1 00:00:04,900 --> 00:00:06,066 [car door opens] 2 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:10,367 [Wendy Naugle] We were stunned, at People, 3 00:00:10,433 --> 00:00:12,667 when we first learned about a serial killer 4 00:00:12,667 --> 00:00:14,934 who earned many names over the years. 5 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:17,834 From the Times Square killer... 6 00:00:19,767 --> 00:00:21,533 to the Bergen Strangler. 7 00:00:22,500 --> 00:00:25,333 No one, it seemed, was safe from his sadism. 8 00:00:26,467 --> 00:00:28,166 [Ruth Good] She thought, "I don't need 9 00:00:28,233 --> 00:00:30,934 somebody babying me by driving me home." 10 00:00:32,867 --> 00:00:36,367 And we did not see her again after that. 11 00:00:36,367 --> 00:00:38,867 A lot of people figured a psycho was on the loose, 12 00:00:38,867 --> 00:00:40,967 and tonight, that may well be true. 13 00:00:41,033 --> 00:00:44,467 [man] He enjoyed how he could outsmart somebody. 14 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:47,266 Getting them into his car. 15 00:00:47,333 --> 00:00:48,700 It was a game for him. 16 00:00:48,767 --> 00:00:52,166 [reporter] There were two dead girls, their heads and hands removed. 17 00:00:52,166 --> 00:00:54,367 [Vernon Geberth] It was the hotel room from hell. 18 00:00:54,367 --> 00:00:58,867 I knew immediately that we're dealing with a psychopathic sexual sadist. 19 00:00:58,934 --> 00:01:04,266 [Alan Grieco] But we had no idea that he was one of the most prolific killers 20 00:01:04,333 --> 00:01:05,567 in US history. 21 00:01:07,100 --> 00:01:11,533 [killer speaking] 22 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:15,567 [theme music playing] 23 00:01:42,567 --> 00:01:44,767 [Ruth] Midland Park in Bergen County 24 00:01:44,834 --> 00:01:46,767 in 1968 was like, 25 00:01:46,767 --> 00:01:49,166 just a little hometown. 26 00:01:49,233 --> 00:01:50,634 Everybody knew everybody. 27 00:01:51,066 --> 00:01:53,066 Eight thousand people. 28 00:01:53,133 --> 00:01:54,567 Nobody locked doors. 29 00:01:54,634 --> 00:01:57,767 Nobody had a care in the world back then. 30 00:01:57,767 --> 00:02:01,734 My name is Suzan Mulder and I'm Jackie Harp's sister. 31 00:02:03,166 --> 00:02:04,934 My older sister Clara, 32 00:02:05,300 --> 00:02:07,667 Dottie, Cathy, 33 00:02:07,667 --> 00:02:10,667 myself and Jackie. 34 00:02:10,667 --> 00:02:14,166 She was the youngest of five. She was fun. 35 00:02:14,166 --> 00:02:17,533 Independent. Just full of life. 36 00:02:18,767 --> 00:02:22,467 In 1968, I was 15 years old. 37 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:24,834 Jackie was 13. 38 00:02:27,266 --> 00:02:31,834 Jackie was just bubbly, funny, sense of humor 39 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:34,000 that just didn't quit. 40 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:38,266 She found something funny and happy in just about everything. 41 00:02:38,266 --> 00:02:40,867 Although she's always trying to be like her older sisters, 42 00:02:40,867 --> 00:02:42,567 and do whatever they are doing, 43 00:02:42,567 --> 00:02:44,867 as a young teen, Jackie becomes involved 44 00:02:44,867 --> 00:02:48,066 with the Imperial Knights Color Guard as a flag carrier. 45 00:02:48,133 --> 00:02:52,767 The, um, Imperial Knights were a Drum and Bugle Corp. 46 00:02:52,767 --> 00:02:56,467 You see those all the time at football games and stuff like that. 47 00:02:56,533 --> 00:02:58,367 Our parents were very proud of Jackie. 48 00:02:58,367 --> 00:03:01,100 This is her in her Imperial Knights uniform. 49 00:03:01,100 --> 00:03:02,867 That's a favorite. 50 00:03:02,934 --> 00:03:04,634 She looks very proud in this picture. 51 00:03:11,266 --> 00:03:15,967 On the night of July 17th, 1968, I was out with friends. 52 00:03:15,967 --> 00:03:18,767 Jackie had practice with the Imperial Knights that night. 53 00:03:20,166 --> 00:03:23,567 [Ruth] This is the barn that we used to practice in. 54 00:03:23,634 --> 00:03:27,367 When we were done, a bunch of people offered Jackie a ride home, 55 00:03:27,433 --> 00:03:29,967 and she opted to walk home instead. 56 00:03:37,367 --> 00:03:40,066 Jackie was just very independent. 57 00:03:40,133 --> 00:03:45,066 She thought, "I don't need somebody babying me by driving me home." 58 00:03:46,166 --> 00:03:49,467 [Suzan] I came home. Must have been later than 9:00. 59 00:03:49,467 --> 00:03:52,467 And my mom said that Jackie wasn't home yet. 60 00:03:52,467 --> 00:03:54,667 And she was getting worried. 61 00:03:54,734 --> 00:03:58,467 And, you know, I said, "She'll be home soon, Mom. Don't worry. 62 00:03:58,467 --> 00:04:00,100 It's okay, don't worry about it." 63 00:04:02,100 --> 00:04:04,867 Well, you know, it went on and on and on 64 00:04:04,867 --> 00:04:07,433 and she said, "Well, we need to go looking for her." 65 00:04:08,867 --> 00:04:10,867 It got to be later and later. 66 00:04:10,867 --> 00:04:13,867 So that's when we went down to the police station, 67 00:04:13,867 --> 00:04:15,934 to report that she hadn't come home. 68 00:04:17,266 --> 00:04:20,467 But after we reported her to the police, 69 00:04:20,467 --> 00:04:23,266 we could see that something was wrong. 70 00:04:23,333 --> 00:04:24,734 Something was very wrong. 71 00:04:26,266 --> 00:04:29,266 And my mother asked where Jackie was. 72 00:04:29,266 --> 00:04:31,367 That's when they told us. 73 00:04:31,433 --> 00:04:33,467 "We found your daughter. She's dead." 74 00:04:36,367 --> 00:04:37,934 [sniffles] 75 00:04:43,066 --> 00:04:44,667 [Wendy] Police find Jackie's body 76 00:04:44,667 --> 00:04:46,634 in a brook in Midland Park. 77 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:49,567 There's a bruise on Jackie's face, 78 00:04:49,567 --> 00:04:51,066 and red marks on her neck. 79 00:04:53,667 --> 00:04:56,066 This 13-year-old schoolgirl 80 00:04:57,100 --> 00:05:01,533 had been strangled with the sling from her own uniform. 81 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:09,567 My mother was just hysterical, 82 00:05:09,567 --> 00:05:12,567 and she just couldn't handle it. 83 00:05:12,567 --> 00:05:15,266 Everything was just like a blur to us. 84 00:05:15,333 --> 00:05:17,367 You just don't believe what you're hearing. 85 00:05:17,367 --> 00:05:21,867 You just cannot imagine hearing those words. 86 00:05:24,166 --> 00:05:25,834 [Ruth] It... It was horrible. 87 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:30,567 I just kept asking my mother, "What do you mean, she's dead? 88 00:05:30,567 --> 00:05:32,367 What do you mean, they found her body?" 89 00:05:32,367 --> 00:05:34,066 I could not 90 00:05:34,066 --> 00:05:36,433 believe what my mother was saying. 91 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:40,667 It took a while to really process that 92 00:05:40,667 --> 00:05:42,734 I'm not gonna see Jackie again. 93 00:05:44,767 --> 00:05:47,266 [Wendy] In 1968, the Midland Park police 94 00:05:47,266 --> 00:05:50,066 interviewed everyone they could in this small town, 95 00:05:50,133 --> 00:05:53,367 but shockingly little evidence ever came to light. 96 00:05:53,367 --> 00:05:56,166 [Ruth] I never heard anything about a suspect. 97 00:05:56,166 --> 00:06:00,567 I just remember hearing lots of accusations. 98 00:06:00,567 --> 00:06:02,867 Everybody suspected everybody else. 99 00:06:02,934 --> 00:06:05,533 You kinda almost trusted nobody anymore. 100 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:10,266 After a while, the phone calls would be less and less. 101 00:06:10,266 --> 00:06:12,967 But my mother never lost her faith 102 00:06:12,967 --> 00:06:14,433 that someday... 103 00:06:15,767 --> 00:06:17,967 that Jackie's killer would be found. 104 00:06:20,100 --> 00:06:23,000 [Corin Cesaric] While they continue to search for Jackie's killer, 105 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:26,233 the police notice that bodies keep turning up. 106 00:06:27,667 --> 00:06:31,166 Throughout the late 1960s and early '70s, 107 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:33,767 there were eight unsolved murders 108 00:06:33,767 --> 00:06:36,166 of young women strangled to death 109 00:06:36,166 --> 00:06:37,333 in Bergen County. 110 00:06:38,367 --> 00:06:40,567 [Ruth] I heard about some of the other girls 111 00:06:40,634 --> 00:06:43,266 because they were close to Midland Park. 112 00:06:43,333 --> 00:06:44,567 They were still Bergen County. 113 00:06:44,567 --> 00:06:47,567 Bergen County is not that big. 114 00:06:47,567 --> 00:06:50,033 And it was like, "What's going on?" 115 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:53,367 That's when we thought that maybe... 116 00:06:53,367 --> 00:06:56,166 there was a connection to my sister's case. 117 00:06:56,867 --> 00:06:59,467 And that somebody is out there, 118 00:06:59,533 --> 00:07:02,734 targeting these girls. 119 00:07:04,066 --> 00:07:06,166 [Corin] Authorities believe that there is one person 120 00:07:06,166 --> 00:07:08,367 responsible for all these murders. 121 00:07:08,367 --> 00:07:12,233 And the press starts calling him the Bergen Strangler. 122 00:07:13,667 --> 00:07:16,467 [Ruth] The Bergen Strangler ended us going to the malls, 123 00:07:16,533 --> 00:07:20,567 going shopping, going to visit your friends in town. 124 00:07:20,567 --> 00:07:24,533 You were always afraid to go anywhere alone anymore. 125 00:07:25,767 --> 00:07:28,066 [Corin] The investigations go on for years, 126 00:07:28,133 --> 00:07:31,667 but there are no suspects named or arrested. 127 00:07:31,667 --> 00:07:33,667 And unfortunately, all of these cases, 128 00:07:33,667 --> 00:07:36,467 including Jackie Harp's, go cold. 129 00:07:39,567 --> 00:07:43,667 [Wendy] Then nine years later, with the Bergen Strangler a distant memory, 130 00:07:43,734 --> 00:07:48,066 the county, once again, find itself facing a string of murders. 131 00:07:49,100 --> 00:07:50,667 My name is Nancy Kohlhoff 132 00:07:50,734 --> 00:07:52,667 and I was a cousin of Maryann Carr. 133 00:07:54,100 --> 00:07:57,166 Maryann was so pretty and so sweet. 134 00:07:57,166 --> 00:07:59,867 She was just a beautiful, outgoing girl. 135 00:07:59,867 --> 00:08:02,834 Her parents loved her so very much. 136 00:08:05,100 --> 00:08:07,667 [Alan] In December 1977, 137 00:08:07,734 --> 00:08:10,767 Maryann and Michael had only been married 138 00:08:10,767 --> 00:08:12,767 approximately a year a half. 139 00:08:12,767 --> 00:08:16,867 Michael was a young real estate executive. 140 00:08:16,867 --> 00:08:22,066 Maryann was a young medical technician. 141 00:08:22,133 --> 00:08:26,867 The newlyweds lived at the Ledgewood Terrace Apartments in Middlebury. 142 00:08:26,934 --> 00:08:29,867 [Wendy] Ledgewood Terrace is a typical garden apartment setup. 143 00:08:29,867 --> 00:08:33,266 Three floors, multiple buildings surrounding the parking lot. 144 00:08:33,333 --> 00:08:36,266 It was a really nice place to live in the '70s. 145 00:08:36,333 --> 00:08:39,867 [Nancy] She was just starting a new life with her husband. 146 00:08:39,867 --> 00:08:41,767 She had her dream job. 147 00:08:41,834 --> 00:08:44,734 It was a great start to a bright future. 148 00:08:46,700 --> 00:08:49,767 [Alan] On December 9th, 1977, 149 00:08:49,834 --> 00:08:52,667 Michael left for a business trip 150 00:08:52,667 --> 00:08:55,066 in Rochester, New York. 151 00:08:55,066 --> 00:08:58,367 He was expected to be up there several days. 152 00:09:06,166 --> 00:09:08,567 [Vernon] On December 15th, 1977, 153 00:09:08,567 --> 00:09:12,266 Maryann Carr was supposed to meet her mother-in-law for supper, 154 00:09:12,266 --> 00:09:14,367 because her husband was out of town on a business trip. 155 00:09:14,367 --> 00:09:16,133 -[phone ringing] -But she failed to arrive. 156 00:09:21,166 --> 00:09:23,867 [Alan] She called a number of times that evening 157 00:09:23,867 --> 00:09:26,967 and had received no answer. 158 00:09:27,033 --> 00:09:31,467 And at 11:45, decided to call her nephew, 159 00:09:31,467 --> 00:09:34,266 who lived in the same apartment complex 160 00:09:34,266 --> 00:09:36,266 as Maryann, 161 00:09:36,333 --> 00:09:40,734 and asked him to go over and check to see if she was okay. 162 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:43,266 [Wendy] He grabs the extra key 163 00:09:43,266 --> 00:09:46,066 that Maryann and Michael gave him to their place, 164 00:09:46,066 --> 00:09:47,967 and heads over to their building. 165 00:09:47,967 --> 00:09:50,166 [Alan] When he got to the apartment building, 166 00:09:50,166 --> 00:09:55,266 he used his key to enter the outside door 167 00:09:55,266 --> 00:09:59,767 and proceeded downstairs to Apartment 112, 168 00:09:59,767 --> 00:10:01,967 where Maryann and Michael lived. 169 00:10:07,100 --> 00:10:10,000 [Corin] The doorknob is surprisingly unlocked, 170 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:13,066 so he peers inside the apartment... 171 00:10:15,166 --> 00:10:20,166 He sees the kitchen, bedroom and living room lights on. 172 00:10:20,166 --> 00:10:22,867 But there's no sign of Maryann. 173 00:10:22,867 --> 00:10:25,867 He was very concerned about Maryann's wellbeing. 174 00:10:25,934 --> 00:10:29,233 So much so, in fact, that he immediately called the police. 175 00:10:30,467 --> 00:10:32,667 [Wendy] He describes Maryann to the police. 176 00:10:32,734 --> 00:10:35,667 She's in her late 20s, medium-length hair, 177 00:10:35,667 --> 00:10:38,066 and she's an X-ray technician. 178 00:10:38,066 --> 00:10:41,967 He decides to reach out for Michael. 179 00:10:41,967 --> 00:10:46,767 Michael decides to fly back first thing in the morning. 180 00:10:46,767 --> 00:10:49,767 Unfortunately, before Michael can return home, 181 00:10:49,767 --> 00:10:51,767 there's a dreadful discovery. 182 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:55,934 [Alan] Next morning at 7:15 a.m., 183 00:10:56,467 --> 00:11:00,100 the body of a white female 184 00:11:00,100 --> 00:11:04,867 had been found in the parking lot of the Quality Inn 185 00:11:04,934 --> 00:11:09,433 on Route 17 South, in Hasbrouck Heights. 186 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:13,333 Matched the description of Maryann Carr. 187 00:11:20,700 --> 00:11:24,266 [Alan] When I arrived at the Quality Inn hotel, 188 00:11:24,333 --> 00:11:27,266 I was directed to the southwest corner 189 00:11:27,333 --> 00:11:28,467 of the parking lot, 190 00:11:29,900 --> 00:11:33,567 where I saw the body of a white female 191 00:11:33,567 --> 00:11:36,567 wearing a white uniform, 192 00:11:36,567 --> 00:11:40,667 which appeared to be a nurse's outfit. 