Janet Cottingham became famous because she was the wife of Richard Francis Cottingham, an American serial killer from New Jersey. Richard, also known as The Torso Killer and Times Square Torso Ripper, brutally murdered two victims at a Hell’s Kitchen hotel on W. 42nd Street and Tenth Avenue near Times Square on December 2, 1979.
In today’s post, we aim to shed light on Janet Cottingham and provide information about her that the public will find relevant.
| Name | Janet Cottingham |
| Age | 50s |
| Date of birth | 1970s |
| Nationality | United States of America |
| Ex-husband | Richard Francis Cottingham |
| Children | 3 |
Janet Cottingham Biography
Janet Cottingham was born in the 1970s in New York, United States of America. She became famous after the crime of her husband, Richard Cottingham, went viral in the press in 1980. She is in her fifties, implied by how old she was when she married her husband. Her union with Richard gave birth to three children who choose to remain unknown because of their father’s crimes.
Kerri Rawson talked about how she dealt with her father’s crime being discovered, but the Cottinghams didn’t want to talk about theirs. That’s okay because it’s understandable that some people don’t want to talk about things like that.
Janet Cottingham Husband
Janet Cottingham, previously married to Richard Cottingham, has largely remained out of the public eye since testifying against her ex-partner. On May 3, 1970, when Richard Cottingham was 24, he and Janet Cottingham married at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Queens Village, New York.
Janet Cottingham played a significant role in providing insights into Richard Cottingham’s criminal actions and was a key figure in his subsequent sentencing. Richard Cottingham and Janet Cottingham were married for nine years, from 1970 to 1979. She filed for divorce in 1979 over Richard’s infidelity and frequent presence in gay bars but withdrew it in 1980.
Janet and Richard lived in an apartment in Midtown in New York City, New York. There Richard lied to Janet that he worked a night shift and was out looking for his prey. His target was mainly sex workers in Times Square.
Already Janet was becoming suspicious because there was a room in the basement that she was not allowed to enter. Also, Richard stopped having sex with her after she had their youngest child.
However, following Richard’s arrest on May 22, 1980, their divorce was finalized in 1981.
Janet Cottingham’s Children
Janet and Richard Cottingham had three children. They moved to Poughkeepsie, New York, in mid-1980 for a fresh start. They are all grown, raised in their own family, and doing well for themselves.
The Crime History of Richard Cottingham, The Husband of Janet Cottingham
Richard Cottingham, Janet’s former partner, is an American serial murderer who operated in New Jersey and New York. He committed heinous crimes, including the torture and murder of sex workers such as Deedeh Goodarzi, who was 22 years old, and an unidentified adolescent victim.
In a gruesome manner, Cottingham chopped off their heads and hands and then set their torsos on fire. The dismembered heads and hands were never recovered after Cottingham left the crime scenes.
On May 22, 1980, Richard Cottingham, described as too ridiculously normal to be a serial killer, was apprehended at a motel in Bergen County, New Jersey, while abusing a young sex worker he had recruited and brought there from New York City. Janet Cottingham’s testimony and involvement were crucial in the legal proceedings against Richard Cottingham.
She has remained private and away from the spotlight after the events related to her ex-partner’s criminal activities. Richard Cottingham remains imprisoned at Trenton’s New Jersey State Prison serving life imprisonment. He has not been released or moved to another facility since his last admission to drowning two girls in 1974. Richard Cottingham, also known as The Torso Killer and The Times Square Killer, remains incarcerated for his convictions in 1981-1984 for five murders in New Jersey and New York.
In 2009, Cottingham reportedly admitted to a journalist that he had committed at least 80 to 100 “perfect murders” of women in various locations across the United States. This revelation came nearly 30 years after his initial convictions.
Richard has been cooperative with the police and making more confessions. His latest confession was featured In the A&E two-part special The Torso Killer Confessions, which aired on March 9, 2023.
Conclusion
Janet Cottingham’s whereabouts are not publicly known, and she is not in the public eye. Regardless, it is she is doing just fine. She has chosen to remain out of the spotlight to avoid all the drama that comes with it.