Richard Cottingham”

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Richard Cottingham” Serial Killer “ Richard Cottingham” by Sekton Wandikbo This is a story about a serial killer and rapist that operated in New York and New Jersey. His name is Richard Francis Cottingham. He was born in “ Bronx, New York on November 25, 1946. He grew up in a normal middle-class home. When he was 12-year-old, his parents moved the family to River Vale, New Jersey. There his father worked in an insurance company and his mother stayed home.” 1 He was an aloof person when he was a teenager, he did not have a lot of friends to play with neither in his neighborhood nor at school. After graduating from St.Andrews high school, he worked as a computer operator at his father’s insurance company for two years. After that he moved to another insurance company called Blue Cross Blue Shield, working the same job. He has a wife with three children. He started killing in 1967 and stopped in 1980. He was sentenced to jail for life. Cottingham is found guilty for killing "six victims."2 The first killing-spree began “ in 1967, when he was 21-year-old. He strangled his friend, a 29-year-old Nancy Vogel to death. Her body was found in her car in nearby Ridgefield Park. She had been last seen three days earlier, when she left home to play bingo with friends at a local church.” 3 He committed this murder 1 Charles Montaldo, “ Profile of Serial Killer Richard Cottingham” ThoughtCo, March 04, 2017. https://www.thoughtco.com/profile-of-serial-killer-richard-cottingham-973146 2 Jacklyn Cowin, Jenna Leonette, and The Phan, " Richard Francis Cottingham " The Torso Killer", " PDF, 2007. http://maamodt.asp.radford.edu/Psyc%20405/serial%20killers/Cottingham, %20Richard%20_spring%202007_.pdf 3 The Associate Press, " Bergen man convicted of decades-old killings, admits to fatal strangling of N.J. woman" NJ, September 19, 2010. http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/09/ bergen_man_who_killed_5_women.html after many years later when he was in jail already. All the murders he committed were mostly women who worked as a prostitute or his dates. He picked women because he thought women are weaker than men. He is a smart serial killer, the police and the investigator have had a hard time to figure the murder after many years. He has a family, his wife is Janet and they both have three children, two boys and a girl. He raped, killed and mutilated all the victims. After interviewed with a journalist, Nadia Fezzani, the reason he mutilated all his victims was because "he wanted to be the best at whatever he did and wanted to be the best serial killer." 4 He is called the Torso Killer, because he always left the torso of the victims behind. The crimes are basically raping and killing. Started in 1967 and stopped in 1980. His murder cases are not fully discovered. The police were only able to found six victims of him. During the interview with the journalist, Nadia Fezzani, he said that "there were as many as 90 to 100 more victims."5 There are only six that were discovered, the rest is a mystery. He is called “ The Torso Killer” because after he killed the victims he left the torso. Most of his victims he killed are usually in a hotels or inns. He usually drugged and kidnapped the victims. “ Other women who had survived a date with Cottingham came forth to tell their stories. Some said they had met him in a bar and while drinking together they had become extremely sleepy. The theory 4 Montaldo, " Profile of Serial Killer" 5 Ibid was that he had slipped drugs into their glasses. After that he would do whatever he wanted to do to satisfy his thirst of violence. He raped, tortured, stabbed, bite and mutilated.” 6 He was finally caught and arrested when he was trying to kill Leslie O’Dell, an 18-year- old teenager in the Quality Inn Motel Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey. The girl was screaming and it caught the attention of one of the securities in the Motel. The security approach and asked if she is okay. So Cottingham threatened her to convince the security that everything is okay but in a mean time she gave a sign with her eyes to the security that finally end the misery after the security called the police a few minutes later. When the police caught him, “he seemed an unlikely candidate for this kind of violence. He looked so normal.” 7 He is a computer technician that he looked innocent but the crime he had done is reciprocal. “He was found guilty of a total of five murders and was sentenced in New Jersey to 60-95 years in prison an additional 75 years to life in New York. He later confessed to killing Nancy Vogel in 2010.” 