#44 The Will and the Widow: The Murder of Mildred Cotter

Who killed Mildred Cotter? For decades, reclusive Mildred Cotter lived a quiet life in her Port Washington apartment in Long Island, New York. The widow of a homicide detective, she lived comfortably alone, no children and no close relatives or friends. Then, one morning her home-health aide discovered Mildred's apartment had been ransacked, and amid the chaos she discovered Mildred's battered and lifeless body. It was clear foul play was afoot. 

But, the Port Washington Homicide unit had their work cut out for them. Who would want to kill this frail, lonely old lady, who seemingly had no enemies, but also no friends? Join us as we dive into this seldom talked about case of trust and betrayal, and discuss the tragic murder of Mildred Cotter, and the social issues surrounding vulnerable people. 

Sources:

Iszak, Louise. "Long Island's Horror Tale: Where There's a Will, There's a Murder?" Front Page Detective. March 29, 1983. [Physical copy, personal collection.]

People v. Cartier. 149 A.D.2d 524. Appellate Division, Supreme Court of New York, Second Department. Decided April 10, 1989. Available online: https://www.leagle.com/decision/1989673149ad2d5241434

A note on names: The Front Page Detective article uses the pseudonyms "Sylvia Gerard" and "Veronica Pittman" for two witnesses. Per the editor's note in the original article, fictitious names were used because there was no public interest in their identities.

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