> At a Glance
> – Richard Cottingham, 79, has confessed to the 1965 stabbing and bludgeoning of 18-year-old Alys Eberhardt in her Fair Lawn home.
> – The 1965 Bergen County case was reopened in 2021 and may be among his earliest crimes.
> – Immunity from a prior plea deal blocks new charges, authorities say.
> – Why it matters: Long-grieving families are finally receiving answers as investigators continue to close cold cases tied to Cottingham’s decades-long crime spree.
A 79-year-old New Jersey inmate already serving life for multiple murders has now taken responsibility for yet another killing-this one dating back nearly six decades-but a previous immunity agreement means he won’t face additional charges.
Confession in a 1965 Cold Case
Richard Cottingham, dubbed the “Torso Killer,” admitted to detectives that he fatally stabbed and bludgeoned Alys Eberhardt inside her Fair Lawn family home on September 24, 1965. Investigators, who reopened the case in 2021, believe the slaying could be one of his first.
The victim’s relatives told officials the confession finally delivers answers they have sought since 1965.
Immunity Deal Prevents New Charges
- Cottingham already received immunity for four other confessed slayings as part of an earlier plea arrangement.
- Because that agreement covers additional admissions, prosecutors cannot charge him for Eberhardt’s death.
- Authorities emphasize the deal still lets them provide closure to affected families.
Cottingham’s Record of Violence
Convicted in the early 1980s of five murders-three in New York and two in Bergen County-Cottingham has claimed responsibility for up to 100 killings since the 1960s, though he has been imprisoned since 1981.
| Confirmed Victims by Decade | Location | Disposition |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | New York | Convicted |
| 2 | Bergen County, NJ | Convicted |
| 1 | Bergen County, NJ | 1965 confession, immune |
| 4 | Multiple | Confessed, immune |
Key Takeaways
- Richard Cottingham, already serving life, has now confessed to Alys Eberhardt’s 1965 murder.
- A prior immunity agreement shields him from new charges, prosecutors say.
- Investigators continue using his cooperation to resolve additional cold cases.
With the admission, another decades-old Bergen County mystery is solved, even as work continues to confirm more of the inmate’s expansive claims.