193 00:11:40,667 --> 00:11:43,667 It does not take long for authorities to realize 194 00:11:43,734 --> 00:11:46,567 this is 26-year-old Maryann Carr. 195 00:11:46,567 --> 00:11:48,767 And she is still wearing her uniform 196 00:11:48,767 --> 00:11:50,033 from the day before. 197 00:11:51,667 --> 00:11:53,467 Investigators canvas the area, 198 00:11:53,533 --> 00:11:54,867 including the parking lot, 199 00:11:54,934 --> 00:11:56,867 and inside the Quality Inn. 200 00:11:56,867 --> 00:12:00,567 They're looking for clues but find nothing. 201 00:12:00,567 --> 00:12:03,166 So they decide to head to Maryann's apartment, 202 00:12:03,166 --> 00:12:05,634 hoping to piece together what happened. 203 00:12:06,367 --> 00:12:08,767 Inside the apartment, we could see 204 00:12:08,834 --> 00:12:11,066 that there were several lights on. 205 00:12:11,066 --> 00:12:16,166 There was a glass of wine on the kitchen counter, 206 00:12:16,166 --> 00:12:21,066 as well as some mail on the kitchen table. 207 00:12:21,133 --> 00:12:23,467 But there was nothing to indicate 208 00:12:23,467 --> 00:12:27,367 that any type of struggle had taken place there. 209 00:12:27,433 --> 00:12:31,367 [Corin] Authorities were looking for fingerprints, maybe a hair. 210 00:12:31,367 --> 00:12:34,367 There were no clues as to who killed Maryann. 211 00:12:34,367 --> 00:12:37,433 But the scene does tell a story about Maryann's final moments. 212 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:42,867 [Alan] It appeared that Maryann Carr had arrived home 213 00:12:42,934 --> 00:12:44,266 at her apartment. 214 00:12:44,333 --> 00:12:47,734 Had entered. Had the time to collect the mail, 215 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:50,266 turn on some lights, 216 00:12:50,266 --> 00:12:51,667 pour herself a drink... 217 00:12:52,367 --> 00:12:54,333 and then suddenly disappeared. 218 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:57,467 Although her apartment door is open, 219 00:12:57,467 --> 00:12:59,767 the outside door is locked. 220 00:12:59,767 --> 00:13:01,967 And there's no sign of a break-in. 221 00:13:01,967 --> 00:13:05,667 That pretty much tells you the person who attacked her 222 00:13:05,667 --> 00:13:08,734 had to have had a key to the building and came inside. 223 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:12,967 We speculated that someone 224 00:13:14,467 --> 00:13:17,467 forced his way into the apartment... 225 00:13:20,567 --> 00:13:22,266 and confronted her. 226 00:13:25,767 --> 00:13:27,967 At that point, we had no idea 227 00:13:28,033 --> 00:13:29,767 whether she knew the person, 228 00:13:29,834 --> 00:13:31,834 or if it was a stranger. 229 00:13:35,367 --> 00:13:40,367 I'm John Van Soest, and Maryann and her husband were my neighbors. 230 00:13:40,767 --> 00:13:42,367 Right below me. 231 00:13:42,433 --> 00:13:44,567 When her husband came home, 232 00:13:44,634 --> 00:13:46,867 he thought that she was still alive. 233 00:13:46,867 --> 00:13:49,867 He said to a police officer, "Can I see my wife now?" 234 00:13:51,066 --> 00:13:53,567 And the police officer had to tell him, 235 00:13:53,567 --> 00:13:55,767 "Look, she's gone," you know. "She's dead." 236 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:58,967 He went off the deep end then 237 00:13:59,033 --> 00:14:00,867 'cause really, it was a shock for him. 238 00:14:02,266 --> 00:14:03,967 [Wendy] Maryann is taken to the morgue, 239 00:14:04,033 --> 00:14:07,667 where it is determined that she was strangled. 240 00:14:07,667 --> 00:14:11,667 [Alan] A thin red mark was also observed around her neck. 241 00:14:12,900 --> 00:14:15,166 It looked like the chain that she was wearing 242 00:14:15,166 --> 00:14:17,367 could have been used to strangle her. 243 00:14:20,567 --> 00:14:23,100 [Wendy] Maryann Carr has not been sexually assaulted, 244 00:14:23,100 --> 00:14:25,967 but she's been brutally, sadistically beaten, 245 00:14:26,033 --> 00:14:27,867 and shackled with handcuffs. 246 00:14:27,867 --> 00:14:31,767 There was also white adhesive around her mouth, 247 00:14:31,767 --> 00:14:34,867 as if her mouth had been taped. 248 00:14:34,867 --> 00:14:37,567 [Corin] Authorities could see that whoever did it 249 00:14:37,634 --> 00:14:41,467 was particularly sadistic in the way that they killed her. 250 00:14:41,533 --> 00:14:44,066 [Wendy] Detectives question Maryann's neighbors. 251 00:14:44,066 --> 00:14:47,066 They want to find out if anyone saw or heard 252 00:14:47,133 --> 00:14:50,166 anything unusual the night of December 15th, 253 00:14:50,166 --> 00:14:52,233 after Maryann came home from work. 254 00:14:53,567 --> 00:14:56,567 [Alan] The resident of the building informed us 255 00:14:56,567 --> 00:15:00,567 that at approximately 7:45, she heard the scream 256 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:02,467 of a female 257 00:15:02,467 --> 00:15:06,767 coming from the direction of Maryann's apartment, 258 00:15:06,834 --> 00:15:11,367 and the words being uttered, "I will, I will." 259 00:15:11,367 --> 00:15:15,266 I was like, "Man, why didn't I hear that?" 'Cause I was sleeping. 260 00:15:15,266 --> 00:15:16,967 I'd worked a double shift. 261 00:15:17,467 --> 00:15:19,567 And I felt bad because... 262 00:15:19,567 --> 00:15:21,867 maybe I could have helped her. 263 00:15:21,867 --> 00:15:25,266 [Alan] A subsequent canvass of the building 264 00:15:25,333 --> 00:15:27,767 produced a couple of residents 265 00:15:27,767 --> 00:15:32,266 who observed Maryann in the parking lot 266 00:15:32,266 --> 00:15:34,734 at approximately 7:30 p.m. 267 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:38,867 Neighbors saw Maryann speaking to a white male, 268 00:15:38,934 --> 00:15:41,667 who they thought was her husband. 269 00:15:41,667 --> 00:15:43,767 For investigators, this is odd, 270 00:15:43,767 --> 00:15:45,667 because Maryann's husband Michael 271 00:15:45,734 --> 00:15:48,033 was supposed to be in Rochester that night. 272 00:15:48,967 --> 00:15:51,467 I contacted Michael Carr and made arrangements 273 00:15:51,467 --> 00:15:53,634 to interview him as quickly as possible. 274 00:15:54,667 --> 00:15:57,767 We were able to determine that Michael Carr's story 275 00:15:57,767 --> 00:16:01,667 of being up in Rochester, New York at a business conference 276 00:16:01,667 --> 00:16:05,567 was the truth and verified by co-workers. 277 00:16:05,567 --> 00:16:07,867 And Michael gave us no indication 278 00:16:07,867 --> 00:16:12,767 of why anybody would want to hurt Maryann. 279 00:16:12,767 --> 00:16:15,467 [Wendy] With Michael Carr ruled out as a suspect, 280 00:16:15,467 --> 00:16:18,066 police look into the apartment complex 281 00:16:18,066 --> 00:16:20,567 to see if there had been any recent disturbances, 282 00:16:20,634 --> 00:16:23,867 and they discover the Carrs' neighbor, John Van Soest, 283 00:16:23,867 --> 00:16:27,066 had been the victim of a burglary one month before. 284 00:16:30,266 --> 00:16:32,867 [John] November, 1977. 285 00:16:32,867 --> 00:16:35,767 Now when I get home in the morning, I saw my door ajar. 286 00:16:35,767 --> 00:16:37,867 And I say, "What the hell is this?" 287 00:16:37,867 --> 00:16:40,467 When I walked in, you know, right away, 288 00:16:40,467 --> 00:16:42,567 you know, I saw that somebody had broken in. 289 00:16:42,567 --> 00:16:45,066 I saw, like, some of my clothes were missing. 290 00:16:45,133 --> 00:16:47,467 Especially jackets. 291 00:16:47,467 --> 00:16:50,166 [Wendy] A leather jacket, a watch, some suits 292 00:16:50,166 --> 00:16:52,367 had been taken from his apartment. 293 00:16:52,367 --> 00:16:54,367 It feels like a typical burglary 294 00:16:54,367 --> 00:16:56,467 except for one thing. 295 00:16:56,533 --> 00:16:58,667 [John] My door wasn't damaged or anything. 296 00:16:58,734 --> 00:17:01,266 So it looks like whoever got into the apartment 297 00:17:01,266 --> 00:17:03,266 must have had a key to the place. 298 00:17:03,266 --> 00:17:05,767 [Alan] I thought that Maryann Carr's killer 299 00:17:05,834 --> 00:17:09,066 could be another resident of her building. 300 00:17:09,066 --> 00:17:10,667 [Wendy] The Bergen County police 301 00:17:10,667 --> 00:17:14,567 believe that all the evidence points toward the Ledgewood Terrace Apartments 302 00:17:14,567 --> 00:17:17,467 being the key to finding Maryann's killer. 303 00:17:17,467 --> 00:17:20,467 At the same time, Maryann's family struggles 304 00:17:20,467 --> 00:17:22,233 to come to terms with her death. 305 00:17:23,567 --> 00:17:25,367 I was 11 years old 306 00:17:25,367 --> 00:17:28,367 and I overheard my aunts and uncles 307 00:17:28,433 --> 00:17:29,567 and my parents 308 00:17:29,567 --> 00:17:31,100 talking about her. 309 00:17:31,100 --> 00:17:32,467 And I had asked what happened. 310 00:17:32,467 --> 00:17:36,066 And because I was young, they just said that she was missing. 311 00:17:36,066 --> 00:17:39,166 And then, as I got older, they told me 312 00:17:39,166 --> 00:17:41,133 that it was, um, a murder. 313 00:17:42,467 --> 00:17:46,567 I can only imagine the emotions they were going through. 314 00:17:46,567 --> 00:17:49,100 It's one thing to lose a family member 315 00:17:49,100 --> 00:17:51,000 who was only 26 years old, 316 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:53,867 but it's another thing to lose them in such a horrific manner, 317 00:17:53,934 --> 00:17:56,533 and have no idea who did this to them. 318 00:17:58,166 --> 00:18:00,467 [Wendy] Maryann is buried in her wedding dress. 319 00:18:00,467 --> 00:18:04,166 But the tragedy continues to devastate her family at the wake. 320 00:18:07,100 --> 00:18:09,667 [Nancy] Maryann's parents walked in first. 321 00:18:09,734 --> 00:18:12,934 And her dad looked at her and he had a heart attack. 322 00:18:15,567 --> 00:18:17,367 He had to be taken away 323 00:18:17,433 --> 00:18:18,767 to the hospital in an ambulance, 324 00:18:18,834 --> 00:18:22,467 so my aunt and uncle never got to be at the wake 325 00:18:22,467 --> 00:18:25,066 and have closure with her. 326 00:18:25,066 --> 00:18:27,567 [Wendy] Maryann's father, thankfully, survives. 327 00:18:27,567 --> 00:18:31,567 But the fact that they have no answers for why their daughter was murdered 328 00:18:31,634 --> 00:18:33,233 continues to haunt her parents. 329 00:18:34,567 --> 00:18:39,000 [Alan] Murder cases bring a great deal of anguish and heartache 330 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:41,567 to families of the victims. 331 00:18:41,567 --> 00:18:44,367 And you try, as hard as you can, 332 00:18:44,367 --> 00:18:46,667 to help them find answers. 333 00:18:48,367 --> 00:18:51,367 [Wendy] However, despite interviewing more than 300 people, 334 00:18:51,433 --> 00:18:53,967 there's no physical evidence and no eyewitnesses, 335 00:18:53,967 --> 00:18:56,967 so the case quickly goes cold. 336 00:18:56,967 --> 00:19:00,767 [Alan] It's extremely frustrating as time goes on, 337 00:19:00,767 --> 00:19:05,266 not being able to bring closure to a case of this type. 338 00:19:05,266 --> 00:19:09,266 Then, in May of 1980, the case is broken wide open. 339 00:19:10,767 --> 00:19:14,367 [Alan] On May 22nd of 1980, 340 00:19:14,433 --> 00:19:18,166 we received a report of a disturbance 341 00:19:18,166 --> 00:19:21,467 at the Quality Inn in Hasbrouck Heights. 342 00:19:21,533 --> 00:19:26,166 The same location where Maryann Carr had been found. 343 00:19:26,166 --> 00:19:29,734 [Vernon] The maid had gone to Room 132 to clean the room. 344 00:19:30,100 --> 00:19:31,367 She began vacuuming. 345 00:19:31,433 --> 00:19:33,467 The vacuum hit something under the bed. 346 00:19:33,467 --> 00:19:34,634 She looked to see what it hit... 347 00:19:37,767 --> 00:19:39,634 and she saw a nude body of a female. 348 00:19:56,066 --> 00:19:58,467 [Alan] The body was of a white female, 349 00:19:58,467 --> 00:19:59,967 completely naked, 350 00:19:59,967 --> 00:20:02,967 with her hands handcuffed behind her back. 351 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:06,967 She had been raped and strangled. 352 00:20:06,967 --> 00:20:10,166 The victim did have marks of adhesive tape on her mouth, 353 00:20:10,166 --> 00:20:12,967 and he had bitten into her breast. 354 00:20:12,967 --> 00:20:17,467 There were signs that, because of the markings that were seen on the breasts, 355 00:20:17,467 --> 00:20:19,634 that she was tortured. 356 00:20:20,500 --> 00:20:22,467 [Wendy] Investigators search the crime scene, 357 00:20:22,467 --> 00:20:26,066 hoping they will find anything that will lead to the killer. 358 00:20:26,133 --> 00:20:28,233 And that's when they catch a big break. 359 00:20:29,367 --> 00:20:34,166 [Alan] A latent fingerprint was lifted from the handcuffs. 360 00:20:34,166 --> 00:20:38,867 At the time, fingerprint technology is not what it is today. 361 00:20:38,867 --> 00:20:43,867 We had no name to associate with the fingerprint. 362 00:20:43,934 --> 00:20:47,734 But we knew this could be an extremely important piece of evidence. 363 00:20:48,500 --> 00:20:49,867 [Wendy] There's no sign of a wallet, 364 00:20:49,867 --> 00:20:51,967 there's no identification in the room, 365 00:20:52,033 --> 00:20:55,567 but police do identify the victim. 366 00:20:55,567 --> 00:20:59,767 [Rod] She had had some contact with the police prior to this, 367 00:20:59,767 --> 00:21:02,767 and they were able to match her fingerprints 368 00:21:02,834 --> 00:21:04,867 with those that they had on file, 369 00:21:04,867 --> 00:21:08,734 and identified the body of Valerie Ann Street. 370 00:21:10,266 --> 00:21:12,667 Valerie Ann Street is 19 years old. 371 00:21:12,667 --> 00:21:15,266 And she was a prostitute. 372 00:21:15,333 --> 00:21:18,066 There was markings on the neck where she was strangled, 373 00:21:18,133 --> 00:21:20,100 either by ligature 374 00:21:20,100 --> 00:21:21,834 or a necklace, 375 00:21:22,300 --> 00:21:23,867 like Maryann Carr. 376 00:21:24,667 --> 00:21:26,667 [Alan] We now had two females 377 00:21:26,667 --> 00:21:29,367 found dead at the same hotel, 378 00:21:29,433 --> 00:21:31,266 both wearing handcuffs. 379 00:21:31,266 --> 00:21:34,834 Obviously, we suspected a connection between the two. 380 00:21:35,700 --> 00:21:37,166 [Vernon] Valerie Street was last seen 381 00:21:37,166 --> 00:21:39,266 the night before in Manhattan 382 00:21:39,266 --> 00:21:42,667 at 10:00 p.m., when she was streetwalking. 383 00:21:42,667 --> 00:21:45,867 And at 1:00 by her girlfriend, who saw her getting into a car. 384 00:21:47,467 --> 00:21:51,166 She described the person in the car as a white male 385 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:53,066 with sandy brown hair. 386 00:21:57,667 --> 00:21:59,266 [Wendy] If the same person killed 387 00:21:59,333 --> 00:22:02,767 both Maryann Carr and Valerie Ann Street, 388 00:22:02,834 --> 00:22:05,066 maybe he has other victims. 