Overview
- Fair Lawn police announced that Cottingham admitted to killing 18-year-old nursing student Alys Eberhardt, whose body was found in her family home on Sept. 24, 1965.
- Detectives Eric Eleshewich and Brian Rypkema reopened the case in 2021 and secured a detailed confession on Dec. 22, 2025 after multiple prison interviews.
- Authorities said Cottingham described the home and crime scene with details never released publicly, which corroborated his responsibility.
- No prosecution will follow because Cottingham is already serving multiple life sentences at South Woods State Prison, a decision officials framed as prioritizing family closure.
- The admission was recorded on video, and police have set no timeline for making the recording public; Eberhardt’s family welcomed the long-awaited answers.