Episode 20- Richard Cottingham: The Torso Killer Part 1

Listen To The Full Episode Here: 

On May 22, 1980, around 9 AM a housekeeper named Eleanor at the Quality Inn Hotel in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, was making her usual rounds checking the rooms when she heard screams coming from room 117. Inside, eighteen-year-old Leslie Ann O’Dell had been enduring hours of torture at the hands of one of New York and New Jersey’s most prolific serial killers. The quick actions of the hotel staff at the Quality Inn likely saved the life of Leslie as well as countless other future potential victims... 

Content Warning: This episode discusses themes including the sexual assault, abuse, and disfigurement that victims of Richard Cottingham endured. Some audiences may find this episode difficult to listen to. Listener discretion is advised.  

Richard Cottingham

Richard Francis Cottingham

Born: November 25, 1946

Arrested: May 22, 1980

Was a married father of three living in Lodi, New Jersey and working in Manhattan, NY as a computer operator for Blue Cross Blue Shield. He claims to have murdered anywhere from 85-100 women and likely conducted his first murder in his teens. 

As of January 15, 2024, currently serving 179 years to life in prison for the murder of 17 women and aggravated assault and attempted murder of 3 additional women in a New Jersey Prison


Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, New Jersey, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Cottingham's Yearbook Photo from 1964

The First Known Victims

Leslie Ann O'Dell

Leslie was attacked by Richard Cottingham at the Quality Inn Hotel in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey after he had lured her into coming with him with promises of helping her out of her current situation. Leslie had come to New York City from Washington State to start a new life a few days before, but her vulnerability led to her being sex trafficked around New York City. After hours of torture at Richard's hands, Leslie was able to fight back and her screams were heard by employees at the Quality Inn. Employees would call police, leading to Richard Cottingham's arrest on May 22, 1980. Leslie survived her ordeal and would later testify against him in multiple trials bringing him to justice for his crimes against her and many other women. 

Valorie Street

The beaten and nude body of Valorie Street was found by a maid at the Quality Inn Hotel in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey on May 5, 1980. She had been brutally tortured, sexually assaulted, and strangled. Her hands were secured behind her back with handcuffs and she had adhesive tape covering her mouth. Valorie was a sex worker who had signed in to the Quality Inn Hotel the previous morning under the name Shelley Dudley. She had recently come to New York City from Florida. Investigators would be able to pull a thumbprint off the handcuffs that was later matched to Richard Cottingham. 

Mary Ann Carr

On December 15, 1977, 26-year-old Mary Ann Carr went missing from her home at Ledgewood Terrace Apartments. Her body would be found the following day on December 16th in the parking lot of the Quality Inn Hotel in Hasbrouck Heights. She had been beaten, but there were no signs of sexual assault. The key to her the exterior door of her apartment building was found in Richard Cottingham's Lodi Home in a locked room of his basement with items connected to crimes against many other women. 

Karen Schilt

As investigators continued to build their case against Cottingham, they brought in some of the women who had been victims of torture and sexual assault that might be connected to their case. One of the first of those known victims was Karen Schilt on March 22, 1978, a few months after the murder of Mary Ann Carr. Karen was working as a waitress at a bar called Tuesday’s in Manhattan at the time. She was approached in a bar by Richard Cottingham, who bought her a drink. She started to feel unwell and tried to walk home, but was not able to. Cottingham offered her a ride, which she accepted due to her condition. He abducted her and took her to Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, where he viciously assaulted her and left her in a ditch near the Ledgewood Terrace Apartment Complex. 

Susan Geiger

On September 10, 1978, Susan Geiger, would have her first encounter with Richard Cottingham. She was walking from an apartment of a regular client at the corner of 47th and Broadway when a man in a 1973 Ford Thunderbird called her over to him. He asked to purchase her services for the night, but she was tired so she gave him the number to where she was staying. He called the following day and they set up a time to meet. They went to a bar in Manhattan. He would purchase her a drink, after which she started to feel unwell. She asked him to take her to a nearby hotel, but he took her to New Jersey. He would viciously assault her at the Airport Hotel and leave her on the bathroom floor of the room. She would attempt to pick him out of mug shots but could only find someone that vaguely resembled him. He would approach her again on the street a few days later, but would be spooked off by a few men that came to check on a distressed Susan. 

Pamela Weisenfeld

On May 12, 1980, ten days before the assault on Leslie Ann O’Dell that would lead to Cottingham’s arrest, a sex worker named Pamela Weisenfeld was found dumped in a vacant parking lot in Teaneck, New Jersey. Although her assault matched the others and she would testify in court identifying Cottingham as her attacker, he was not convicted in the charges against him for her attack. 

Victim Resources:

Human Trafficking: According to the Polaris project: In 2021, 10,359 situations of human trafficking were reported to the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline involving 16,554 individual victims. Reports of human trafficking are very likely under reported, so this is only a fraction of the picture. The Polaris Project operates the National Human Trafficking Hotline in the United States, if you or someone you know need help you can call 1-888-373-7888 or Text “BeFree” to 233733. You can go to www.polarisproject.org for more information, resources, statistics, or education regarding Human Trafficking and the work 


Sexual Assault: The Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network (RAINN) is another resource that I wanted to share, they are the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence resource and run the National Sexual Assault Hotline. If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, you can call 1-800-656-4273 for help and support, download their mobile app, or visit www.rainn.org

Episode Sources:

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/


Murphy, M. (2022, December 5). Serial Killer Richard Cottingham admits to 5 more murders on Long Island.Retrieved from PIX11: https://pix11.com/news/local-news/long-island/serial-killer-richard-cottingham-admits-to-5-more-murders-on-long-island/


Rosewood, J. (2016). Richard Cottingham: The True Story of The Torso Killer. Wiq Media.


Sgueglia, M. M. (2022, December 5). 'Times Square Killer' pleads guilty to 1 woman's murder and admits killing 4 others. Retrieved from CNN.com: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/05/us/richard-cottingham-times-square-murders/index.html


Stuart, M. (1971, July 18). Profile of the Killer. The Sunday Record, pp. D-3.


Torrejon, R. (2020, January 30). The 'Torso Killer' dismembered her mother. So why did this woman become his friend? Retrieved from NJ.com: https://www.nj.com/news/2020/01/the-torso-killer-dismembered-her-mother-so-why-did-this-woman-become-his-friend.html


Valentin, M. (Director). (2023, 9 March). The Torso Killer Confessions [Documentary].