389 00:22:05,066 --> 00:22:08,567 So, Detective Grieco begins to look into open cases, 390 00:22:08,567 --> 00:22:10,166 and that's when he comes across 391 00:22:10,166 --> 00:22:11,367 a violent abduction 392 00:22:11,367 --> 00:22:14,066 at the Ledgewood Terrace Apartments, 393 00:22:14,133 --> 00:22:16,734 just three months after Maryann's murder. 394 00:22:19,667 --> 00:22:22,867 [Alan] On March 23rd, 1978, 395 00:22:22,934 --> 00:22:24,066 at 7:00 a.m., 396 00:22:24,066 --> 00:22:27,567 a young woman was found in the parking lot 397 00:22:27,634 --> 00:22:31,166 of the same Ledgewood Terrace Apartments in Little Ferry 398 00:22:31,166 --> 00:22:33,567 where Maryann Carr had lived. 399 00:22:35,500 --> 00:22:37,567 An examination revealed 400 00:22:37,634 --> 00:22:39,100 that she had bruises 401 00:22:39,100 --> 00:22:42,634 and her breasts had been pinched and scratched. 402 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:46,467 Although she was in very bad shape, 403 00:22:46,533 --> 00:22:48,367 amazingly, she survived. 404 00:22:51,467 --> 00:22:53,367 The woman was 22-year-old Karen Schilt, 405 00:22:53,367 --> 00:22:56,567 and at the time of her abduction, she was working as a waitress. 406 00:22:58,867 --> 00:23:01,667 [Alan] Karen informed the police detectives 407 00:23:01,667 --> 00:23:03,667 that she had been in New York City 408 00:23:03,734 --> 00:23:06,934 and was approached by a white male. 409 00:23:08,100 --> 00:23:10,266 [Vernon] He identified himself as John, 410 00:23:10,333 --> 00:23:12,667 and he engaged her in conversation. 411 00:23:12,667 --> 00:23:14,166 She went to the ladies' room. 412 00:23:14,166 --> 00:23:15,834 When she came back, she had a fresh drink. 413 00:23:16,867 --> 00:23:19,166 [Alan] When she begins to drink, 414 00:23:19,233 --> 00:23:21,667 she becomes dizzy, 415 00:23:21,667 --> 00:23:24,934 and she suspects that she's been drugged. 416 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:29,166 [Wendy] Karen passes out. 417 00:23:29,166 --> 00:23:32,967 When she wakes up, she's in a strange car in the parking lot 418 00:23:32,967 --> 00:23:35,667 of the Ledgewood Terrace Apartment complex. 419 00:23:35,667 --> 00:23:38,667 And who is she with? The man from the bar. 420 00:23:38,667 --> 00:23:44,166 [Alan] He tells her that he had once lived at this location. 421 00:23:44,166 --> 00:23:47,333 This is an extremely important piece of evidence. 422 00:23:48,266 --> 00:23:51,066 [Corin] The man robbed her and raped her, 423 00:23:51,066 --> 00:23:53,667 stole her jewelry and then threw her body out of the car 424 00:23:53,667 --> 00:23:54,767 and left the scene. 425 00:23:56,467 --> 00:23:58,767 [Alan] After the discovery of Karen Schilt, 426 00:23:58,767 --> 00:24:02,667 I continued looking up open cases in Bergen County, 427 00:24:02,667 --> 00:24:05,066 trying to identify similarities 428 00:24:05,133 --> 00:24:07,066 to the cases that we had connected 429 00:24:07,066 --> 00:24:09,967 to this individual, hoping to find leads 430 00:24:09,967 --> 00:24:13,100 that could bring us to a viable suspect. 431 00:24:13,100 --> 00:24:17,767 And then I learned that seven months after Karen Schilt was found, 432 00:24:17,767 --> 00:24:20,066 Susan Geiger, a sex worker, 433 00:24:20,133 --> 00:24:22,567 was raped, beaten and left for dead 434 00:24:22,567 --> 00:24:25,967 at the Airport Motel in South Hackensack, 435 00:24:26,033 --> 00:24:27,166 New Jersey. 436 00:24:28,300 --> 00:24:30,767 The person fit the description 437 00:24:30,767 --> 00:24:32,767 of Karen Schilt's attacker. 438 00:24:32,767 --> 00:24:34,667 White male, in his 30s. 439 00:24:35,900 --> 00:24:40,066 We now begin to suspect that the same person 440 00:24:40,066 --> 00:24:44,166 is responsible for these vicious attacks. 441 00:24:44,233 --> 00:24:46,367 [Wendy] Police believe they're now chasing 442 00:24:46,433 --> 00:24:47,867 a violent serial rapist, 443 00:24:47,867 --> 00:24:50,066 and if they don't catch him soon, 444 00:24:50,133 --> 00:24:51,667 a serial killer. 445 00:24:51,667 --> 00:24:55,333 That sends chills through the residents of Bergen County. 446 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:57,467 [Ruth] At that point in time, 447 00:24:57,533 --> 00:25:00,667 people started hearing that multiple girls 448 00:25:00,667 --> 00:25:03,734 in Bergen County had been murdered. 449 00:25:05,300 --> 00:25:08,367 And they were being found 450 00:25:08,433 --> 00:25:10,166 in very similar ways 451 00:25:10,233 --> 00:25:12,767 as Jackie and the other girls 452 00:25:12,767 --> 00:25:15,367 suspected to have been killed by the Bergen Strangler 453 00:25:15,367 --> 00:25:18,634 back in the late '60s, early '70s. 454 00:25:18,967 --> 00:25:20,467 And I just... 455 00:25:20,467 --> 00:25:22,667 In my mind, remembering back, 456 00:25:22,667 --> 00:25:23,867 it just... 457 00:25:24,967 --> 00:25:27,967 you know, makes you just feel so unsafe 458 00:25:28,467 --> 00:25:30,066 all over. 459 00:25:30,133 --> 00:25:34,266 [Alan] Too many attacks were occurring of the same nature 460 00:25:34,333 --> 00:25:37,567 and we needed to get whoever was responsible 461 00:25:37,634 --> 00:25:40,367 off the streets as quickly as possible. 462 00:25:40,433 --> 00:25:42,066 But it never occurred to me 463 00:25:42,133 --> 00:25:44,367 that we would be pursuing 464 00:25:44,367 --> 00:25:47,867 one of the most prolific killers 465 00:25:47,934 --> 00:25:49,834 in US history. 466 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:59,266 I would describe Times Square in the late '70s and early '80s 467 00:25:59,266 --> 00:26:02,100 as Sodom and Gomorrah on steroids. 468 00:26:02,100 --> 00:26:03,266 Okay? 469 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:07,367 There was call girls all over the place. 470 00:26:07,767 --> 00:26:10,166 You had peep shows. 471 00:26:10,233 --> 00:26:13,467 You had a potpourri of sexual entertainment. 472 00:26:13,533 --> 00:26:15,667 On May 15th, 1980, 473 00:26:15,667 --> 00:26:19,767 the same week Valerie Street's body is found in New Jersey, 474 00:26:19,767 --> 00:26:21,967 authorities are called to The Seville Hotel, 475 00:26:21,967 --> 00:26:24,266 a known location for sex workers 476 00:26:24,266 --> 00:26:27,066 to take their johns in the middle of Times Square. 477 00:26:28,467 --> 00:26:31,967 Firemen were called to a fire at a hotel in Manhattan. 478 00:26:34,567 --> 00:26:36,967 When they went into the room, lot of smoke. 479 00:26:36,967 --> 00:26:39,567 To their surprise, there was a body. 480 00:26:39,567 --> 00:26:41,367 Homicide immediately responded. 481 00:26:41,433 --> 00:26:44,867 It was a particularly atrocious scene, 482 00:26:44,867 --> 00:26:47,767 in which the body of Jean Reyner 483 00:26:47,767 --> 00:26:49,367 had been mutilated. 484 00:26:49,367 --> 00:26:51,967 She was a street worker, there in New York. 485 00:26:52,033 --> 00:26:54,667 There were signs that she had been tortured. 486 00:26:54,667 --> 00:26:57,634 Her breasts, particularly, were severed. 487 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:01,166 It was a horrific, horrific scene. 488 00:27:01,233 --> 00:27:04,367 [Rod] Anyone who was working these cases in New York, 489 00:27:04,433 --> 00:27:07,367 this immediately brought the recollection of what happened 490 00:27:07,433 --> 00:27:09,066 at the Travel Inn. 491 00:27:11,567 --> 00:27:14,000 [Vernon] On December 2nd, 1979, 492 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:17,667 the fire department responded to a fire in a hotel room 493 00:27:17,667 --> 00:27:19,367 at the Travel Inn Motor Lodge, 494 00:27:19,433 --> 00:27:22,934 which was at 515 West 42nd Street. 495 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:27,567 [reporter] The murders were discovered on Sunday morning, 496 00:27:27,634 --> 00:27:30,867 when firemen went into a fourth floor motel room here 497 00:27:30,867 --> 00:27:32,667 to find the source of smoke. 498 00:27:32,667 --> 00:27:36,166 That source was two fires, one on each bed. 499 00:27:36,233 --> 00:27:39,967 There were two dead girls, white, about 19 years old, 500 00:27:39,967 --> 00:27:41,967 their heads and hands removed. 501 00:27:41,967 --> 00:27:44,166 One of the medical examiners said it almost looked surgical. 502 00:27:44,166 --> 00:27:46,066 So I don't know if he had a hacksaw or what he had. 503 00:27:46,066 --> 00:27:47,934 It's pretty hard to take off a head. 504 00:27:48,567 --> 00:27:50,467 When the smoke had cleared, 505 00:27:50,533 --> 00:27:54,166 what you had was the hotel room from hell. 506 00:27:54,166 --> 00:27:55,667 It was unbelievable. 507 00:27:55,667 --> 00:27:57,100 I mean, only Satan could tell you 508 00:27:57,100 --> 00:27:59,266 what kinda perversions took place in there. 509 00:27:59,266 --> 00:28:02,667 Their entire bodies had slices. 510 00:28:02,667 --> 00:28:04,867 Back and front, and on the buttocks. 511 00:28:04,867 --> 00:28:07,967 So this guy was torturing these girls. 512 00:28:07,967 --> 00:28:11,767 The two women were both identified as prostitutes. 513 00:28:11,834 --> 00:28:13,767 I knew immediately that we were dealing 514 00:28:13,767 --> 00:28:16,166 with a psychopathic sexual sadist. 515 00:28:16,166 --> 00:28:19,000 A psychopath who basically operates 516 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:21,266 with no moral or social values. 517 00:28:21,333 --> 00:28:24,066 A person with no sense of conscience. 518 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:28,266 What I think happened is when he left, 519 00:28:28,266 --> 00:28:31,166 he took the heads and hands, then he took lighter fluid 520 00:28:31,166 --> 00:28:33,967 and doused the bodies and the bed, 521 00:28:34,033 --> 00:28:35,867 lit it up and walked out. 522 00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:41,100 By starting the fire, he eliminated all the forensic evidence. 523 00:28:41,100 --> 00:28:42,567 [mimics lighting a match] 524 00:28:43,567 --> 00:28:44,967 He was very organized. 525 00:28:44,967 --> 00:28:47,967 An eye towards not being identified. 526 00:28:47,967 --> 00:28:51,467 I remember my counterpart, he said, "This is not his first rodeo." 527 00:28:51,467 --> 00:28:53,734 But there was no rodeo in New York to compare it to. 528 00:29:00,100 --> 00:29:01,567 A lot of people figured a psycho was on the loose, 529 00:29:01,567 --> 00:29:03,166 and tonight, that may well be true. 530 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:08,467 Well, they couldn't identify our guy. 531 00:29:08,467 --> 00:29:10,767 They had other stories of being assaulted, 532 00:29:10,767 --> 00:29:11,867 being robbed. 533 00:29:11,867 --> 00:29:14,266 But this guy was like a ghost. 534 00:29:14,333 --> 00:29:16,867 Just moving through 42nd Street 535 00:29:16,934 --> 00:29:18,266 and 8th Avenue like a... 536 00:29:18,333 --> 00:29:20,133 Almost like he's invisible. 537 00:29:20,867 --> 00:29:23,166 [Rod] The cops are on high alert now. 538 00:29:23,166 --> 00:29:26,467 And the street workers are very, very afraid 539 00:29:26,533 --> 00:29:29,266 with the Times Square Killer on the loose. 540 00:29:29,266 --> 00:29:32,266 A chill fell over the streets in Manhattan. 541 00:29:32,333 --> 00:29:34,066 The women who I'd spoke to 542 00:29:34,066 --> 00:29:36,066 were absolutely terrified 543 00:29:36,066 --> 00:29:38,567 that somebody was out there, doing this. 544 00:29:38,567 --> 00:29:41,567 [Corin] Authorities start questioning staff at each hotel, 545 00:29:41,567 --> 00:29:42,667 and they discover that 546 00:29:42,734 --> 00:29:45,367 the description of the men matches. 547 00:29:45,367 --> 00:29:47,567 He's described as a white male in his mid-30s, 548 00:29:47,567 --> 00:29:50,266 about 5' 9", 5' 10" tall. 549 00:29:50,266 --> 00:29:52,000 Full dark brown hair. 550 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:54,266 High cheekbones and an olive complexion. 551 00:29:54,333 --> 00:29:56,667 [Vernon] It wasn't much that we had to go with. 552 00:29:56,734 --> 00:29:59,166 And so, if you looked into both cases, 553 00:29:59,166 --> 00:30:01,767 from a perspective of evidence, 554 00:30:01,767 --> 00:30:02,967 we had zip. 555 00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:05,100 We had to try to figure out 556 00:30:05,100 --> 00:30:06,834 what's going on with him. 557 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:08,266 Psychologically, 558 00:30:08,266 --> 00:30:10,066 those endorphins, that dopamine, 559 00:30:10,066 --> 00:30:11,567 that candy for the brain stuff, 560 00:30:11,567 --> 00:30:12,667 he wants more of it 561 00:30:12,734 --> 00:30:14,934 because the cases are getting more outrageous. 562 00:30:18,567 --> 00:30:21,467 [Wendy] A week later, on May 22nd, 1980, 563 00:30:21,533 --> 00:30:22,867 back in Bergen County, 564 00:30:22,867 --> 00:30:24,266 the police are shocked 565 00:30:24,266 --> 00:30:25,967 when they are once again called 566 00:30:25,967 --> 00:30:27,567 to the Quality Inn motel 567 00:30:27,567 --> 00:30:28,934 in Hasbrouck Heights. 568 00:30:31,166 --> 00:30:33,166 [Alan] The Hasbrouck Heights police 569 00:30:33,233 --> 00:30:35,967 receive notification 570 00:30:35,967 --> 00:30:38,767 from management at the Quality Inn 571 00:30:38,767 --> 00:30:42,567 that they have a disturbance in Room 117. 572 00:30:42,634 --> 00:30:44,667 The female occupant of the room 573 00:30:44,667 --> 00:30:48,667 is heard screaming by one of their employees. 574 00:30:48,667 --> 00:30:50,867 [Vernon] A scream at the Quality Inn motel 575 00:30:50,867 --> 00:30:53,867 after Valerie Street had been found two weeks earlier 576 00:30:53,934 --> 00:30:56,166 is gonna definitely cause concern. 577 00:30:57,266 --> 00:30:59,767 So they call the room to see if everything is all right. 578 00:30:59,834 --> 00:31:01,166 A man answers. 579 00:31:01,166 --> 00:31:03,567 "Oh, me and my girlfriend were just fooling around." 580 00:31:03,634 --> 00:31:04,867 They don't believe him. 581 00:31:04,867 --> 00:31:06,934 So they come to the door and knock on the door. 582 00:31:07,867 --> 00:31:10,667 [Alan] A young woman opened the door. 583 00:31:10,667 --> 00:31:13,367 The hotel employee can only see 584 00:31:13,433 --> 00:31:15,867 this woman's head and face, 585 00:31:15,867 --> 00:31:19,867 and inquired if everything was okay. 586 00:31:19,867 --> 00:31:23,567 Even though the young woman verbally responded, 587 00:31:23,567 --> 00:31:25,767 "Yes, everything is okay," 588 00:31:25,767 --> 00:31:28,367 she appeared to be in distress 589 00:31:28,367 --> 00:31:30,867 and motioned with her eyes 590 00:31:31,667 --> 00:31:33,433 that there was a problem. 