Who is the Times Square Killer—and how many people did Richard Cottingham actually kill?

In this episode of UNMARKED, we reconstruct the timeline of Cottingham’s crimes across New York and New Jersey—tracking his early escalation, his use of deception and control, and how he was able to evade detection for years.

Featuring criminologist Peter Vronsky, who has spent over 700 hours in direct conversation with Cottingham, this episode draws on firsthand interviews, police records, and cold case developments to separate fact from fiction.

We examine:

Cottingham’s early violent escalation in the 1960s
His movement across jurisdictions and how it prevented linkage
His use of authority ruses, manipulation, and control
The Times Square environment in the 1970s and its role in victim selection
Ongoing efforts to identify unknown victims and close cold cases

This is not a retelling—it’s an analysis of the evidence itself. Because with Cottingham, the story isn’t just what happened.

It’s what’s missing.

If you want to follow the cases as I’m working on them, you can find me on Instagram — @jamesbuddyday

When life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at:
https://www.betterHelp.com/unmarked

If you want to go deeper into the Charles Manson case, my book Charles Manson: The Last Words documents years researching the story and speaking directly with members of the Manson Family — including Charles Manson himself.

Read it here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQ6QRVQ7

For those who want to examine the evidence directly, complete phone calls and documents are available inside UNMARKED: Case Files, our research portal, along with ad-free episodes.

Join here:
https://www.patreon.com/Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcast

Follow UNMARKED for additional case material, updates, and short-form analysis:
• YouTube: @Unmarked_Podcast
• TikTok: @unmarkedpodcast
• Patreon: /Unmarked_TrueCrimePodcast

UNMARKED: A True Crime Podcast is hosted by Audioboom.

18: The Times Square Killer: Reconstructing the Crimes — What His Conversations Reveal