FAIR LAWN, N.J. (AP) — Richard Cottingham, also known as the “Torso Killer,” has confessed to another murder, this time admitting to killing Alys Eberhardt in 1965 in her family’s home in Fair Lawn, New Jersey.
The cold case was reopened in 2021, and after years of interviews, the police extracted a full confession from Cottingham, including undisclosed details, leading to the closure of the case.
Fair Lawn Police Chief Joseph Dawicki stated that Cottingham will not face additional charges as the case is now closed. The 79-year-old has been serving three life sentences at the South Woods State Prison in Bridgeton, New Jersey, since his arrest in 1980.
Dawicki expressed hope that Alys Eberhardt’s family can find some peace now that the responsible person has confessed and is no longer a threat. Cottingham has claimed responsibility for numerous homicides, although officially linked to only a few.
He was previously convicted of multiple murders and is known for dismembering some of his victims, earning him the nickname “Torso Killer.”