591 00:31:34,767 --> 00:31:38,367 The staff immediately called down to the desk 592 00:31:38,367 --> 00:31:41,166 and advised them to call the police. 593 00:31:41,166 --> 00:31:43,367 -[sirens wailing] -[Rod] When the police arrive there 594 00:31:43,367 --> 00:31:44,834 at the Quality Inn, 595 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:48,567 they see a man leaving 117, 596 00:31:48,567 --> 00:31:49,967 walking down the hallway, 597 00:31:50,900 --> 00:31:52,467 and they call out to him 598 00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:55,533 and he tries to make an escape. 599 00:31:56,767 --> 00:31:58,333 [Vernon] He's running down the hallway. 600 00:31:59,066 --> 00:32:00,233 But at Hasbrouck Heights, 601 00:32:00,233 --> 00:32:02,567 police officers were waiting for him with a shotgun. 602 00:32:02,567 --> 00:32:04,066 [gun clicks] 603 00:32:04,066 --> 00:32:05,667 And he yells, "Freeze, [bleep]!" 604 00:32:06,867 --> 00:32:08,967 With a shotgun in his face, 605 00:32:09,033 --> 00:32:11,166 this guy realizes the jig is up. 606 00:32:11,700 --> 00:32:13,166 [chuckles] And that's it. 607 00:32:13,233 --> 00:32:14,333 He drops everything. 608 00:32:15,867 --> 00:32:17,467 What was in the bag was tape, 609 00:32:17,467 --> 00:32:20,066 handcuffs, sexual collars, 610 00:32:20,066 --> 00:32:21,367 a bottle of liquor, 611 00:32:21,367 --> 00:32:24,567 knife, starter pistol. 612 00:32:24,567 --> 00:32:27,467 [Wendy] The assailant is arrested and taken to the police station, 613 00:32:27,467 --> 00:32:28,867 where he's fingerprinted 614 00:32:28,934 --> 00:32:32,367 and he and the woman are interviewed by Hasbrouck Heights police. 615 00:32:32,367 --> 00:32:34,166 [Corin] Authorities discover that the man is 616 00:32:34,166 --> 00:32:36,567 34-year-old Richard Cottingham. 617 00:32:36,634 --> 00:32:38,000 He lived in Lodi, New Jersey. 618 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:40,467 And he was a married father with three children. 619 00:32:40,467 --> 00:32:42,567 He was working in Midtown Manhattan 620 00:32:42,634 --> 00:32:46,066 as a computer operator for Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance Company. 621 00:32:46,867 --> 00:32:49,266 [Alan] At the police department, 622 00:32:49,266 --> 00:32:51,567 Cottingham seems like an average guy, 623 00:32:51,567 --> 00:32:55,066 and does not give the impression as a crazed killer. 624 00:32:58,900 --> 00:33:02,967 He indicated that he met a prostitute from New York. 625 00:33:03,033 --> 00:33:07,767 He arranged to pay her $180 for sex, 626 00:33:07,767 --> 00:33:10,567 but that it was completely consensual. 627 00:33:10,567 --> 00:33:12,867 [Wendy] Police don't believe it's a coincidence 628 00:33:12,867 --> 00:33:15,166 that Richard Cottingham was at the Quality Inn. 629 00:33:15,166 --> 00:33:17,967 [Alan] We began to think that we were possibly 630 00:33:18,033 --> 00:33:21,266 on the cusp of solving the previous two murders 631 00:33:21,333 --> 00:33:22,467 that had occurred there. 632 00:33:23,667 --> 00:33:26,567 The woman with Cottingham 633 00:33:26,567 --> 00:33:31,367 identified herself as Leslie Ann Odell. 634 00:33:31,367 --> 00:33:38,166 [Rod] Leslie Ann Odell is a charming, pretty, young, 18-year-old prostitute. 635 00:33:38,166 --> 00:33:40,266 She had been working the streets 636 00:33:40,266 --> 00:33:42,066 for a short time in New York 637 00:33:42,066 --> 00:33:45,967 when she was picked up by this assailant 638 00:33:46,033 --> 00:33:48,066 on May 22nd. 639 00:33:48,133 --> 00:33:51,467 [Alan] They got in his car and he drove to the Quality Inn 640 00:33:51,533 --> 00:33:53,467 in Hasbrouck Heights with her. 641 00:33:53,533 --> 00:33:56,433 Once in the room, they began to have sex. 642 00:33:57,000 --> 00:33:59,166 [Rod] She was okay 643 00:33:59,233 --> 00:34:01,767 with most of what he wanted. 644 00:34:01,767 --> 00:34:04,533 But it got dangerous. 645 00:34:05,166 --> 00:34:07,867 He handcuffed her behind the back 646 00:34:07,867 --> 00:34:11,467 and also handcuffed her ankles. 647 00:34:11,467 --> 00:34:15,166 He proceeded to cut her with a knife, 648 00:34:15,166 --> 00:34:16,967 sodomized her, 649 00:34:16,967 --> 00:34:18,767 abraded her breasts, 650 00:34:19,567 --> 00:34:22,767 and threatened to beat her with a belt. 651 00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:25,467 He started telling her 652 00:34:25,533 --> 00:34:27,567 that he was a murderer for hire, 653 00:34:27,634 --> 00:34:30,100 showing her the gun he had. 654 00:34:30,100 --> 00:34:33,867 At that point, she became very fearful. 655 00:34:33,934 --> 00:34:36,066 [Alan] He told her that she was a whore, 656 00:34:36,066 --> 00:34:38,467 and that he also was gonna kill her 657 00:34:38,533 --> 00:34:41,667 because that's what he does to whores. 658 00:34:41,667 --> 00:34:43,867 [Rod] She was over by the bed, 659 00:34:43,934 --> 00:34:46,266 and he was trying to smother her. 660 00:34:46,333 --> 00:34:48,433 But she somehow or other slipped away 661 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:50,867 and screamed out. 662 00:34:52,100 --> 00:34:53,967 If Leslie Ann Odell didn't scream, 663 00:34:53,967 --> 00:34:57,166 or if the staff didn't call the authorities that evening, 664 00:34:57,166 --> 00:34:59,166 Leslie would have been killed. 665 00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:04,667 [Alan] My partner and I had spoke to Richard Cottingham 666 00:35:04,667 --> 00:35:06,367 in his jail cell 667 00:35:06,367 --> 00:35:08,533 about Leslie Ann Odell. 668 00:35:09,266 --> 00:35:14,367 He was crying, and after a brief pause, 669 00:35:14,367 --> 00:35:16,867 he picked his head up and said, 670 00:35:16,867 --> 00:35:19,367 "I'd have to be crazy to tell you guys 671 00:35:19,367 --> 00:35:21,066 about what I had been up to." 672 00:35:27,767 --> 00:35:30,767 [Alan] At that point, Cottingham seemed like 673 00:35:30,767 --> 00:35:34,867 he was about to break down and open up to us. 674 00:35:34,934 --> 00:35:40,166 He was asked whether or not he had any problem with women. 675 00:35:40,166 --> 00:35:44,266 After a pause, he replied that he did have a problem with women. 676 00:35:45,266 --> 00:35:48,000 But Cottingham was not willing 677 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:50,567 to make any admissions of any type. 678 00:35:56,767 --> 00:35:59,266 [Suzan] Twelve years after Jackie was killed, 679 00:35:59,333 --> 00:36:01,867 my parents would still call the police 680 00:36:01,867 --> 00:36:05,266 trying to, you know, keep the case just going. 681 00:36:05,266 --> 00:36:08,767 That police'd say, "Oh, you know, Jackie's case is still open, 682 00:36:08,834 --> 00:36:11,667 and we're still working on it." 683 00:36:11,734 --> 00:36:13,867 Every now and then you'd get a phone call 684 00:36:13,867 --> 00:36:16,100 or a newspaper clipping 685 00:36:16,100 --> 00:36:18,867 about certain men that were in jail, 686 00:36:18,867 --> 00:36:21,667 or out of jail, that were being looked at. 687 00:36:21,734 --> 00:36:25,967 But, you know, they were just big question marks on all of them. 688 00:36:26,033 --> 00:36:30,467 I remember seeing Richard Cottingham's name in a newspaper. 689 00:36:30,467 --> 00:36:33,867 To me, it was another name, another guy, another person. 690 00:36:33,867 --> 00:36:36,367 The circumstances were all different. 691 00:36:36,433 --> 00:36:38,233 So, didn't even think about it. 692 00:36:41,800 --> 00:36:43,266 [Wendy] Back at the police station, 693 00:36:43,266 --> 00:36:45,166 Detective Grieco believes 694 00:36:45,233 --> 00:36:47,767 that even though Cottingham has admitted nothing, 695 00:36:47,767 --> 00:36:51,166 his arrest at the Quality Inn, his odd behavior, 696 00:36:51,166 --> 00:36:53,667 his confession that he has an issue with women, 697 00:36:53,734 --> 00:36:55,567 it all further convinces him 698 00:36:55,567 --> 00:36:56,667 that Cottingham 699 00:36:56,667 --> 00:36:59,867 is involved in his unsolved cases. 700 00:36:59,867 --> 00:37:02,967 He was now a prime suspect 701 00:37:03,033 --> 00:37:05,767 in the death of Maryann Carr 702 00:37:05,767 --> 00:37:08,233 as well as Valerie Ann Street. 703 00:37:09,300 --> 00:37:11,367 Police go back to the Quality Inn again 704 00:37:11,367 --> 00:37:13,667 to see who registered for the room 705 00:37:13,734 --> 00:37:16,066 where Valerie Street was found. 706 00:37:16,066 --> 00:37:18,266 [Alan] We pulled registration cards 707 00:37:18,266 --> 00:37:20,000 from the Quality Inn 708 00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:22,000 and we were able to determine 709 00:37:22,000 --> 00:37:25,033 the handwriting did match Cottingham. 710 00:37:25,967 --> 00:37:27,867 [Wendy] Now, police have a solid suspect 711 00:37:27,867 --> 00:37:30,667 in both the Street and the Odell cases. 712 00:37:30,667 --> 00:37:32,567 So, Bergen County investigators, 713 00:37:32,567 --> 00:37:35,066 while Cottingham is safely behind bars 714 00:37:35,066 --> 00:37:36,667 on assault charges, 715 00:37:36,667 --> 00:37:38,767 dig into his background. 716 00:37:38,767 --> 00:37:40,767 [Rod] They found out where he lived, 717 00:37:40,834 --> 00:37:42,667 and they got authorization 718 00:37:42,734 --> 00:37:44,467 to do a search of his home 719 00:37:44,533 --> 00:37:46,166 in Lodi, New Jersey. 720 00:37:46,867 --> 00:37:49,266 [Alan] When the investigators arrived, 721 00:37:49,266 --> 00:37:53,667 the door was opened by his wife, Janet Cottingham. 722 00:37:53,734 --> 00:37:58,066 We learned that Janet had recently filed for a divorce, 723 00:37:58,066 --> 00:38:01,634 alleging cruelty and abandonment, from Richard. 724 00:38:03,567 --> 00:38:05,066 [Corin] Janet tells Detective Grieco 725 00:38:05,066 --> 00:38:08,100 that there is a locked room in the basement 726 00:38:08,100 --> 00:38:11,266 that only Richard Cotingham was allowed to go into. 727 00:38:12,467 --> 00:38:15,967 [Rod] What they discovered in the basement of that house, 728 00:38:16,033 --> 00:38:17,533 that was a big surprise. 729 00:38:18,400 --> 00:38:20,266 The found a safe. 730 00:38:20,800 --> 00:38:22,066 They got a locksmith. 731 00:38:22,867 --> 00:38:26,066 In the safe, they found evidence 732 00:38:26,066 --> 00:38:28,166 of weapons that he had used. 733 00:38:28,166 --> 00:38:30,567 They found souvenirs 734 00:38:30,634 --> 00:38:32,967 of some of his escapades, 735 00:38:33,033 --> 00:38:34,467 including the jewelry 736 00:38:34,467 --> 00:38:37,634 of Karen Schilt and Susan Geiger. 737 00:38:38,467 --> 00:38:40,767 Those trophies are very, very important 738 00:38:40,767 --> 00:38:42,066 to this killer. 739 00:38:42,133 --> 00:38:44,266 Because something that belonged to the victim 740 00:38:44,266 --> 00:38:46,967 that you sexually assaulted and killed 741 00:38:46,967 --> 00:38:49,266 takes on a significance 742 00:38:49,333 --> 00:38:51,533 that's proof of the hunt. 743 00:38:53,266 --> 00:38:55,467 [Alan] Also in that safe 744 00:38:55,467 --> 00:38:59,266 was found a key which was stamped 745 00:38:59,333 --> 00:39:02,166 462C. 746 00:39:02,233 --> 00:39:04,467 [Wendy] It was one of the keys for the outside doors 747 00:39:04,467 --> 00:39:06,533 at the Ledgewood Terrace Apartments. 748 00:39:07,500 --> 00:39:09,266 [Alan] There was always a major question 749 00:39:09,333 --> 00:39:13,767 in our minds of how someone who was responsible 750 00:39:13,834 --> 00:39:16,166 for Maryann Carr's abduction and murder 751 00:39:16,166 --> 00:39:19,567 was able to get into her building. 752 00:39:19,567 --> 00:39:22,767 Police bag all the contents of the safe as evidence 753 00:39:22,767 --> 00:39:25,967 and they return to the jail where Cottingham is being held. 754 00:39:27,467 --> 00:39:29,066 They question him again, 755 00:39:29,066 --> 00:39:32,867 this time about the Ledgewood Terrace Apartments in Little Ferry. 756 00:39:32,867 --> 00:39:35,100 Cottingham had indicated to us 757 00:39:35,100 --> 00:39:38,166 that he had lived at Ledgewood Terrace, 758 00:39:38,166 --> 00:39:40,100 in a different building 759 00:39:40,100 --> 00:39:42,066 than Maryann Carr, 760 00:39:42,133 --> 00:39:45,066 but had moved around 1975. 761 00:39:53,667 --> 00:39:55,967 [Wendy] But if Cottingham lived in a different building 762 00:39:56,033 --> 00:39:57,767 that required a different key, 763 00:39:57,834 --> 00:39:59,100 the question is, 764 00:39:59,100 --> 00:40:01,533 how did he get the key to Maryann's building? 765 00:40:02,600 --> 00:40:06,867 [Alan] The person who lived directly above 766 00:40:06,867 --> 00:40:09,567 Maryann Carr's apartment 767 00:40:09,567 --> 00:40:11,767 was John Van Soest, 768 00:40:11,767 --> 00:40:15,734 who we interviewed shortly after Maryann Carr's murder. 769 00:40:16,667 --> 00:40:20,100 And we became aware John Van Soest 770 00:40:20,100 --> 00:40:22,467 was a co-worker 771 00:40:22,467 --> 00:40:24,066 of Richard Cottingham 772 00:40:24,066 --> 00:40:25,734 and knew him well. 773 00:40:26,967 --> 00:40:28,367 [John] He was fun to work with. 774 00:40:28,367 --> 00:40:31,066 He could talk sports with you all the time. 775 00:40:31,133 --> 00:40:32,166 Cars. 776 00:40:32,233 --> 00:40:35,166 The stock market. Finances. 777 00:40:35,233 --> 00:40:38,066 But he didn't hang around with any of the other guys after work. 778 00:40:38,133 --> 00:40:39,967 You know, he never went to the bars or anything. 779 00:40:40,700 --> 00:40:43,266 He just kinda kept to himself. 780 00:40:43,266 --> 00:40:44,767 When I heard that he was arrested, 781 00:40:44,834 --> 00:40:47,567 I said, "Come on, they must have made a mistake." 782 00:40:47,634 --> 00:40:49,367 Guy I was working with for years... 783 00:40:49,367 --> 00:40:51,767 he turns out to be a mass murderer. 784 00:40:51,834 --> 00:40:53,333 It was a shock to me. 785 00:40:57,600 --> 00:41:01,767 [Alan] Van Soest's apartment had been burglarized 786 00:41:01,834 --> 00:41:05,967 sometime prior to the abduction of Maryann Carr. 787 00:41:05,967 --> 00:41:07,867 The locks were fine. 788 00:41:07,934 --> 00:41:10,367 So, I figured it must have been somebody that knew me. 789 00:41:10,433 --> 00:41:13,166 Richie was around the complex all the time. 790 00:41:13,166 --> 00:41:16,333 And he suggested that I move over where he used to live. 791 00:41:17,367 --> 00:41:19,266 We now became suspicious 792 00:41:19,266 --> 00:41:23,266 that the burglary of Van Soest's apartment 793 00:41:23,266 --> 00:41:26,567 was actually committed by Richard Cottingham. 