richard cottingham trophy room

Cottingham was caught in 1980 when a maid heard a woman's screams coming from his motel room. But beneath the veneer of normalcy was a heinous double-existence as a serial killer. When they forced their way inside and put the fire out they found something more than burnt furniture. A firefighter grabbed one in hopes of saving a life. [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). In this image taken from a New Jersey Courts virtual hearing, Richard Cottingham, center, known as the "Torso Killer," pleads guilty April 27, 2021, to two 1974 murders, finally closing the cold case deaths of teenage friends who had left home for a trip to the mall and never returned. Netflix's documentary Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer examines the notorious case of Richard Cottingham - also known as 'The Torso Killer' -who claimed to have raped, slaughtered and mutilated more than 100 women between 1967 and 1980. He chose "Times Square Killer" Richard Cottingham not because he's a household name, but because he isn't. "He's interesting in the annals of serial killing, because . We may, at no cost to you, receive a commission for purchases made through these links. In 1979, Richard would abduct a teenage sex worker named Helen Sikes from Times Square. Recently, her daughter that she gave up for adoption while turning tricks has made headlines for forging an unlikely friendship with Richard Cottingham in prison, Richard Cottingham earned his moniker as 'the Torso Killer' after he raped and murdered two women in a Times Square motel before setting their decapitated torsos ablaze. Her killer, Richard Cottingham, was a computer operator, married with three children of his own, living a seemingly normal life. They had been doused with lighter fluid and set alight. In his possession were handcuffs, a leather gag, two slave collars, a switchblade, replica pistols and a stockpile of sedatives. Her arms were still handcuffed behind her back. He brought Cottingham to his office and offered him pizza and card games. He subdued the helpless girl with handcuffs and began the torture session. Later on, Richard took a job with Blue Cross Blue Shield in New York as a computer operator. Richard would soon meet his future wife, and the two were married on May 3rd, 1970. Richard kept things like jewelry and trinkets as souvenirs from the slayings. After this look at Richard Cottingham, The Torso Killer, read up on Ed Kemper, the Co-Ed Killer, and Rodney Alcala, the Dating Game Killer. Then, read the stories of Jack the Rippers victims. Later on, the police also found a room in the basement of Richard's home that served as his trophy room. Tow Guys Towing. Without heads and hands, authorities were unable to identify the victims. He later admitted that his psychopathic hobby for hunting sex workers in Times Square 'as a game.'. Cottingham targeted sex workers in Times Square before torturing and mutilating their bodies, often leaving only their torsos behind as evidence. Richard Cottingham was convicted of five murders and sent to prison for a sentence of 300 years. Richard Francis Cottingham was born on November 25, 1946, in the Mott Haven neighborhood of the Bronx in New York City, the first of four children. Soon after checking in, the 18-year-old girls screams began to echo throughout the halls of the hotel. Directed by serial killer-aficionado Joe Berlinger, the Netflix series features interviews with former detectives, police officers, sex workers. He decapitated the women and cut off their hands before setting them on fire. The notorious serial killer targeted women, mostly sex workers and those working in the adult entertainment industry. In December 1979, Richard had tortured, raped, and killed Deedeh Goodarzi and an unidentified teenager (Jane Doe) in a hotel in New York. They were raped and drowned in the bathtub of a New Jersey motel, In 2020, Cottingham admitted to murdering 13-year-old Jackie Harp (left) in 1968, and 15-year-old Denise Falasca (right) in 1969. A search of Cottingham's home turned up a bizarre "trophy room," containing personal effects from several of the murdered prostitutes. For about six months between 1979 and 1980, Cottingham murdered sex workers in brutal fashion. The baffled police had few clues to follow. The Full Story Of The Hamilton-Burr Duel And The Tragic Death Of Alexander Hamilton, The Full Story Behind Columbine High School Shooters Eric Harris And Dylan Klebold, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. In May 1980, Richard Cottingham attacked four women with terrible barbarity, killing three of them. He was also a married, respectable man with three children. The following week on May 15th, 1980, another sex worker was lured into a Manhattan motel room under the guise of more work but was most likely ambushed when Cottingham locked the door. One was identified as 22-year-old Deedeh Goodarzi, a sex worker. He had three children, two boys and a girl, with his wife. A year later, conviction on second-degree murder charges in the death of Maryann Carr added another sentence of 20 years to life. All was quiet and one can be certain that it was probably looking like an average, quiet night. Cottingham was not charged with this murder until June 2022, when he was implicated by DNA.