Netflix's new true crime documentary series, which delves into the crimes committed by a serial killer in New York, has left true crime fans feeling very disturbed.
Watch the trailer below:
Titled Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer, the three-part series explores the murders committed by serial killer Richard Cottingham, who is also known as the ‘Torso Killer’ and the ‘Times Square Torso Ripper’.
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One viewer said: “I’ve seen some crime docs… but this is disturbing.”
A second true crime fan tweeted: “This Times Square serial killer documentary is wild.”
While a third wrote: “Bro this show on Netflix, Crime Scene the Times Square killer gots me twisted.”
And a fourth added: “The times square killer documentary is crazy wth.”
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New Jersey native and computer operator Cottingham tortured and murdered women, including sex workers, in New York and New Jersey between 1967 and 1980.
Cottingham murdered and dismembered two women in a hotel near Times Square. Firemen in New York responded to an alarm on 2nd December 1979 where they found the remains of Deedeh Goodarzi and another woman who has never been identified.
Both bodies had their hands and heads removed, had been doused with lighter fluid and set alight. The missing body parts were never found.
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Cottingham was finally arrested in May 1980 when he took an 18-year-old sex worker named Leslie Ann O'Dell to a motel room. He tortured her at knife point and her screams alerted the motel staff to call the police.
During the investigation, a case was built and his trials began in June 1981. By August 1984 he had been found guilty of five murders and he was convicted and sentenced to over 200 years in prison.
Cottingham, now 74, is currently serving a life sentence in New Jersey State Prison.
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Detective and later sergeant Robert Anzilotti built a report with Cottingham and through this relationship, Cottingham confessed to more murders.
In 2010 he revealed he murdered Nancy Schiava Vogel, his first known murder. In 1967 in New Jersey, Cottingham strangled the 29-year-old and left her nude body in a car.
In 2014 he admitted responsibility for strangling three more women and in April 2021 he confessed to the unsolved double-abduction, rape and murder of teens Lorraine Marie Kelly and Mary Ann Pryor in New Jersey.
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Officially, Cottingham killed 11 people however he claims he killed between 85 and 100.
Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer was directed by Joe Berlinger, who also brought true crime fans the Hotel Cecil Netflix documentary which explored the mysterious death of Elisa Lam in 2013.
Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer is available to stream now.
Featured Image Credit: NetflixTopics: TV And Film, Netflix, True Crime