794 00:41:26,567 --> 00:41:29,000 [John] And then, the police told me that they had found 795 00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:30,467 things that belonged to me 796 00:41:30,533 --> 00:41:32,567 in his possession, in that room. 797 00:41:32,567 --> 00:41:35,667 My first reaction was, "I thought this guy was my friend." 798 00:41:35,734 --> 00:41:37,867 And then I found out he was taking advantage 799 00:41:37,934 --> 00:41:39,967 of a lot of the guys he worked with. 800 00:41:39,967 --> 00:41:41,066 Stealing their keys 801 00:41:41,133 --> 00:41:43,567 with the intention of robbing their house, 802 00:41:43,567 --> 00:41:44,667 or their apartment. 803 00:41:44,667 --> 00:41:46,166 Which is what he did to me. 804 00:41:47,467 --> 00:41:49,567 [Wendy Naugle] Among the items collected in the safe 805 00:41:49,567 --> 00:41:51,367 are John Van Soest's watch, 806 00:41:51,433 --> 00:41:53,667 Valerie Ann Streets's koala pin, 807 00:41:53,667 --> 00:41:56,266 as well as jewelry from Karen Schilt. 808 00:41:56,266 --> 00:41:58,767 But Bergen County Police also find items 809 00:41:58,834 --> 00:42:03,166 that do not belong to any of their known victims. 810 00:42:03,166 --> 00:42:06,000 [Vernon Geberth] That case made the newspapers. 811 00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:09,000 As it turns out, one of our New York City detectives 812 00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:11,767 who was not supposed to live in New Jersey, but he's saving money, 813 00:42:11,834 --> 00:42:13,967 saw the paper. He came in and said, 814 00:42:14,033 --> 00:42:16,667 "Listen this might be connected to our case in New York." 815 00:42:16,734 --> 00:42:18,000 It turns out the necklace 816 00:42:18,000 --> 00:42:19,667 and a complete set of clothing 817 00:42:19,734 --> 00:42:21,367 belonged to Jean Ann Reyner. 818 00:42:21,367 --> 00:42:23,066 There was no doubt that 819 00:42:23,133 --> 00:42:24,867 this was our Times Square Killer. 820 00:42:24,867 --> 00:42:29,066 [Rod Leith] And that's when the tie began to tighten around 821 00:42:29,133 --> 00:42:30,266 Richard Cottingham 822 00:42:30,266 --> 00:42:32,066 as being responsible 823 00:42:32,066 --> 00:42:33,967 for more than just 824 00:42:33,967 --> 00:42:35,767 the Bergen County murders, 825 00:42:35,767 --> 00:42:39,066 and the attacks of the Time Square victims, 826 00:42:39,133 --> 00:42:41,066 are all tied together now. 827 00:42:42,900 --> 00:42:45,233 And that's when the floodgates opened. 828 00:42:46,367 --> 00:42:48,567 Lot of good evidence came out. 829 00:42:48,634 --> 00:42:50,166 Last winter we told you about several, 830 00:42:50,233 --> 00:42:52,266 especially brutal murders of alleged prostitutes 831 00:42:52,333 --> 00:42:53,567 here in New York. 832 00:42:53,634 --> 00:42:55,667 Today they announced they want a New Jersey man 833 00:42:55,734 --> 00:42:56,867 to appear in a lineup here 834 00:42:56,934 --> 00:42:58,567 in connection with those murders. 835 00:42:58,634 --> 00:43:00,767 Investigators bring the two surviving victims 836 00:43:00,767 --> 00:43:02,567 to the Bergen County Police Department. 837 00:43:02,634 --> 00:43:05,066 They want to see if they can identify their attackers 838 00:43:05,066 --> 00:43:07,100 from a lineup of men. 839 00:43:07,100 --> 00:43:10,667 [Detective Alan Grieco] Two of the previous sexual assault victims 840 00:43:10,667 --> 00:43:12,667 identified Cottingham 841 00:43:12,667 --> 00:43:14,367 as the person responsible 842 00:43:14,367 --> 00:43:16,133 for what occurred to them. 843 00:43:17,166 --> 00:43:19,867 Then the police discover the final nail 844 00:43:19,934 --> 00:43:21,767 in Cottingham's coffin. 845 00:43:21,767 --> 00:43:23,767 [Geberth] When he was taken to the Bergen County 846 00:43:23,834 --> 00:43:26,100 prosecutor's office for processing, 847 00:43:26,100 --> 00:43:27,367 they took his fingerprints 848 00:43:27,367 --> 00:43:30,000 and the latent print examiner was able to match his prints 849 00:43:30,000 --> 00:43:33,066 to the pair of handcuffs on the wrist of Valerie Street. 850 00:43:34,600 --> 00:43:36,000 [Grieco] We were elated. 851 00:43:36,000 --> 00:43:39,266 Now we certainly had a concrete piece of evidence, 852 00:43:39,266 --> 00:43:42,567 indicating that we had the right guy. 853 00:43:42,634 --> 00:43:45,467 [Naugle] Despite the evidence mounting against Cottingham, 854 00:43:45,467 --> 00:43:48,166 especially the trophies in his safe 855 00:43:48,166 --> 00:43:49,967 he denies having any knowledge 856 00:43:50,033 --> 00:43:53,166 of the Bergen County or the New York City murders. 857 00:43:53,233 --> 00:43:56,367 [Grieco] Once we finished our interview, 858 00:43:56,433 --> 00:43:58,266 that was the last time we ever spoke to him 859 00:43:58,333 --> 00:44:01,667 because within next 24 hours 860 00:44:01,667 --> 00:44:03,133 he had an attorney. 861 00:44:04,100 --> 00:44:05,467 My name is Donald Conway. 862 00:44:05,467 --> 00:44:09,367 I was Richard Cottingham's attorney for his first trial. 863 00:44:09,367 --> 00:44:12,266 I received a call from Mrs. Cottingham, 864 00:44:12,333 --> 00:44:14,000 his mother. 865 00:44:14,000 --> 00:44:16,934 She wore me down, and I said yes. 866 00:44:17,467 --> 00:44:18,667 When I took the case 867 00:44:18,734 --> 00:44:21,266 all I knew was he was being charged 868 00:44:21,333 --> 00:44:22,934 with torturing and killing women. 869 00:44:23,800 --> 00:44:25,567 [Naugle] Cottingham is linked to the assault 870 00:44:25,567 --> 00:44:27,266 or murder of nine women. 871 00:44:27,266 --> 00:44:29,767 But the prosecution chooses to try him 872 00:44:29,834 --> 00:44:31,367 in just three separate trials, 873 00:44:31,367 --> 00:44:33,967 starting with the murder of Valerie Ann Street 874 00:44:34,033 --> 00:44:36,266 and the kidnapping and assault survivors, 875 00:44:36,266 --> 00:44:38,266 Karen Schilt, Susan Geiger, 876 00:44:38,266 --> 00:44:39,767 Leslie Ann O'Dell, 877 00:44:39,767 --> 00:44:41,867 as well as one additional sex worker. 878 00:44:41,867 --> 00:44:43,266 [reporter] There are 19 charges 879 00:44:43,333 --> 00:44:45,066 pending against Richard Cottingham. 880 00:44:45,133 --> 00:44:46,066 The major charge is murder. 881 00:44:46,066 --> 00:44:48,767 The murder of Valerie Ann Street. 882 00:44:48,767 --> 00:44:50,667 [Conway] They are all serious charges. 883 00:44:50,734 --> 00:44:54,066 Enough to put somebody behind the slammer for a long, long time. 884 00:44:54,700 --> 00:44:56,867 In general, the most powerful 885 00:44:56,867 --> 00:44:59,367 kinds of evidence for the prosecutor 886 00:44:59,433 --> 00:45:02,467 is somebody caught in the act. 887 00:45:02,467 --> 00:45:05,233 And in the case of Leslie Ann O'Dell, 888 00:45:06,200 --> 00:45:09,467 police officers certainly caught him red-handed. 889 00:45:09,533 --> 00:45:13,066 And so my strategy was that we shouldn't even go to trial 890 00:45:13,066 --> 00:45:15,066 and try a plea bargain. 891 00:45:15,600 --> 00:45:17,367 And to my amazement, 892 00:45:17,433 --> 00:45:20,033 they offered something like 20 years. 893 00:45:20,700 --> 00:45:22,567 I go back to him and say, 894 00:45:22,567 --> 00:45:25,066 "Richard, I got a hell of a deal for you." 895 00:45:25,066 --> 00:45:26,667 He says, "Oh, no. 896 00:45:26,667 --> 00:45:29,066 I'm not gonna plead guilty. I wanna go to trial." 897 00:45:29,867 --> 00:45:31,266 [Corin Cesaric] Cottingham is so arrogant 898 00:45:31,266 --> 00:45:33,266 that he thinks that when he goes to trial 899 00:45:33,333 --> 00:45:34,867 he's going to beat all the charges 900 00:45:34,934 --> 00:45:37,166 and be a free man once again. 901 00:45:37,233 --> 00:45:38,867 [Conway] He thought he can fool everybody, 902 00:45:38,867 --> 00:45:41,567 like he fooled these young ladies. 903 00:45:41,567 --> 00:45:44,367 [Naugle] Richard Cottingham sits in jail for four months 904 00:45:44,433 --> 00:45:45,567 until early 1981, 905 00:45:45,567 --> 00:45:47,533 when his first trial begins. 906 00:45:50,367 --> 00:45:52,667 [Conway] From the outset I knew, 907 00:45:52,734 --> 00:45:55,066 we were going nowhere at the trial, 908 00:45:55,066 --> 00:45:57,467 'cause there's nothing that I could do 909 00:45:57,533 --> 00:46:00,100 to overcome the overwhelming evidence against him. 910 00:46:00,100 --> 00:46:04,100 Especially when his victims who managed to survive 911 00:46:04,100 --> 00:46:05,767 comes to court to testify against him. 912 00:46:05,767 --> 00:46:07,266 [Naugle] And the sexual assault victims 913 00:46:07,333 --> 00:46:10,467 take the stand and identify Cottingham in court 914 00:46:10,467 --> 00:46:14,266 as the man who kidnapped, raped, and beat them. 915 00:46:14,266 --> 00:46:16,667 [Leith] They also told the police about 916 00:46:16,667 --> 00:46:18,967 jewelry that had been stolen from them 917 00:46:19,033 --> 00:46:20,567 and were able to identify 918 00:46:20,634 --> 00:46:22,867 that some of those items were there 919 00:46:22,934 --> 00:46:24,433 in this guy's home. 920 00:46:26,200 --> 00:46:30,266 [Grieco] Cottingham denied knowing most of the women. 921 00:46:30,266 --> 00:46:32,567 With respect to Leslie O'Dell 922 00:46:32,567 --> 00:46:34,467 he continued to say 923 00:46:34,533 --> 00:46:38,567 his relationship with her was purely consensual. 924 00:46:39,567 --> 00:46:42,667 [Conway] He did say he paid for the opportunity 925 00:46:42,667 --> 00:46:44,867 to cut up this young lady. 926 00:46:44,934 --> 00:46:48,166 He's gonna convince the jury that she consented to this? 927 00:46:48,300 --> 00:46:49,333 No way. 928 00:46:50,100 --> 00:46:52,367 That was not gonna fly. 929 00:46:52,367 --> 00:46:54,567 [Geberth] Cottingham hired a forensic psychiatrist 930 00:46:54,567 --> 00:46:55,967 that used to work for the FBI 931 00:46:55,967 --> 00:46:58,166 to talk about his pathologies. 932 00:46:58,166 --> 00:47:00,066 He tried to explain it's normal, like, 933 00:47:00,066 --> 00:47:01,066 you go to a prostitute, 934 00:47:01,066 --> 00:47:02,867 and you live out these things, the fantasy. 935 00:47:02,867 --> 00:47:04,066 [chuckles] 936 00:47:05,000 --> 00:47:07,266 [Leith] Then Cottingham's testimony, 937 00:47:07,266 --> 00:47:09,266 he would talk about his youth, 938 00:47:09,266 --> 00:47:11,166 and being fascinated 939 00:47:11,166 --> 00:47:14,934 with bondage and holding women hostage. 940 00:47:16,266 --> 00:47:19,367 He said he wasn't killing anybody. 941 00:47:19,433 --> 00:47:21,166 He wasn't a murderer. 942 00:47:22,767 --> 00:47:25,567 His denial was not believable 943 00:47:25,567 --> 00:47:28,367 based on the other evidence that they had. 944 00:47:28,367 --> 00:47:30,767 His fingerprints on handcuffs 945 00:47:30,767 --> 00:47:33,367 on Valerie Ann Street. 946 00:47:33,367 --> 00:47:35,967 Why would her koala bear be in his house, 947 00:47:36,033 --> 00:47:37,567 if he never met her? 948 00:47:37,634 --> 00:47:40,734 So, it was overwhelming evidences. 949 00:47:42,567 --> 00:47:46,233 In the end, the jury finds him guilty on all counts. 950 00:47:47,300 --> 00:47:52,367 The entire team was elated at the verdict. 951 00:47:52,367 --> 00:47:55,166 Richard Cottingham stood in a court room in Hackensack, New Jersey, 952 00:47:55,166 --> 00:47:57,467 and said if he gets out of jail he won't break the law again. 953 00:47:57,467 --> 00:47:59,066 He probably won't get out of jail. 954 00:47:59,066 --> 00:48:00,467 He's 34 years old now. 955 00:48:00,467 --> 00:48:02,533 He was sent to jail for almost 200 years. 956 00:48:03,500 --> 00:48:04,967 [Naugle] Cottingham began serving 957 00:48:04,967 --> 00:48:07,166 his nearly 200-year sentence 958 00:48:07,233 --> 00:48:08,867 and a few months later 959 00:48:08,934 --> 00:48:10,767 the prosecution prepares for their second trial, 960 00:48:10,767 --> 00:48:13,166 for the strangulation of Maryann Carr, 961 00:48:13,166 --> 00:48:16,133 a 26-year-old X-ray technician. 962 00:48:17,867 --> 00:48:20,266 The prosecution opens by calling one of their 963 00:48:20,266 --> 00:48:22,433 strongest witnesses to the stand. 964 00:48:23,300 --> 00:48:25,667 [Leith] One of the physicians that examined 965 00:48:25,734 --> 00:48:29,567 both Maryann Carr and Valerie Street, 966 00:48:29,634 --> 00:48:32,567 said, "I thought I was looking at the same killer." 967 00:48:32,567 --> 00:48:34,867 The same method of murder. 968 00:48:35,667 --> 00:48:37,634 The injuries were so similar. 969 00:48:38,700 --> 00:48:40,767 [Grieco] The use of handcuffs, 970 00:48:40,767 --> 00:48:43,233 adhesive tape across the mouth, 971 00:48:43,700 --> 00:48:46,166 and manual strangulation. 972 00:48:47,200 --> 00:48:49,867 [Leith] The prosecution made the case 973 00:48:49,867 --> 00:48:53,266 identifying him as the serial killer, 974 00:48:53,266 --> 00:48:56,667 who had left his signature, there's no question 975 00:48:56,667 --> 00:48:59,266 of who committed this crime. 976 00:48:59,266 --> 00:49:01,166 [Naugle] The prosecution also points out 977 00:49:01,233 --> 00:49:03,166 that Cottingham had the opportunity 978 00:49:03,233 --> 00:49:04,567 to kill Maryann Carr. 979 00:49:04,634 --> 00:49:07,066 [Grieco] Cottingham's co-worker, 980 00:49:07,066 --> 00:49:09,066 John Van Soest 981 00:49:09,133 --> 00:49:13,567 who lived in the same apartment building as Maryann Carr 982 00:49:13,634 --> 00:49:17,233 had his keys taken while at work. 983 00:49:18,867 --> 00:49:22,867 We were able to use that that is how Cottingham 984 00:49:22,867 --> 00:49:25,433 was able to get into her building. 985 00:49:27,900 --> 00:49:29,367 To bolster their case 986 00:49:29,367 --> 00:49:31,000 they called Cottingham's coworker 987 00:49:31,000 --> 00:49:32,634 and friends to the stand. 988 00:49:33,700 --> 00:49:36,567 [John Van Soest] I testified Richard may have stole my keys 989 00:49:36,567 --> 00:49:38,967 with the intention of robbing my apartment, 990 00:49:39,033 --> 00:49:40,767 but found another interest. 991 00:49:40,834 --> 00:49:43,367 And I think he just took an opportunity, 992 00:49:43,367 --> 00:49:45,367 you know, "As long as I have this key 993 00:49:45,367 --> 00:49:47,367 why not take advantage of it." 994 00:49:47,367 --> 00:49:50,667 Richard Cottingham was found guilty of Maryann Carr's murder, 995 00:49:50,734 --> 00:49:52,667 and sentenced to serve life in prison 996 00:49:52,734 --> 00:49:57,266 consecutively to his past sentence of nearly 200 years. 997 00:49:57,333 --> 00:49:58,967 [Nancy Kohloff] I can't imagine what it was like 998 00:49:58,967 --> 00:50:02,767 for Maryann's parents to be in the courtroom 999 00:50:02,767 --> 00:50:04,233 to hear the verdict. 