[10]. The police apprehended Richard Cottingham while trying to flee. Emergency services. Thankfully, Cottinghams reign of terror would not last forever. He admitted that he brought the two girls to a motel room where he tied them up, raped them, then drowned them in bathtub. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. He returned back to the hotel to soak the crime scene in lighter fluid and set the room ablaze. 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. Richard Cottingham's arrest in May 1980 closed the doors on one of the most violent crime sprees to have ever occurred. the Torso Killer pleaded guilty to the 1968 murder of Long Island mother Diane Cusick Monday in front of a Nassau County, New York judge, as . He was sentenced to 173 to 197 years, which he is currently serving in Trenton's New Jersey State Prison. 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. 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. 'It was a game to me. Police had no suspects and the case quickly grew cold, collecting dust in a file for years. Even before he confessed to additional killings after his conviction, Cottingham was given life in prison with a sentence of more than 300 years. FacebookDeedah Goodarzi, a sex worker who Cottingham killed and dismembered. He also cut off her breasts and placed them on the headboard in the room. Richard Cottingham has confessed to a number of other murders in recent years. Hasbrouck Heights, NJ. 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. She was positively identified through a cesarean-section scar after a friend recognized her clothing. Things started well, a nice massage to relax things. 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. All That's Interesting is a Brooklyn-based digital publisher that seeks out stories that illuminate the past, present, and future. ODell, whod survived her encounter with the Torso Killer, described how he tortured his victims. She would later be found in Queens horribly mutilated. Netflixs Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer is a three-part docuseries that explores the horrific crimes committed by serial killer Richard Cottingham. North-jersey.comA father of three, Richard Cottingham seemed an unlikely killer. The crime scene was particularly gruesome. Known for being particularly cruel, Cottingham earned the nickname "The Torso Killer" because he would sometimes mutilate the body of his victims, leaving . The 22-year-old's death appeared brutal: she had been beheaded and set on fire and her skull has yet to be found. In April 2021, Cottingham confessed to the unsolved 1974 double-abduction, rape, and forcible drowning murders of Lorraine Marie Kelly, 16, and Mary Ann Pryor, 17, in Montvale, one of New Jersey's most notorious cold cases. So the detective started spending time with the Times Square Killer. deviant drain of illicit thrills, pornography, prostitution and crooks - providing. We dont know if hes the one who rented the room, Deputy Chief Richard Nicastro said at the time. This murder was later linked to the 1977 murder of Maryann Carr, who was left in the same motel's parking lot. The other girls did, you have to take it too. The sexual predator prowled Times Square for his victims which was considered a deviant playground for pornography, prostitution and crooks, The documentary paints a terrifying portrait of a city overrun with crime, which allowed Cottingham to flourish and evade law enforcement. Once he had his fill, Richard decided to light the bodies on fire and flee the scene. Before doing so the pair agreed on a price and after awhile found themselves checking in to a room. [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). Published: 09:02 EDT, 31 December 2021 | Updated: 09:02 EDT, 31 December 2021, A new Netflix documentary investigates Richard Cottingham, also known as the 'Times Square Killer' who said he raped and killed over 105 women and is currently serving a life sentence in New Jersey. To date, the Torso Killer claims to have killed upwards of 100 victims. For the murders of Mary and Lorraine, Richard was to receive two life sentences that would run concurrently with the time hes been serving. Leslie Ann ODell recalled what had happened and how things escalated so quickly. Three of those murders Cottingham later confessed to included Jacalyn Harp. Thankfully, Cottingham's reign of terror would not last forever. [6] At Blue Cross, Cottingham worked in an office with Rodney Alcala, the fugitive child molester and future serial killer who lived in New York under the alias "John Berger". [16], In the early hours of May 22, 1980, Cottingham picked up 18-year-old Leslie Ann O'Dell, who was soliciting on the corner of Manhattan's Lexington Avenue and 25th Street. Richard Cottingham, serial killer from New Jersey operating in New York between 1967 and 1980. 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). "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. On May 5, 1980, police found another prostitute, Valerie Streets, dead in a motel room. 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