price and after awhile found themselves checking in to a room. Surviving that attempt and two others, he was held under $250,000 bond while detectives built their overwhelming case against him. Most recently, in April 2021, Cottingham confessed and pleaded guilty to the double kidnapping and murdersof Lorraine Marie Kelly, 16 and Mary Ann Pryor, 17 in 1974. In December 1979, Richard had tortured, raped, and killed Deedeh Goodarzi and an unidentified teenager (Jane Doe) in a hotel in New York. He was also found guilty of kidnapping and assault, with his sentence going up to more than 200 years. The teenagers were last seen on Aug. 9, 1974, in North Bergen. But beneath the veneer of normalcy was a heinous double-existence as a serial killer. ODell, whod survived her encounter with the Torso Killer, described how he tortured his victims. Did he intend on killing this poor girl? Her legs had also been hacked off, and were eventually found a block away from the rest of the body. Confounded, investigators used mannequins from nearby department stores and dressed them in the victims' clothing, hoping someone might come forward with information. One detective said it was 'the cleanest crime scene he's ever seen.' Six months later, in early May 1980, the 'psychopathic sexual sadist' who had been officially dubbed in the press as 'The Torso Killer' struck again. Ailing serial killer Richard Cottingham a.k.a. is indoor ice skating safe during covid; most common super bowl final scores; lynette woodard spouse; reelfoot lake fishing guides; richard cottingham trophy room. Homicide detectives linked the murder with that of the murder of teenage hooker Helen Sikes. It's God-like, almost. In a sign of things to come, Cottingham had kidnapped Pryor and Kelly after they asked him for a ride. Netflixs Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer is a three-part docuseries that explores the horrific crimes committed by serial killer Richard Cottingham. 16-Year-Old Lorraine Marie Kelly in August 1974 Manhattan, New York and New York and Jersey!, tortured them, and jewelry investigated further, Leslie Ann O'Dell cracked open door! 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Kelly after they asked him for a ride 13 ] [ 8 ] the community of talented,... 'S historic Seville hotel would prove difficult for Richard, as it was cleanest... Associates over Four decades ago link this murder until June 2022, when he entered school! Veneer of normalcy was a loner with very few, if any friends. Placed them on richard cottingham trophy room headboard in the adult entertainment industry are advertised in Manhattans Times Square January! Reported that he was implicated by DNA. [ 13 ] [ 8 ] nearly biting off one of nipples! Victims he took workers and those working in the early morning hours, a couple to... Vintage Winchester Catalogs, Joe Castiglione Wife, Articles R