1000 00:50:05,066 --> 00:50:07,266 I can't imagine how painful that was, 1001 00:50:07,266 --> 00:50:10,233 but maybe they finally had some closure. 1002 00:50:11,700 --> 00:50:15,266 Two years later in 1984 a third trial gets underway 1003 00:50:15,266 --> 00:50:18,066 and Cottingham is tried and convicted 1004 00:50:18,066 --> 00:50:21,066 of the three, Times Square murders. 1005 00:50:21,700 --> 00:50:23,166 That was the end for him. 1006 00:50:23,166 --> 00:50:26,367 He's there in Trenton at the Department of Corrections 1007 00:50:26,367 --> 00:50:28,166 and he's not going anywhere. 1008 00:50:32,266 --> 00:50:34,066 The police and the prosecution 1009 00:50:34,133 --> 00:50:37,166 are ecstatic that they've closed nine cases, 1010 00:50:37,166 --> 00:50:40,166 but Detective Grieco is onto Cottingham. 1011 00:50:40,166 --> 00:50:43,834 He wants to see if maybe there are other murders he's ready to confess to. 1012 00:50:44,567 --> 00:50:47,867 I began to visit Cottingham in prison 1013 00:50:47,867 --> 00:50:51,867 in an effort to gain his cooperation. 1014 00:50:51,934 --> 00:50:57,166 Cottingham said that we had done a very good job in the cases against him. 1015 00:50:57,233 --> 00:51:00,734 But he said, "You didn't go back far enough. 1016 00:51:02,166 --> 00:51:07,834 My first murder occurred in 1967." 1017 00:51:18,567 --> 00:51:20,567 [Leith] For a long time Maryann Carr 1018 00:51:20,634 --> 00:51:23,667 was believed to have been Richard Cottingham's first victim. 1019 00:51:23,734 --> 00:51:27,967 But all of a sudden, you know, you have this ten-year span. 1020 00:51:28,033 --> 00:51:30,266 There was no telling how many murders 1021 00:51:30,333 --> 00:51:33,166 Richard Cottingham was responsible for. 1022 00:51:36,066 --> 00:51:40,467 [Grieco] During one of the visits made to Cottingham in prison 1023 00:51:40,467 --> 00:51:42,967 in an effort to make a deal 1024 00:51:43,033 --> 00:51:47,867 whereby he would speak about other cases 1025 00:51:47,867 --> 00:51:50,166 that he was responsible for, 1026 00:51:50,166 --> 00:51:54,433 the number that he threw out was approximately 80 women. 1027 00:51:55,767 --> 00:51:59,567 I recognize that the number that he threw out was rather high 1028 00:51:59,567 --> 00:52:03,367 but I did not necessarily disbelieve him 1029 00:52:03,367 --> 00:52:08,367 because I thought that he was very capable of carrying out that many. 1030 00:52:08,367 --> 00:52:11,367 For the 1967 murder 1031 00:52:11,433 --> 00:52:14,166 he told me that he strangled her 1032 00:52:14,166 --> 00:52:16,667 with her own pantyhose. 1033 00:52:16,667 --> 00:52:19,667 He was not willing to give me the name of the woman 1034 00:52:19,667 --> 00:52:21,867 but I quickly recalled 1035 00:52:21,867 --> 00:52:26,567 the unsolved murder of Nancy Vogel. 1036 00:52:26,567 --> 00:52:30,567 Nancy was a young housewife with a couple of children. 1037 00:52:30,634 --> 00:52:36,166 She had gone out to play bingo on October 31st, 1967, 1038 00:52:36,767 --> 00:52:39,066 but never returned. 1039 00:52:40,400 --> 00:52:42,066 She was later found murdered 1040 00:52:42,133 --> 00:52:45,233 in the backseat of her car in Ridgefield Park. 1041 00:52:47,367 --> 00:52:50,667 [Cesaric] Her hands were bound and she was strangled 1042 00:52:50,667 --> 00:52:53,266 and raped before she was murdered. 1043 00:52:53,333 --> 00:52:56,767 [Grieco] The fact that Nancy Vogel was strangled 1044 00:52:56,767 --> 00:52:58,967 and bound at the wrist 1045 00:52:58,967 --> 00:53:03,967 made her killing similar to Cottingham's known victims. 1046 00:53:03,967 --> 00:53:07,100 So once we identified Nancy Vogel, 1047 00:53:07,100 --> 00:53:11,033 we looked at other open cases in Bergen County. 1048 00:53:12,400 --> 00:53:15,467 As Detective Grieco digs through all the case files 1049 00:53:15,467 --> 00:53:18,467 he discovers that in the late 1960s and '70s, 1050 00:53:18,467 --> 00:53:22,867 New Jersey police suspected that eight girls were murdered by the same person. 1051 00:53:22,867 --> 00:53:26,567 They even nicknamed him the "Bergen Strangler." 1052 00:53:27,467 --> 00:53:29,367 [Grieco] Like Nancy Vogel 1053 00:53:29,367 --> 00:53:34,066 these girls had ligature marks around the neck 1054 00:53:34,133 --> 00:53:35,634 and bound at the wrist. 1055 00:53:35,700 --> 00:53:39,667 I began to suspect that Richard Cottingham 1056 00:53:39,667 --> 00:53:42,233 was the Bergen County Strangler. 1057 00:53:43,967 --> 00:53:46,166 Most serial killers have a comfort zone, 1058 00:53:46,233 --> 00:53:48,066 some place where they know they're gonna be safe, 1059 00:53:48,066 --> 00:53:50,567 probably close to home and/or work. 1060 00:53:50,567 --> 00:53:53,667 And all these victims were in Bergen County, 1061 00:53:53,667 --> 00:53:56,634 well, Richard Cottingham lived in Bergen County. 1062 00:53:57,400 --> 00:53:59,100 One of the Bergen Strangler cases 1063 00:53:59,100 --> 00:54:01,367 that Grieco thinks could be the work of Cottingham 1064 00:54:01,367 --> 00:54:04,367 is 13-year-old Jackie Harp. 1065 00:54:05,367 --> 00:54:08,967 Jackie Harp was returning home 1066 00:54:09,033 --> 00:54:14,100 from a flag squad practice in Midland Park, New Jersey, 1067 00:54:14,100 --> 00:54:19,634 when she went missing on July 17, 1968. 1068 00:54:20,266 --> 00:54:23,467 Her body was found strangled 1069 00:54:23,467 --> 00:54:26,467 with a belt from her uniform. 1070 00:54:27,467 --> 00:54:30,567 Grieco then researched two more unsolved cases 1071 00:54:30,567 --> 00:54:32,433 that were attributed to the Bergen Strangler. 1072 00:54:33,300 --> 00:54:36,667 [Grieco] On April 8th, 1969, 1073 00:54:36,667 --> 00:54:39,367 the body of Irene Blase 1074 00:54:39,433 --> 00:54:41,967 was found in the Saddle River 1075 00:54:42,033 --> 00:54:45,266 located in Saddle Brook, New Jersey. 1076 00:54:45,266 --> 00:54:47,567 She was 18 years old. 1077 00:54:47,567 --> 00:54:50,834 She was strangled with a necklace she had been wearing. 1078 00:54:51,667 --> 00:54:55,166 Then on July 14th, 1969, 1079 00:54:55,166 --> 00:54:58,767 the body of 15-year-old Denise Falasca 1080 00:54:58,767 --> 00:55:02,166 was found outside a cemetery. 1081 00:55:02,166 --> 00:55:03,867 She was also strangled 1082 00:55:03,867 --> 00:55:06,266 with a necklace she had been wearing. 1083 00:55:10,000 --> 00:55:11,767 I'm Sue Fitzsimmons, 1084 00:55:11,767 --> 00:55:16,367 and I was a good friend of Denise's elder sister Cheryl. 1085 00:55:16,367 --> 00:55:20,667 In 1969 I was 19. Denise was 15. 1086 00:55:20,734 --> 00:55:23,266 And for Denise, it was all makeup, 1087 00:55:23,266 --> 00:55:25,266 boys and music. 1088 00:55:25,266 --> 00:55:28,166 A little dancing to the music. 1089 00:55:28,166 --> 00:55:32,467 Denise wanted to do everything that Cheryl and I were doing. 1090 00:55:32,533 --> 00:55:35,166 She was almost like a little puppy dog. 1091 00:55:35,233 --> 00:55:37,867 There was a culture of hitchhiking back then, 1092 00:55:37,934 --> 00:55:42,066 and Cheryl and I would hitchhike to meet guys. 1093 00:55:42,667 --> 00:55:44,166 When we would come home, 1094 00:55:44,166 --> 00:55:46,567 Denise wanted to know what we did, 1095 00:55:46,567 --> 00:55:48,567 and we would tell her, 1096 00:55:48,567 --> 00:55:52,166 we embellished it, we glamorized it. 1097 00:55:52,166 --> 00:55:57,166 In 1969, on July 13th, Denise leaves her home alone. 1098 00:55:57,233 --> 00:55:59,967 She plans to hitchhike into town. 1099 00:56:00,100 --> 00:56:01,667 [Naugle] The last known sighting of Denise 1100 00:56:01,667 --> 00:56:05,233 was around 9:00 p.m. as she was getting into someone's car. 1101 00:56:07,100 --> 00:56:09,467 I was stunned. 1102 00:56:09,533 --> 00:56:14,967 I felt guilty because I never talked to Denise 1103 00:56:14,967 --> 00:56:18,066 about the dangers of getting in somebody's car. 1104 00:56:18,133 --> 00:56:21,367 I thought maybe we could have stopped it 1105 00:56:21,367 --> 00:56:24,166 from happening if we did tell her. 1106 00:56:24,233 --> 00:56:27,467 And my life really changed that day. 1107 00:56:27,467 --> 00:56:29,533 Childhood ended. 1108 00:56:32,000 --> 00:56:36,266 [Grieco] Over the course of many years, I met with Cottingham 1109 00:56:36,333 --> 00:56:39,066 three times in New Jersey State prison 1110 00:56:39,133 --> 00:56:41,066 in an effort to try to gain his cooperation 1111 00:56:41,133 --> 00:56:44,767 and get him to make a confession. 1112 00:56:44,767 --> 00:56:48,567 [Naugle] During those conversations, Cottingham reveals to Grieco 1113 00:56:48,634 --> 00:56:51,967 how and why he kills. 1114 00:56:52,033 --> 00:56:56,667 [Grieco] Cottingham said it started at a very young age 1115 00:56:56,734 --> 00:56:59,233 with his interest in pornography. 1116 00:57:00,166 --> 00:57:03,667 Then he needed to escalate his fantasies 1117 00:57:03,734 --> 00:57:08,834 into sexual activity, such as bondage and S&M. 1118 00:57:09,667 --> 00:57:12,467 When that no longer worked, 1119 00:57:12,533 --> 00:57:18,266 he found killing women to be the ultimate satisfaction. 1120 00:57:18,266 --> 00:57:21,266 [Geberth] Sexual sadism is a progressive disorder. 1121 00:57:21,266 --> 00:57:23,567 It gets worse as time goes on. 1122 00:57:23,567 --> 00:57:26,367 So what the sadist was satisfied 1123 00:57:26,433 --> 00:57:29,367 when he began based on the piece of pornography 1124 00:57:29,367 --> 00:57:33,567 suddenly is enhanced with his first attack 1125 00:57:33,634 --> 00:57:36,867 and sexual sadists will keep the same programs, 1126 00:57:36,867 --> 00:57:39,166 but it will get worse, they'll start mutilating, 1127 00:57:39,233 --> 00:57:40,767 eviscerating, 1128 00:57:40,767 --> 00:57:43,734 do things that go beyond the pale. 1129 00:57:44,767 --> 00:57:47,467 [Grieco] I asked him how it was possible 1130 00:57:47,533 --> 00:57:51,467 for him to dismember and set a body on fire. 1131 00:57:51,533 --> 00:57:55,867 His response was once a person was dead, 1132 00:57:55,867 --> 00:57:57,667 they don't feel anything. 1133 00:57:57,667 --> 00:58:01,567 He added that once you kill someone 1134 00:58:01,567 --> 00:58:04,233 every one after that is easy. 1135 00:58:05,400 --> 00:58:09,266 He said that he never thought about someone 1136 00:58:09,333 --> 00:58:10,967 after he killed them. 1137 00:58:11,033 --> 00:58:13,867 It was an extremely cold response 1138 00:58:13,867 --> 00:58:17,667 with no indication of any human compassion. 1139 00:58:17,667 --> 00:58:23,066 There was never a time that Cottingham expressed any true remorse 1140 00:58:23,066 --> 00:58:25,767 during my conversations with him. 1141 00:58:25,767 --> 00:58:28,767 [Geberth] Richard Cottingham is a Jekyll and Hyde personality. 1142 00:58:28,834 --> 00:58:32,066 If you take a look at the clever, Dr. Jekyll, 1143 00:58:32,133 --> 00:58:33,567 that will be Cottingham. 1144 00:58:33,567 --> 00:58:35,867 He's being overwhelmed by 1145 00:58:35,934 --> 00:58:38,233 the insatiable lust of his Mr. Hyde. 1146 00:59:04,767 --> 00:59:08,166 Despite explaining why he killed these women, 1147 00:59:08,166 --> 00:59:11,367 even after 15 years of conversations with Grieco, 1148 00:59:11,367 --> 00:59:15,066 Cottingham never confesses to any additional murders, 1149 00:59:15,133 --> 00:59:18,166 even though he boasted that he killed up to 80 women. 1150 00:59:19,467 --> 00:59:22,967 [Grieco] Having been convicted of nine similar cases 1151 00:59:23,033 --> 00:59:25,367 with five being murders, 1152 00:59:25,367 --> 00:59:26,867 there was little doubt in my mind 1153 00:59:26,934 --> 00:59:28,467 that he was responsible 1154 00:59:28,467 --> 00:59:31,166 for many of the unsolved murders 1155 00:59:31,166 --> 00:59:34,767 of young females in Bergen County. 1156 00:59:35,800 --> 00:59:38,867 [Naugle] In 1997, Detective Grieco retires 1157 00:59:38,934 --> 00:59:40,567 without getting the confession. 1158 00:59:40,567 --> 00:59:42,367 And although he continues to correspond 1159 00:59:42,367 --> 00:59:43,867 with Cottingham by letter 1160 00:59:43,867 --> 00:59:45,867 he worries that the Bergen Strangler cases 1161 00:59:45,867 --> 00:59:47,433 will just go unsolved. 1162 00:59:48,467 --> 00:59:51,166 Fortunately, 30 miles away on Long Island, 1163 00:59:51,166 --> 00:59:53,567 the Nassau County Police are having better luck 1164 00:59:53,567 --> 00:59:55,767 with one of their own cold cases. 1165 00:59:55,767 --> 00:59:57,100 [Dennis Farrell] This woman has been looking 1166 00:59:57,100 --> 00:59:58,767 for answers her whole life, 1167 00:59:58,834 --> 01:00:01,367 and she always hoped that someday, somehow 1168 01:00:01,367 --> 01:00:03,233 the murder of her mother could be solved. 1169 01:00:11,700 --> 01:00:13,867 My name is Darlene Altman. 1170 01:00:13,867 --> 01:00:15,634 I'm the daughter of Diane Cusick. 1171 01:00:16,367 --> 01:00:18,467 In 1968 my mother and I 1172 01:00:18,533 --> 01:00:21,567 lived in New Hyde Park with my grandparents. 1173 01:00:21,567 --> 01:00:23,533 It was a great place to grow up. 1174 01:00:24,700 --> 01:00:27,767 [Naugle] Twenty-three-year-old dance instructor, Diane Cusick 1175 01:00:27,767 --> 01:00:30,000 had just separated from her husband 1176 01:00:30,000 --> 01:00:32,567 and had moved with her three-year-old daughter Darlene 1177 01:00:32,567 --> 01:00:34,767 into the house where she grew up. 1178 01:00:34,767 --> 01:00:37,467 [Altman] On February 15th, 1968 1179 01:00:37,467 --> 01:00:39,667 my mother went to work as normal. 1180 01:00:39,667 --> 01:00:42,767 She needed a pair of shoes for an upcoming dance show, 1181 01:00:42,834 --> 01:00:45,567 so she said that she wanted to stop at the Green Acres Mall. 1182 01:00:45,567 --> 01:00:48,266 And she wanted my grandmother to come with her. 1183 01:00:48,333 --> 01:00:50,066 But my grandmother was home with me 1184 01:00:50,066 --> 01:00:51,567 and I was sick at the time. 1185 01:00:51,634 --> 01:00:54,166 And she's like, "Diane, can we just go tomorrow?" 1186 01:00:54,166 --> 01:00:55,567 And Diane's like, "No, I'll just go 1187 01:00:55,634 --> 01:00:56,934 and I'll be home afterwards." 1188 01:00:58,900 --> 01:01:01,367 It got to the point where the mall was closed, 1189 01:01:01,367 --> 01:01:03,433 and she wasn't home. 1190 01:01:04,567 --> 01:01:06,367 [Cesaric] Her parents started to worry. 