Richard Francis Cottingham
„The Torso killer“
Born: November 25, 1946
Background
Richard Cottingham was a successful computer operator. He was married and father to three kids. In April 1979, his wife Janet filed for divorce, due to her husband's extra-marital affairs, and his known sightings at local gay bars. In June 1980, after Richard's arrest, Janet resubmitted her divorce claim
A college friend recalls he was into SM early. He had a fascination with bondage. „He liked the slave thing, to be in control“. Also that if he talked about women it wasn`t positive. He had an obsession with large breasts (which became a paraphilia = needed for sexual arousal)
A colleague remembers he talked openly about visiting SM-Clubs, gambling and using prostitutes on the „Minnesota Strip“ (Times Square, New York City)
For his murders he often used the Airport Motel, which psychologists analyze as a trait of narcisisst behaviour since it shows he felt superior to everyone else („You won`t catch me“)
In his basement he had a locked room, where neither his wife nor his kids had access to. It was his „trophy room“, where he collected souvenirs, memorabilia, to relive the moments of his killings.
Psychologists say sadistic murderers start 15-20 years before their first murder with fantasties in their head. Cottingham started his murder career with using pornography.
Victims
- Unspecified date and location in 1967: Nancy Schiava Vogel, 29 (strangled)
- December 15-16, 1977, Bergen County, New Jersey: Mary Ann Carr, 26 (raped, tortured, beaten, and fatally strangled)
1978:
- March 22-23, New York City, New York: Karen Schilt (attempted; raped and left for dead in a sewer; was rescued)
- October 10, Hackensack, New Jersey: Susan Geiger (raped and attempted to kill; was pregnant at the time)
- December 1-2, 1979, New York City, New York: The Travel Lodge Motor Inn killings (both were raped, tortured, and fatally strangled; burned and had their heads and hands cut off post-mortem):
- Deedeh Godzari, 23
- An unidentified victim
1980:
- May 5, Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey: Valerie Ann Street, 19 (bit and cut her breasts, beaten, and fatally strangled)
- May 12, Teaneck, New Jersey: Pamela Weisenfield (attempted; bit repeatedly and beaten)
- May 15, New York City, New York: Ann Reyner, 25 (raped, repeatedly stabbed, tortured, and fatally strangled; burned and removed both of her breasts post-mortem)
- May 22, Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey: Leslie Ann O'Dell, 18 (attempted; beaten, raped, sodomized, non-fatally slashed with a knife, bit her breasts, and tortured)
prostituted women
Cottingham showed a sadistic ritual in cutting of breats of some of his victims
Sources
Twisted: Red Light Regular (Documentary)