The Fair Lawn Police Department says at long last, they have closed their only unsolved homicide case.
They say convicted serial killer Richard Cottingham confessed to the 1965 murder of 18-year-old Alys Eberhardt, a nursing student, who was found stabbed and bludgeoned in her family's home.
The case was reopened in 2021 under then-Chief Glen Cauwels. Detectives Eric Eleshewich and Brian Rypkema led the renewed investigation, eventually linking Cottingham, who is already serving multiple life sentences for other killings, to the crime.
Cottingham, incarcerated since 1981, admitted to the murder during interviews late last year as his health declined.
Detectives say he provided details about the home and crime scene that were never made public.
"He would give us little clues, things of that nature, and where he would react to certain questions and it was just constant communication with him over the years," Det. Eleshewich said.
Cottingham first spotted Eberhardt when she attended nursing school at Hackensack Hospital. Two weeks later she was stabbed and bludgeoned to death.
Cottingham became a killer with a long track record of murder. He became known as the "torso killer" back in 2022, when he admitted to the 1968 murder of Diane Cusick on Long Island, and family members let the aging convict know their pain. During that hearing, Cottingham confessed to four other murders of young women on Long Island.
Now for the Eberhardt family, the long wait for justice is over.
"Closing Fair Lawn's sole outstanding unsolved homicide is a tremendous accomplishment," said Chief Joseph Dawicki. "While we cannot bring Alys back, I am hopeful her family can find some peace knowing her killer confessed and is behind bars."
"They were relieved because I mean, 60 years of not knowing, you know, who killed their family, they were relieved and grateful for us, for our persistence to continue looking into this case," Det. Rypkema said.
For Eberhardt's family, the confession brings long-awaited closure. "Our family has waited since 1965 for the truth," said Michael Smith, her nephew. "To receive this news during the holidays, and to be able to tell my mother, Alys's sister, that we finally have answers was a moment I never thought would come."
Cottingham remains in South Woods State Prison serving three life sentences and faces additional murder detainers. Authorities say no new charges will be filed.
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