1191 01:01:06,367 --> 01:01:09,066 They travelled to the mall to see if they could find her. 1192 01:01:09,967 --> 01:01:11,767 And they see something 1193 01:01:11,767 --> 01:01:13,934 that no parent should ever see. 1194 01:01:15,567 --> 01:01:18,166 [Altman] They saw her car in the parking lot 1195 01:01:18,166 --> 01:01:20,333 and my mother was in the back seat, 1196 01:01:21,767 --> 01:01:24,967 with tape over her mouth and her nose. 1197 01:01:24,967 --> 01:01:27,667 And I know my grandfather ripped the tape off, 1198 01:01:27,734 --> 01:01:29,867 [voice breaking] and then picked up my mother's body, 1199 01:01:29,867 --> 01:01:32,667 not knowing if she was dead or alive, 1200 01:01:32,667 --> 01:01:35,533 and ran out to Sunrise Highway for help. 1201 01:01:40,100 --> 01:01:42,867 [Naugle] Sadly, there's nothing he can do. 1202 01:01:42,867 --> 01:01:45,066 Diane is dead. 1203 01:01:45,066 --> 01:01:47,667 And despite every effort by the local police 1204 01:01:47,734 --> 01:01:49,834 her killer was never caught. 1205 01:01:50,567 --> 01:01:51,867 [Altman] I mean, at three years old, 1206 01:01:51,867 --> 01:01:54,100 unfortunately I don't have any memories of her. 1207 01:01:54,100 --> 01:01:56,233 And that bothers me. 1208 01:01:57,166 --> 01:02:00,266 As I started to get older I became very interested 1209 01:02:00,266 --> 01:02:02,266 in true-crime documentaries 1210 01:02:02,266 --> 01:02:04,667 and solving cases with DNA. 1211 01:02:04,667 --> 01:02:07,166 I was like, "Oh, why couldn't that happen for me?" 1212 01:02:07,233 --> 01:02:11,266 So, in 2003, I wrote to the Nassau County Police Department 1213 01:02:11,333 --> 01:02:14,000 and asked if they could reopen my mother's case? 1214 01:02:14,000 --> 01:02:16,667 And not long after that, a detective called 1215 01:02:16,667 --> 01:02:19,166 and he said he would try to find out what he could 1216 01:02:19,166 --> 01:02:20,734 and that he would do his best. 1217 01:02:22,166 --> 01:02:24,467 [Naugle] Seeing in the file that Diane Cusick was raped, 1218 01:02:24,533 --> 01:02:26,000 the Nassau County detective 1219 01:02:26,000 --> 01:02:27,767 digs through the evidence locker, 1220 01:02:27,834 --> 01:02:31,266 and finds her 1968 dress and pantyhose, 1221 01:02:31,266 --> 01:02:34,834 and he hopes they will be the source of viable DNA. 1222 01:02:36,066 --> 01:02:38,367 [Farrell] Test would prove Ms. Cusick's clothing 1223 01:02:38,367 --> 01:02:40,667 did have some kind of viable bits on it. 1224 01:02:40,667 --> 01:02:44,367 Which made it viable for DNA testing. 1225 01:02:44,367 --> 01:02:48,000 They did such a thorough job back then in '68 1226 01:02:48,000 --> 01:02:50,266 that they had preserved everything 1227 01:02:50,333 --> 01:02:52,567 in a way that they were able to obtain DNA. 1228 01:02:52,567 --> 01:02:53,867 It was amazing. 1229 01:02:53,867 --> 01:02:55,567 I was hopeful. 1230 01:02:57,100 --> 01:02:59,567 [Farrell] Even though some DNA was identified 1231 01:02:59,634 --> 01:03:01,266 the sample isn't big enough 1232 01:03:01,266 --> 01:03:02,867 to make a full profile 1233 01:03:02,867 --> 01:03:06,333 and we couldn't yield a match at that time. 1234 01:03:08,266 --> 01:03:11,467 And when it came back without a match it was very disappointing. 1235 01:03:11,467 --> 01:03:12,934 Felt like my last shot. 1236 01:03:13,266 --> 01:03:14,433 Like, that was it. 1237 01:03:14,800 --> 01:03:16,233 What now? 1238 01:03:17,266 --> 01:03:19,367 [Naugle] At the same time back in Bergen County, 1239 01:03:19,433 --> 01:03:21,367 the prosecutor's office is beginning 1240 01:03:21,433 --> 01:03:23,000 the cold case division of their own, 1241 01:03:23,000 --> 01:03:26,967 led by Detective Robert Anzilotti and prosecutor John Molinelli. 1242 01:03:27,033 --> 01:03:30,166 They set their sights on the Bergen Strangler cases. 1243 01:03:30,166 --> 01:03:32,066 The same ones Detective Grieco 1244 01:03:32,133 --> 01:03:35,567 always believed were committed by Richard Cottingham. 1245 01:03:36,367 --> 01:03:37,567 [John Molinelli] In New Jersey 1246 01:03:37,634 --> 01:03:39,967 we don't just handle the prosecution. 1247 01:03:39,967 --> 01:03:42,567 We are the primary investigating authority 1248 01:03:42,567 --> 01:03:46,066 of most major crimes such as homicides. 1249 01:03:46,133 --> 01:03:48,367 [Naugle] Although after 22 years in prison, 1250 01:03:48,433 --> 01:03:51,767 Cottingham still has not confessed to an additional crime. 1251 01:03:52,500 --> 01:03:55,367 But in 2006, opportunity strikes. 1252 01:03:55,367 --> 01:03:58,000 Cottingham is caught taking bets in prison 1253 01:03:58,000 --> 01:04:01,066 and is banished to solitary confinement. 1254 01:04:01,066 --> 01:04:03,266 [Molinelli] Once he was moved into solitary 1255 01:04:03,266 --> 01:04:04,567 now there's an opportunity 1256 01:04:04,567 --> 01:04:05,767 to have a conversation with him. 1257 01:04:06,567 --> 01:04:08,367 That's when Anzilotti made arrangements 1258 01:04:08,367 --> 01:04:10,567 to go down to Trenton State 1259 01:04:10,567 --> 01:04:13,166 to try and build a relationship 1260 01:04:13,166 --> 01:04:14,533 with Cottingham. 1261 01:04:15,667 --> 01:04:19,100 Cottingham liked to gamble. So they would play cards. 1262 01:04:19,100 --> 01:04:22,367 And Detective Anzilotti was starting to ask Cottingham, 1263 01:04:22,367 --> 01:04:25,166 "Look, we know you had something to do with some of these things. 1264 01:04:25,166 --> 01:04:26,367 Let's talk about it. 1265 01:04:26,433 --> 01:04:28,867 These families need closure." 1266 01:04:28,867 --> 01:04:31,567 [Cesaric] The conversations go on for years. 1267 01:04:31,567 --> 01:04:34,467 Then in 2010, Cottingham tells Detective Anzilotti 1268 01:04:34,533 --> 01:04:35,667 that he will confess, 1269 01:04:35,667 --> 01:04:38,066 but he wants some perks in return. 1270 01:04:38,133 --> 01:04:39,967 [Geberth] It was a quid pro quo. 1271 01:04:40,033 --> 01:04:43,066 So Anzilotti was able to get him pizza, 1272 01:04:43,066 --> 01:04:44,667 get chocolate-covered doughnuts 1273 01:04:44,667 --> 01:04:46,567 and whatever the fat guy wanted, okay. 1274 01:04:46,567 --> 01:04:48,367 The bottom-line is he wanted something. 1275 01:04:48,367 --> 01:04:50,166 He's a negotiator. 1276 01:04:50,166 --> 01:04:51,767 [Molinelli] It took a lot of work. 1277 01:04:51,834 --> 01:04:55,066 And then finally Cottingham told Anzilotti, 1278 01:04:55,133 --> 01:04:56,767 "Okay, I'll give you one." 1279 01:04:56,767 --> 01:04:58,667 And that was Nancy Vogel. 1280 01:04:58,734 --> 01:05:01,834 We believed she was his first victim. 1281 01:05:03,700 --> 01:05:06,367 [Grieco] Cottingham said, on that particular night 1282 01:05:06,433 --> 01:05:09,467 in late October of 1967, 1283 01:05:09,467 --> 01:05:11,967 he had met Nancy Vogel 1284 01:05:11,967 --> 01:05:15,967 at a bar in Little Ferry, New Jersey. 1285 01:05:15,967 --> 01:05:18,567 They left the bar and they drove 1286 01:05:18,567 --> 01:05:22,767 in her vehicle on Route 46 into Ridgefield Park, 1287 01:05:23,467 --> 01:05:25,467 where he parked the car. 1288 01:05:25,467 --> 01:05:28,367 At some point in time he bounds her wrists, 1289 01:05:28,367 --> 01:05:31,667 and engages in sex with her in the backseat. 1290 01:05:39,400 --> 01:05:41,266 [Grieco] After having sex with her, 1291 01:05:41,266 --> 01:05:42,867 he strangled her 1292 01:05:42,867 --> 01:05:44,834 with her own pantyhose. 1293 01:05:53,467 --> 01:05:57,066 He advised us that she had done some food shopping 1294 01:05:57,066 --> 01:05:59,567 and there were bags with food 1295 01:05:59,567 --> 01:06:01,166 that were in the trunk of the car. 1296 01:06:05,467 --> 01:06:08,867 [Molinelli] Those facts were not publicized. 1297 01:06:08,934 --> 01:06:11,266 And Detective Anzilotti knew 1298 01:06:11,266 --> 01:06:15,867 that Cottingham had murdered Nancy Vogel. 1299 01:06:15,867 --> 01:06:18,166 At that point we had the basis to charge him. 1300 01:06:18,166 --> 01:06:20,767 But Cottingham did not want his family 1301 01:06:20,767 --> 01:06:23,367 to have to pick up newspaper and read the story about 1302 01:06:23,367 --> 01:06:25,667 their father committing another murder. 1303 01:06:25,734 --> 01:06:27,367 So, he wanted it to be kept quiet. 1304 01:06:27,967 --> 01:06:29,667 But when he pled guilty 1305 01:06:29,667 --> 01:06:31,867 there was a reporter in the courtroom. 1306 01:06:31,934 --> 01:06:33,266 It got highly publicized 1307 01:06:33,266 --> 01:06:35,367 that Cottingham had pled guilty 1308 01:06:35,367 --> 01:06:36,667 to the Vogel homicide. 1309 01:06:36,734 --> 01:06:38,066 Cottingham is upset. 1310 01:06:38,066 --> 01:06:40,066 His family read it in the paper. 1311 01:06:40,066 --> 01:06:42,967 And it definitely set us back. 1312 01:06:42,967 --> 01:06:44,867 I think it took about 18 months 1313 01:06:44,934 --> 01:06:47,333 before he at least agreed to talk to Anzilotti. 1314 01:06:48,467 --> 01:06:51,066 It's not until 2014, 1315 01:06:51,133 --> 01:06:53,266 thirty years into his sentence, 1316 01:06:53,266 --> 01:06:55,266 that Cottingham confesses again. 1317 01:06:55,266 --> 01:06:58,834 This time it's to a murder from 1969. 1318 01:06:59,400 --> 01:07:01,634 He gave us Irene Blase. 1319 01:07:43,667 --> 01:07:46,100 She was strangled and raped 1320 01:07:46,100 --> 01:07:47,867 and her body was dumped in the Saddle River 1321 01:07:47,867 --> 01:07:49,734 in Saddle Brook, in New Jersey. 1322 01:07:51,567 --> 01:07:55,166 At this point they have confessions for two of the eight girls 1323 01:07:55,166 --> 01:07:57,166 who were attributed to the Bergen Strangler, 1324 01:07:57,233 --> 01:07:59,367 Vogel and Blase. 1325 01:07:59,367 --> 01:08:02,867 But Jackie Harp's case is still unsolved. 1326 01:08:02,934 --> 01:08:07,133 You just wonder whether they would ever find out 1327 01:08:08,567 --> 01:08:10,934 what happened, what truly happened to her. 1328 01:08:30,166 --> 01:08:32,266 [Cesaric] After police elicit a confession 1329 01:08:32,266 --> 01:08:34,066 in the murder of Irene Blase 1330 01:08:34,066 --> 01:08:36,266 authorities decide to hold off 1331 01:08:36,333 --> 01:08:37,867 and not prosecute Cottingham 1332 01:08:37,867 --> 01:08:40,066 because they're hopeful that they can still get 1333 01:08:40,066 --> 01:08:42,166 more confessions from him. 1334 01:08:42,166 --> 01:08:43,767 [Molinelli] Once he gave up Blase 1335 01:08:43,767 --> 01:08:46,767 we knew that he was responsible for Falasca. 1336 01:08:46,767 --> 01:08:48,266 Murders were the same. 1337 01:08:48,266 --> 01:08:51,734 Picking up a stranded girl, alone, long dark hair. 1338 01:08:52,200 --> 01:08:54,000 And ultimately Cottingham 1339 01:08:54,000 --> 01:08:56,934 admitted that he picked her up on the street. 1340 01:09:14,100 --> 01:09:17,734 Same MO. Strangulation, sexual assault, 1341 01:09:18,200 --> 01:09:19,767 dumped her body, 1342 01:09:19,767 --> 01:09:23,367 not far from where Irene Blase's body had been dumped. 1343 01:09:25,066 --> 01:09:29,667 All involved very similar profiles of victims, 1344 01:09:29,667 --> 01:09:32,767 how they looked, the fact that they were alone. 1345 01:09:32,767 --> 01:09:35,634 We saw common threads in all cases. 1346 01:09:59,567 --> 01:10:03,100 After that Cottingham gave up Jackie Harp. 1347 01:10:03,100 --> 01:10:07,567 In November of 2017, the police came to my home, 1348 01:10:08,300 --> 01:10:11,266 sat at my kitchen table, 1349 01:10:11,266 --> 01:10:15,166 and told me that they had the man that killed Jackie. 1350 01:10:16,000 --> 01:10:17,333 I was in disbelief. 1351 01:11:07,767 --> 01:11:10,166 [Mulder] It's just all wrong that it all happened. 1352 01:11:10,166 --> 01:11:15,433 You always say "Why?" "Why me?" Or "Why her?" 1353 01:11:15,900 --> 01:11:17,967 It's... It's just... 1354 01:11:17,967 --> 01:11:20,667 It's very difficult. It's very difficult. 1355 01:11:21,367 --> 01:11:23,967 I was very glad that after 55 years 1356 01:11:24,033 --> 01:11:26,367 the detectives returned to me 1357 01:11:26,367 --> 01:11:30,333 the belongings that Jackie had been wearing when she was found. 1358 01:11:30,900 --> 01:11:33,567 Some jewelry, her glasses. 1359 01:11:34,467 --> 01:11:36,467 You know they were, just... 1360 01:11:36,467 --> 01:11:39,066 you know, so sorry that it took so long. 1361 01:11:40,000 --> 01:11:42,266 It is a sense of relief, 1362 01:11:42,333 --> 01:11:44,266 but, you know, wishing that my mom and dad 1363 01:11:44,266 --> 01:11:45,867 could have heard those words, too. 1364 01:11:46,900 --> 01:11:50,166 [Naugle] Cottingham has now confessed to four murders. 1365 01:11:50,166 --> 01:11:53,066 But Bergen County police wanted to keep talking. 1366 01:11:53,066 --> 01:11:58,367 And in 2021 when Cottingham is 75 years old and his health is ailing, 1367 01:11:58,433 --> 01:12:01,667 Anzilotti goes to talk to him once more 1368 01:12:01,667 --> 01:12:03,567 hoping he'll finally get answers 1369 01:12:03,567 --> 01:12:05,367 about the four remaining girls 1370 01:12:05,433 --> 01:12:08,000 that were victims of the Bergen Strangler. 1371 01:12:08,000 --> 01:12:10,734 [Molinelli] Detective Anzilotti went down to Trenton State Prison 1372 01:12:10,734 --> 01:12:13,800 and he told Cottingham, "This is it. I'm retiring." 1373 01:12:14,867 --> 01:12:17,734 And Cottingham was concerned. 1374 01:12:17,800 --> 01:12:19,667 He was losing a lifeline 1375 01:12:19,734 --> 01:12:22,166 that he had to the outside world. 1376 01:12:22,233 --> 01:12:25,934 And out of the blue Cottingham said to Anzilotti, 1377 01:12:26,800 --> 01:12:29,066 "Well, I wanna give you a parting gift." 1378 01:12:29,133 --> 01:12:33,767 He confessed to Lorraine Kelly, Mary Ann Pryor. 1379 01:12:33,767 --> 01:12:36,867 That was a double homicide in August of '74. 1380 01:12:36,934 --> 01:12:38,367 They had been hitchhiking. 1381 01:12:38,367 --> 01:12:40,734 He took them to a motel, 1382 01:12:40,800 --> 01:12:43,467 tied both of them up, raped them both, 1383 01:12:43,467 --> 01:12:47,266 and then ultimately drowned them in the bathtub. 1384 01:12:47,266 --> 01:12:51,734 Their bodies were found in a construction site in Montvale. 1385 01:12:51,800 --> 01:12:54,967 [Naugle] With confessions for six of the eight suspected cases, 1386 01:12:55,033 --> 01:12:58,166 prosecutors decide to have Cottingham plead. 1387 01:12:58,233 --> 01:12:59,967 It was COVID so the guilty plea 1388 01:12:59,967 --> 01:13:02,567 had to be taken actually in private office. 1389 01:13:02,567 --> 01:13:06,066 But it was an enormous day. 1390 01:13:06,066 --> 01:13:07,967 [Naugle] There are now 15 cases closed 1391 01:13:08,033 --> 01:13:09,567 in New Jersey and New York City. 1392 01:13:09,634 --> 01:13:12,767 But investigators in Nassau County on Long Island, 1393 01:13:12,767 --> 01:13:16,266 still hoped to close out many of their own cold cases. 