At least 16 young women and girls have passed away as a result of RICHARD Cottingham’s actions.
Americans now want to know more about his victims after he perpetrated these killings in New York and New Jersey between 1967 and 1980, garnering him the monikers The Torso Killer and The Times Square Killer.
Who were Richard Cottingham’s victims?
Cottingham has been found guilty on multiple occasions throughout the years, but he keeps coming clean about further murders as time goes on.
According to WGN9, he has claimed to be accountable for up to 100 homicides, while the precise number of victims is unknown.
His known victims include:
- Nancy Schiava Vogel, 29
- Lorraine Marie Kelly, 16
- Mary Ann Pryor, 17
- Maryann Carr, 26
- Deedeh Goodarzi, 22
- Valerie Ann Street was between 18 and 19 years old
- Jean Reyner, 25
- Diane Cusick, 23
- Irene Blase, 18
- Denise Falasca, 15
- Jackie Harp, 13
- Laverne Moye, 22
- Lorraine McGraw, 26
- Mary Beth Heinz, 21
- Sheila Hyman, 33
- Maria Emerita Rosado Nieves, 18
Where is Richard Cottingham now?
Cottingham has been imprisoned for several years but still makes murder confessions.
In December 2022, he was found guilty of his most recent conviction after confessing to raping and strangling Cusick.
He also mistook the deaths of Heinz, Moye, Heiman, and Nieves during that time, but as part of a plea bargain with the Nassau County District Attorney, he won’t be held accountable for those slayings, according to WGN9.
He was given a 25 to life sentence for the murder of Cusick.
“Today is one of the most emotional days we’ve ever had in the Nassau county district attorney’s office,” Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said in a statement, via The Guardian.
“In the case of Diane Cusick, her family has waited nearly 55 years for someone to be held accountable for her death.”
Leslie Ann O’Dell, 18, was the victim of an attempted murder and rape committed by Cottingham on May 22, 1980. A hotel maid overheard O’Dell screaming at the time coming from his room.
