Profile of Serial Killer Richard Cottingham

Profile of Serial Killer Richard Cottingham Richard Cottingham was a serial rapist and killer that used the streets of New York and New Jersey as his hunting ground in the 1970s. Known for being particularly cruel, Cottingham earned the nickname The Torso Killer because he would sometimes mutilate the body of his victims, leaving just their torso intact. Early Life Relocating to a new school in the seventh grade proved to be socially challenging for Cottingham. He attended St. Andrews, a co-ed parochial school, and spent a lot of his after-school time friendless and at home with his mother and two siblings. It was not until he entered Pascack Valley High School, that he had friends. After graduating from high school, Cottingham went to work as a computer operator at his fathers insurance company, Metropolitan Life. He stayed there for two years and then moved to Blue Cross Blue Shield, also as a computer operator. First Kill and The Family Man Cottingham abducted Carr  from her apartment parking lot, took her to a hotel where he raped, tortured, and murdered her, and left her body at Ledgewood Terrace. In 1974, Cottingham, who was now the father of a baby boy, was arrested and charged with robbery, sodomy, and sexual assault in New York City, but the charges were dropped. Over the next three years, Janet gave birth to two more children- a boy and a girl. Soon after their last child was born, Cottingham began an extramarital affair with a woman named Barbara Lucas. The relationship lasted for two years, ending in 1980. Throughout their affair, Cottingham was raping, killing and mutilating women. Killing Spree March 22, 1978: New York City- Kidnapped, drugged and raped Karen Schilt, age 31.October 13, 1978: Hackensack, New Jersey- Drugged, tortured and raped prostitute Susan Geiger who was pregnant.December 2, 1979: New York City- Tortured and murdered Deedeh Goodarzi, 23, and â€Å"Jane Doe,† an unidentified woman in her 20s. The two women were found in a room at the Travel Inn Motel Hotel, bound together, raped, tortured and murdered. Cottingham mutilated their bodies, removed their hands and heads, then set fire to the hotel room.May 4, 1980: Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey- Valerie Ann Street, 19, was found at the Quality Inn Motel, naked, beaten, and with multiple cuts on one of her breasts.May 12, 1980: Teaneck, New Jersey- Drugged, beaten, and with several bite marks on her body, Pamela Weisenfeld was found in a parking lot.May 15, 1980: New York City- Jean Reyner, 25, was raped, stabbed, mutilated and strangled to death in a room at the Hotel Seville in New York City.May 22, 1980: Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey- Feeling invincible, Cottingham returned to the Quality Inn Motel with Leslie O’Dell, 18, where he raped, beat, tortured and tried to kill her, however, he was interrupted by hotel security. Finally Busted A search of a private room in Cottinghams home turned up various personal items linking him to his victims. The handwriting on hotel receipts was also matched to his handwriting. He was charged in New York City with a triple homicide (Mary Ann Jean Reyner, Deedeh Goodarzi and â€Å"Jane Doe†) and on 21 counts in New Jersey, plus additional charges for the murder of Maryann Carr. Courtroom Drama and Sentence During the New Jersey trial, Cottingham testified that since he was a child he was fascinated with bondage. But this monster who often demanded that his victims call him master showed no backbone when faced with the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison. Three days after he was found guilty of the New Jersey murders he attempted suicide in his cell by drinking liquid antidepressants. Then a few days before the New York verdict he attempted suicide by cutting his left forearm with a razor in front of the jury. Ironically, this master of mutilation could not master his own suicide Cottingham is currently housed at the New Jersey State Prison in Trenton, New Jersey.