1394 01:13:16,266 --> 01:13:17,734 That's when they get a phone call 1395 01:13:17,800 --> 01:13:20,667 that just might be the tip they've been waiting for. 1396 01:13:20,734 --> 01:13:22,667 [Jared Rosenblatt] We receive a notification 1397 01:13:22,667 --> 01:13:25,066 from our law enforcement partners in New Jersey 1398 01:13:25,133 --> 01:13:27,767 that Richard Cottingham may be responsible 1399 01:13:27,767 --> 01:13:29,934 for deaths outside of Bergen County. 1400 01:13:31,567 --> 01:13:34,367 [Anne T. Donnelly] Back in 1981, his first conviction 1401 01:13:34,367 --> 01:13:36,867 did not require a DNA sample. 1402 01:13:36,934 --> 01:13:39,467 As DNA progressed, it became law 1403 01:13:39,467 --> 01:13:41,867 that you have to give a DNA sample. 1404 01:13:41,867 --> 01:13:46,000 In 2005 he took a plea in New Jersey to one of the murders. 1405 01:13:46,000 --> 01:13:48,967 It was at that time that the court could order 1406 01:13:49,033 --> 01:13:51,266 that he give a DNA sample to be uploaded 1407 01:13:51,266 --> 01:13:53,266 into the national data bank. 1408 01:13:53,266 --> 01:13:57,967 So we start focusing specifically on 13 cases where women are the victims. 1409 01:13:58,867 --> 01:14:01,266 One of the cases that we start focusing in on 1410 01:14:01,333 --> 01:14:04,433 is the 1968 murder of Diane Cusick. 1411 01:14:07,400 --> 01:14:10,166 [Naugle] More than 50 years after the rape and murder 1412 01:14:10,166 --> 01:14:12,734 of Long Island dance instructor Diane Cusick, 1413 01:14:12,734 --> 01:14:16,567 her pantyhose are checked out for evidence yet again. 1414 01:14:16,567 --> 01:14:19,734 Although they've been tested for DNA in 2003, 1415 01:14:19,734 --> 01:14:21,533 they're tested once more. 1416 01:14:22,100 --> 01:14:26,233 In January 2022, we got a match. 1417 01:14:27,600 --> 01:14:31,367 Richard Cottingham's DNA matches the male DNA 1418 01:14:31,367 --> 01:14:34,166 in the 1968 murder of Diane Cusick. 1419 01:14:37,900 --> 01:14:41,567 [Altman] The detective told me that they got a DNA match. 1420 01:14:41,567 --> 01:14:45,734 And was just beside myself, I had to... 1421 01:14:45,800 --> 01:14:48,767 I couldn't believe it, because I had given up. 1422 01:14:48,767 --> 01:14:52,166 As soon as he gave me the name, of course I googled him 1423 01:14:52,600 --> 01:14:54,367 and started learning, 1424 01:14:54,433 --> 01:14:56,467 you know, just what an animal he was. 1425 01:14:57,567 --> 01:15:00,166 Yeah. It's a lot to take in. 1426 01:15:00,166 --> 01:15:04,033 You know, no one ever imagines it's gonna be a serial killer. 1427 01:15:04,900 --> 01:15:06,266 Now they've got a match, 1428 01:15:06,266 --> 01:15:09,066 and they are ready to charge him but they hold off. 1429 01:15:10,600 --> 01:15:13,767 [Donnelly] Jared Rosenblatt came to me and said we can go forward 1430 01:15:13,767 --> 01:15:15,967 with an indictment against Richard Cottingham 1431 01:15:16,033 --> 01:15:17,367 for one count of murder. 1432 01:15:17,367 --> 01:15:19,567 But we had these 13 profiles 1433 01:15:19,634 --> 01:15:21,767 that the homicide detectives had come up with 1434 01:15:21,767 --> 01:15:24,033 of homicides that he may have committed. 1435 01:15:24,867 --> 01:15:27,467 But once I met Darlene Altman, 1436 01:15:27,467 --> 01:15:29,166 Diane Cusick's daughter 1437 01:15:29,233 --> 01:15:31,467 and saw the pain that she'd been in 1438 01:15:31,467 --> 01:15:33,166 for 50-plus years, 1439 01:15:33,233 --> 01:15:34,667 I said, well if we can 1440 01:15:35,767 --> 01:15:38,100 give some closure to other families with it, 1441 01:15:38,100 --> 01:15:40,634 I'm obligated to try to do that. 1442 01:15:41,800 --> 01:15:45,834 In early 2022 we go up to visit Richard Cottingham. 1443 01:15:47,567 --> 01:15:52,767 At this point in his life, Cottingham's unhealthy, sitting in a wheelchair, 1444 01:15:52,767 --> 01:15:57,066 but Cottingham still loves to be in control. 1445 01:15:57,066 --> 01:15:58,767 He only wants to give a little crumb, 1446 01:15:58,767 --> 01:16:01,066 unless Cottingham can get something himself. 1447 01:16:01,066 --> 01:16:03,667 He loves the dance. 1448 01:16:04,100 --> 01:16:06,367 That's who he is. 1449 01:16:06,433 --> 01:16:09,367 Cottingham pretty much says, "I'm not gonna talk to you 1450 01:16:09,433 --> 01:16:11,066 without immunity." 1451 01:16:11,133 --> 01:16:13,367 I said to him, "Mr. Cottingham, 1452 01:16:13,367 --> 01:16:15,166 we have your DNA on a murder. 1453 01:16:15,734 --> 01:16:17,734 Unlike every other county, 1454 01:16:17,800 --> 01:16:19,333 I don't need to give you immunity, 1455 01:16:20,300 --> 01:16:22,266 because I can prosecute you. 1456 01:16:22,266 --> 01:16:25,266 So, you can talk to us or come to New York 1457 01:16:25,333 --> 01:16:28,367 to be prosecuted in Nassau County." 1458 01:16:28,367 --> 01:16:31,667 Richard Cottingham has been in the same jail in New Jersey 1459 01:16:31,734 --> 01:16:32,567 for so many years. 1460 01:16:32,567 --> 01:16:34,166 He's comfortable there. 1461 01:16:34,166 --> 01:16:36,467 He knows the people who surround him, 1462 01:16:36,533 --> 01:16:38,066 his medical doctors. 1463 01:16:38,066 --> 01:16:41,166 He comes to Nassau County, it's a clean slate. 1464 01:16:41,166 --> 01:16:42,567 He doesn't know anybody. 1465 01:16:42,567 --> 01:16:44,066 That would have rocked his world. 1466 01:16:52,166 --> 01:16:54,667 [Cesaric] In 2022, DNA evidence on Diane Cusick's clothing 1467 01:16:54,667 --> 01:16:57,000 is matched to Richard Cottingham, 1468 01:16:57,000 --> 01:16:58,934 and for the first time ever 1469 01:16:59,000 --> 01:17:01,000 prosecutors have the upper hand. 1470 01:17:01,767 --> 01:17:03,834 Although Cottingham is very ill, 1471 01:17:03,900 --> 01:17:05,934 they're threatening to send him to Nassau County 1472 01:17:06,000 --> 01:17:07,734 in New York to face charges. 1473 01:17:09,867 --> 01:17:12,100 As a bargaining tool, 1474 01:17:12,100 --> 01:17:13,834 I said, "Well, in exchange 1475 01:17:13,900 --> 01:17:17,467 for not dragging you here to Nassau County, 1476 01:17:17,467 --> 01:17:20,667 I want you to tell me what you remember about other cases." 1477 01:17:20,734 --> 01:17:23,166 [Rosenblatt] At that point it was him realizing 1478 01:17:23,233 --> 01:17:24,667 that the old 1479 01:17:24,667 --> 01:17:27,634 Richard Cottingham dance wasn't gonna play. 1480 01:17:28,767 --> 01:17:30,567 [Naugle] Cottingham starts talking. 1481 01:17:30,567 --> 01:17:32,867 He admits to the murders of four women 1482 01:17:32,867 --> 01:17:35,934 between 1972 and 1973, 1483 01:17:36,000 --> 01:17:39,567 bringing his total known victim count to 20. 1484 01:17:39,567 --> 01:17:42,266 [Donnelly] We had the DNA on the Diane Cusick case. 1485 01:17:42,266 --> 01:17:44,166 Then we had four confessions 1486 01:17:44,166 --> 01:17:48,100 that he was willing to get on the record with the judge and say, 1487 01:17:48,100 --> 01:17:50,066 "I killed these four women." 1488 01:17:50,133 --> 01:17:52,166 He wouldn't give us any details 1489 01:17:52,233 --> 01:17:54,066 about the other eight unsolved homicides, 1490 01:17:54,133 --> 01:17:55,266 here in Nassau County 1491 01:17:55,266 --> 01:17:56,967 that detectives have come up with 1492 01:17:56,967 --> 01:17:59,734 that was possibly committed by Richard Cottingham. 1493 01:18:00,834 --> 01:18:03,100 [Naugle] On December 5th, 2022, 1494 01:18:03,100 --> 01:18:06,367 a video Zoom is set up at the hospital for Richard Cottingham. 1495 01:18:06,433 --> 01:18:07,967 And the Nassau County prosecutors 1496 01:18:07,967 --> 01:18:09,233 head to the court house. 1497 01:18:11,367 --> 01:18:13,467 [Donnelly] I met with the families 1498 01:18:13,533 --> 01:18:15,634 and then we walked down to court together. 1499 01:18:16,400 --> 01:18:19,066 Darlene had a necklace on, 1500 01:18:19,066 --> 01:18:21,266 a pair of gold ballet slippers, 1501 01:18:21,266 --> 01:18:23,166 and she said, "They're my mother's, 1502 01:18:24,400 --> 01:18:26,734 and I wanted to bring her here to the court, 1503 01:18:28,266 --> 01:18:30,066 to see the arraignment of this man." 1504 01:18:30,867 --> 01:18:33,467 And that was very, very moving. 1505 01:18:34,367 --> 01:18:37,567 [Rosenblatt] The families meet for the first time. 1506 01:18:37,634 --> 01:18:39,266 They sat there and they talked 1507 01:18:39,266 --> 01:18:41,066 for probably more than an hour. 1508 01:18:41,066 --> 01:18:42,967 It was an important day for them. 1509 01:18:42,967 --> 01:18:45,266 There's that bond there, you know, 1510 01:18:45,333 --> 01:18:47,166 that other people can't understand 1511 01:18:47,166 --> 01:18:48,734 no matter how hard they try. 1512 01:18:49,266 --> 01:18:50,467 We went into court, 1513 01:18:50,467 --> 01:18:53,567 and Richard Cottingham was on the monitor, 1514 01:18:53,634 --> 01:18:55,266 which I'm thankful for, 1515 01:18:55,333 --> 01:18:57,066 because I don't know how I would have felt 1516 01:18:57,133 --> 01:18:59,000 being in the same room as that man. 1517 01:19:01,000 --> 01:19:03,934 [Rosenblatt] In court, Cottingham admitted 1518 01:19:04,000 --> 01:19:07,066 to murdering Diane Cusick. 1519 01:19:31,867 --> 01:19:36,166 In addition to that, we reached an agreement with Mr. Cottingham 1520 01:19:36,166 --> 01:19:37,967 where we wouldn't charge him 1521 01:19:37,967 --> 01:19:39,967 for the four additional murders, 1522 01:19:39,967 --> 01:19:42,967 and in exchange he would admit his role 1523 01:19:42,967 --> 01:19:46,066 in their deaths in open court. 1524 01:19:46,133 --> 01:19:49,767 [Donnelly] And these families were looking at him for the first time, 1525 01:19:49,767 --> 01:19:51,934 and some of them started to cry, 1526 01:19:52,734 --> 01:19:54,567 and some of them got... 1527 01:19:54,567 --> 01:19:58,467 visibly angry with the knowledge 1528 01:19:58,467 --> 01:20:01,367 that they now knew who actually killed their loved one. 1529 01:20:01,367 --> 01:20:04,934 I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who worked on this case. 1530 01:20:04,934 --> 01:20:07,467 I never thought I'd see this day. I had given up. 1531 01:20:08,500 --> 01:20:10,066 But all these people 1532 01:20:11,266 --> 01:20:12,834 got justice for me, 1533 01:20:12,834 --> 01:20:14,467 and for my mother. 1534 01:20:14,467 --> 01:20:16,634 Five cases got closed out that day. 1535 01:20:17,266 --> 01:20:19,033 It was an emotional day, 1536 01:20:19,467 --> 01:20:21,066 but it was a good day. 1537 01:20:21,066 --> 01:20:24,266 [Naugle] In 2023, Cottingham's 76 years old 1538 01:20:24,266 --> 01:20:27,100 and is serving six life sentences. 1539 01:20:27,100 --> 01:20:30,166 He has been convicted of or confessed to 20 crimes, 1540 01:20:30,166 --> 01:20:32,166 including 16 murders. 1541 01:20:32,166 --> 01:20:33,734 But he has told authorities 1542 01:20:33,734 --> 01:20:34,967 that he's responsible 1543 01:20:34,967 --> 01:20:37,367 for nearly 100 murders. 1544 01:20:37,433 --> 01:20:39,667 [Cesaric] There are so many unsolved cases 1545 01:20:39,734 --> 01:20:41,567 in New York City and New Jersey. 1546 01:20:41,567 --> 01:20:43,667 I don't think it's a farfetched idea 1547 01:20:43,734 --> 01:20:45,734 that Richard Cottingham is responsible 1548 01:20:45,734 --> 01:20:47,934 for at least some of them. 1549 01:20:48,000 --> 01:20:50,367 [Donnelly] I'm confident that there are more bodies. 1550 01:20:50,367 --> 01:20:53,667 You know, hopefully, we'll keep looking. 1551 01:20:53,734 --> 01:20:55,934 Keep searching. Maybe we can close some more. 1552 01:20:55,934 --> 01:20:58,266 I find it difficult... 1553 01:20:58,266 --> 01:21:01,567 to this very day, to accept there is such a human being 1554 01:21:01,634 --> 01:21:03,000 that is... 1555 01:21:03,600 --> 01:21:06,834 so, so, different, 1556 01:21:06,834 --> 01:21:08,934 that would do the kinds of things 1557 01:21:08,934 --> 01:21:11,066 that he now acknowledges doing. 1558 01:21:11,133 --> 01:21:14,834 He is intrinsically evil, 1559 01:21:14,900 --> 01:21:17,900 devious, monster of a person. 1560 01:21:18,567 --> 01:21:20,567 [Grieco] It was extremely gratifying 1561 01:21:20,634 --> 01:21:24,066 that we were able to bring some closure to the families 1562 01:21:24,133 --> 01:21:26,266 and loved ones that were affected. 1563 01:21:26,266 --> 01:21:29,367 This case proved to be an odyssey 1564 01:21:29,433 --> 01:21:33,367 for myself and other investigators that worked on it, 1565 01:21:33,367 --> 01:21:37,033 and it still continues to go on to this day. 1566 01:21:38,200 --> 01:21:41,533 As long as he's alive he has time to think 1567 01:21:42,400 --> 01:21:46,266 and perhaps give more families that peace. 1568 01:21:48,100 --> 01:21:52,166 [Altman] It's on record now, that he murdered my mother. 1569 01:21:52,867 --> 01:21:56,266 And the case is closed. 1570 01:21:56,266 --> 01:21:59,066 It definitely changes things. 1571 01:22:00,400 --> 01:22:02,667 Doesn't bring my mother back. [laughs] 1572 01:22:02,734 --> 01:22:04,000 Doesn't change, you know, 1573 01:22:04,000 --> 01:22:07,233 the whole course of my life and how things got, you know... 1574 01:22:08,767 --> 01:22:11,100 messed up, because of what he did, 1575 01:22:11,100 --> 01:22:13,634 but I don't have to wonder anymore. 1576 01:22:14,834 --> 01:22:16,934 This has been a very difficult journey, 1577 01:22:17,000 --> 01:22:19,667 learning about what happened to Maryann 1578 01:22:19,734 --> 01:22:23,734 but mostly it was a huge loss to our family and... 1579 01:22:24,367 --> 01:22:26,166 it's just devastating to think about 1580 01:22:26,166 --> 01:22:28,367 what my aunt and uncle went through. 1581 01:22:28,433 --> 01:22:31,166 [Fitzsimmons] Denise, she had the talent to be somebody. 1582 01:22:31,166 --> 01:22:33,734 She could've been a loving mother, 1583 01:22:33,734 --> 01:22:36,166 a good family person. 1584 01:22:36,166 --> 01:22:38,367 And she never had that opportunity. 1585 01:22:41,500 --> 01:22:43,934 [Mulder] If I was to speak to someone 1586 01:22:43,934 --> 01:22:45,667 going through a similar situation, 1587 01:22:45,734 --> 01:22:48,266 I would tell them that, there's always hope 1588 01:22:48,266 --> 01:22:51,567 but at the same time you got to have some faith. 1589 01:22:51,567 --> 01:22:54,033 You got to have something to hang on to. 1590 01:22:54,300 --> 01:22:55,667 You really do. 1591 01:22:55,734 --> 01:22:57,066 You got to hang on tight. 1592 01:23:31,734 --> 01:23:33,767 [man] He took control of the bank. 1593 01:23:33,767 --> 01:23:36,367 -He pulled out two guns. -[woman screams] 1594 01:23:36,367 --> 01:23:38,734 I'd never heard something that loud in my life. 1595 01:23:38,800 --> 01:23:41,467 He just disappeared into thin air. 1596 01:23:41,467 --> 01:23:43,934 This person knew what he was doing. 1597 01:23:43,934 --> 01:23:45,967 Somebody knew who it was. 1598 01:23:45,967 --> 01:23:48,734 We began to think maybe there's an inside job here.