8 So he is basically will spend the rest of his life in the jail. He also committed a lot of murders that was hidden for years. 6 Mara Bovsun, “ Justice Story: ‘Times Square Ripper’ revealed to be mild-mannered husband from suburban Jersey ,” Daily News, March 04, 2012. http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ justice-story-times-square-ripper-revealed-mild-mannered-husband-suburban-jersey- article-1.1030506 Ibid 8 Charles Montaldo, “ Profile of Serial Killer Richard Cottingham” ThoughtCo, March 04, 2017. https://www.thoughtco.com/profile-of-serial-killer-richard-cottingham-973146 Works Cited : Bovsun, Mara. "Justice Story: Times Square Ripper." NY Daily News. N.p., 04 Mar. 2012. Daily News. 02 June 2017. Cowin, Jacklyn, Jenna Leonette, and The Phan. "Richard Francis Cottingham" The Torso Killer"." Maamodt.asp. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 June 2017 Montaldo, Charles. "See Why Serial Killer Richard Cottingham Was Called "The Torso Killer"." ThoughtCo. ThoughtCo, n.d. Web. 02 June 2017. Press, The Associated. "Bergen Man Convicted of Decades-old Killings, Admits to Fatal Strangling of N.J. Woman." NJ.com. N.p., 19 Sept. 2010. Web. 09 June 2017. .
Recommended publications
  • Richard Francis Cottingham “The Torso Killer”
    Richard Francis Cottingham “The Torso Killer” Information researched and summarized by Jacklyn Cowin, Jenna Leonette, and The Phan Department of Psychology Radford University Radford, VA 24142-6946 Date Age Life Event 11/25/1946 0 Born in Bronx, NY 1958 12 Family settled in River Vale, NJ when Richard was still a youngster Entered in the seventh grade at St. Andrews, a parochial school for boys and 1958 12 girls—had trouble making friends, took an interest in homing pigeons and tinkering around the house and yard with his mother Entered Pascack Valley High School in Hillsdale-became more accepted by 1960 14 peers, but he was never a star, he just blended in with the crowd. Joined cross country and track team—he picked the event that suited his 1960-1964 14-18 personality; he chose the solitude and loneliness of the long distance runner. 1964 18 Graduated from Pascack Valley High School Worked for father’s insurance company Metropolitan Life as a computer operator 1964-1966 18-20 and took courses to learn more about computers. 1966 20 Joined Blue Cross Blue Shield of Greater New York as a computer operator 1967 21 Strangled to death Nancy Schiava Vogel (WF, 29) Charged and convicted of intoxicated driving (New York City): 10 days jail & 10/03/1969 22 $50 fine 05/03/1970 23 Married Janet at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Queens Village, NY Lived at the apartments called Ledgewood Terrace in Little Ferry, the site where 1970-1974 23-28 his first victim Maryann Carr, was later found dead.
    [Show full text]
  • Harvey Glatman
    Serial Violence Analysis of Modus Operandi and Signature Characteristics of Killers CRC SERIES IN PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF CRIMINAL AND FORENSIC INVESTIGATIONS VERNON J. GEBERTH, BBA, MPS, FBINA Series Editor Practical Homicide Investigation: Tactics, Procedures, and Forensic Techniques, Fourth Edition Vernon J. Geberth The Counterterrorism Handbook: Tactics, Procedures, and Techniques, Third Edition Frank Bolz, Jr., Kenneth J. Dudonis, and David P. Schulz Forensic Pathology, Second Edition Dominick J. Di Maio and Vincent J. M. Di Maio Interpretation of Bloodstain Evidence at Crime Scenes, Second Edition William G. Eckert and Stuart H. James Tire Imprint Evidence Peter McDonald Practical Drug Enforcement, Third Edition Michael D. Lyman Practical Aspects of Rape Investigation: A Multidisciplinary Approach, Fourth Edition Robert R. Hazelwood and Ann Wolbert Burgess The Sexual Exploitation of Children: A Practical Guide to Assessment, Investigation, and Intervention, Second Edition Seth L. Goldstein Gunshot Wounds: Practical Aspects of Firearms, Ballistics, and Forensic Techniques, Second Edition Vincent J. M. Di Maio Friction Ridge Skin: Comparison and Identification of Fingerprints James F. Cowger Footwear Impression Evidence: Detection, Recovery and Examination, Second Edition William J. Bodziak Principles of Kinesic Interview and Interrogation, Second Edition Stan Walters Practical Fire and Arson Investigation, Second Edition David R. Redsicker and John J. O’Connor The Practical Methodology of Forensic Photography, Second Edition David R.
