On December 2, 1979, firefighters were responding to the Travel Inn Motor Lodge on 42nd Street in Manhattan, two blocks from Times Square where it had been reported that there was a fire in Room 417. A member of the squad, Jim Rogers, entered the smoke-filled room and saw a person lying on one of the rooms double beds. Acting quickly, he pulled the motionless figure from the room to the hallway and prepared to start administering CPR. To his horror, once out of the smoke, he found that the body was missing a head. In this episode we continue our coverage of Richard Cottingham, covering his New York victims and the court proceedings that led to his first convictions.
Link to our fundraising campaign with the Polaris Project
Source Material Information:
Berlinger, J. (Director). (2021). Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer [Documentary].
Bonvillian, C. (2021, April 30). Infamous New Jersey 'Torso Killer' admits to abducting, torturing, and drowning 2 teens in 1974. Retrieved from Boston 25 News: https://www.boston25news.com/news/trending/infamous-new-jersey-torso-killer-admits-abducting-torturing-drowning-2-teens-1974/R4NVRGWOPNA7TCWOTJCV765NQI/
Cheng, P.-S. (2022, December 5). Infamous 'Torso Killer' Admits Murdering Long Island Dance Teacher, 4 others. Retrieved from nbcnewyork.com: https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/long-island-serial-killer-richard-cottingham-diane-cusick-valley-stream-court-murder-torso-killer-nj/3983727/
District Attorney: County of Nassau, N.Y. (2022, June 22). Richard Cottingham Indicted for 1968 Murder Outside Green Acres Mall. Retrieved from nassauda.org: https://nassauda.org/civicalerts.aspx?aid=1420
Ehrlich, B. (2022, February 5). 'Darkness Enveloped My Soul': The Final Confessions of The Torso Killer. Retrieved from Rolling Stone: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/torso-killer-richard-cottingham-murder-confessions-1295148/
Gusoff, C. (2022, December 5). Richard Cottingham confesses to 1968 killing of Diane Cusick, 4 other murders on Long Island. Retrieved from CBS News: https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/richard-cottingham-confesses-to-1968-killing-of-diane-cusick-4-other-murders-on-long-island/
Leith, R. (1983). The Prostitute Murders. New York: Pinnacle Books.
Murphy, M. (2022, August 24). Adult Children of Victims Traumatized by Serial killer. Retrieved from PIX11: https://pix11.com/news/local-news/adult-children-of-victims-traumatized-by-serial-killer/
Rosewood, J. (2016). Richard Cottingham: The True Story of The Torso Killer. Wiq Media.
Stuart, M. (1971, July 18).
Popular Podcasts
Cold Case Files: Miami
Joyce Sapp, 76; Bryan Herrera, 16; and Laurance Webb, 32—three Miami residents whose lives were stolen in brutal, unsolved homicides. Cold Case Files: Miami follows award‑winning radio host and City of Miami Police reserve officer Enrique Santos as he partners with the department’s Cold Case Homicide Unit, determined family members, and the advocates who spend their lives fighting for justice for the victims who can no longer fight for themselves.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.