He had an idyllic childhood in the 1940s and ‘50s, but as Richard Francis Cottingham grew, he began having dark, dehumanizing sexual fantasies about women. When he started working in New York City, he took those violent, twisted dreams and made them a reality.
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Today
The Cheerleader Murder: A 1980s High School Clique Turns Deadly
Desperate to fit in, a teenage girl targets the most popular student at her school. The way she sees it, they can either be friends – or enemies. Sources for this episode include:“Death of a Cheerleader” by Randall Sullivan, reprinted in Best of Rolling Stone A Killer By Design b ... Show More
29m 40s
Oct 2020
“The Fearsome Torso Murderess” Pt. 1: Hannah Mary Tabbs
In the late 19th century, Hannah Mary Tabbs used violence to control those around her, directing her cruelty toward family and acquaintances. When she began an affair with a younger man, she thought she'd found happiness. Until he lost interest, and she began to plot her revenge. ... Show More
39m 29s
Nov 2020
"The Scandalous Screen Siren" Pt. 1: Mae West
When one of the most famous entertainers in America couldn’t find another good role, she wrote one for herself. The result was a play titled “Sex,” and it became a Broadway smash in 1926 — but moral reformers couldn’t handle its heat, and took drastic action. Learn more about you ... Show More
42m 14s
May 2021
“The ‘Fatal Vision’ Murders” Jeffrey MacDonald Pt. 2
Despite court battles that stretched on for years, Jeffrey MacDonald stuck to his narrative about what happened the night his wife and daughters were murdered. During that time, a new suspect emerged, evidence was reanalyzed, and an FBI analyst determined a more likely story — on ... Show More
56m 59s