    [Show full text]
  • Winter 2020 Life Calendar
    COURSES & EVENTS LIFE INSTITUTE WINTER 2020 LEARN • SOCIALIZE • CONTRIBUTE Mission Vision Values MISSION Enable adults age 50+ to pursue their passion for life-long learning through a wide range of educational courses, activities and related opportunities to volunteer. VISION LIFE Institute, a leader in life-long learning, inspiring and fulfilling a community of adults 50+ through Continuing Education at Ryerson University. CORE VALUES Learning - LIFE believes learning is core to healthy ageing, and strive to include educational opportunities in all it does. Community – Create a convivial environment which supports learning, building relationships and enables everyone to contribute. Inclusion - Listen to each other, seek to understand and broaden LIFE’s viewpoint. LIFE welcomes people of all backgrounds and abilities. Integrity - Truthful and honest in all it does. When faced with difficult decisions and hard choices, LIFE does the right thing. LEARN • SOCIALIZE • CONTRIBUTE LIFE in in LIFE About Contents LIFE About “Learning is Forever” … LIFE! LIFE/acknowledgements /disability notice/dates to WINTER LIFE INSTITUTE is the largest program partner in Programs for remember ..................... 3 50+ in The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Ombuddy/20 min reminder 4 Ryerson University. LIFE offers lifelong learning programs to No scents policy ................ 4 adults 50+ who are retired or preparing for retirement. Members of LIFE can attend stimulating daytime classes and participate in Winter welcome/wait lists/ 2020 creative learning at Ryerson or at off-campus locations. All refunds/classroom times members have full access to Ryerson facilities—the library, and locations ............. 5-6 audiovisual materials, bookstore, cafeteria, the Image Arts Centre, LIFE Board members .......
    [Show full text]
  • Homicide: a Forensic Psychology Casebook
    FORENSIC & CRIMINAL JUSTICE HOMICIDE | Mellor Swart A Forensic Psychology HOMICIDE CaseBooK HOMICIDE A Forensic Psychology Forensic psychology plays an increasingly important role in criminal investigations and legal decision-making. Homicide: A Forensic Psychology Casebook guides readers through the practical aspects of homicide cases across the entire criminal justice system, from the investigative process to the criminal trial process, and beyond. Each chapter contains a description and analysis of selected cases and offenders, and provides a crime narrative and offender narrative to illustrate the underlying theory and practical considerations of homicide investigations. Criminal justice students and practitioners alike will benefit from the comprehensive scope of this text. CaseBooK Features: • Only forensic psychology casebook with this comprehensive scope • Provides timely and relevant case studies, from revenge killings to ideological offenders • Offers chapters by many renowned experts on homicide In order to ensure fair and efficient criminal justice practices in the field of forensic investigation, there is still a need for conformity and standardization of sound protocols and approaches based on improved knowledge and education. This book is part of that effort to understand homicidal behavior and offenders better in order to prevent similar crimes. Edited by Joan Swart K26192 Lee Mellor 6000 Broken Sound Parkway, NW Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487 711 Third Avenue New York, NY 10017 an informa business 2 Park Square, Milton
    [Show full text]