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Rodney Alcala is a serial killer dubbed as the 'Dating Game Killer.' The notorious serial killer was formally tied to eight cases of murder, although authorities have estimated the number to be close to a whopping 130.
Rodney Alcala is the focus of the first episode of Investigation Discovery's latest series titled People Magazine Investigates: Surviving a Serial Killer. The series explores true crime cases of some of the most notorious serial killers in America over the years. The series will showcase how authorities helped bring justice to the victims, with survivors also speaking about their experiences.
The synopsis of the first episode, titled Surviving the Date Game Killer, reads:
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"In 1965, Rodney Alcala attacks a teenage girl - only to brutalize and r*pe her again three years later; she feels guilty when she discovers he assaulted another girl soon after - but they are merely two of this man's countless victims."
The first episode of People Magazine Investigates: Surviving a Serial Killer highlights some of the harrowing details about the serial killer Rodney Alcala. This article picks out the most shocking details about the crimes committed by the serial killer.
Five details about the crimes of Rodney Alcala explored
Rodney Alcala, dubbed as the 'Dating Game Killer,' is the serial killer whose crimes are explored in the upcoming episode of People Magazine Investigates: Surviving a Serial Killer on ID.
On the surface, he was a charming man, a smooth talker, and a successful photographer. However, when his crimes came to light, it uncovered a closet full of skeletons that made people shudder. This article explores some of the most shocking details about the crimes committed by Rodney Alcala.
1) Rodney Alcala had a history of assaulting women
The first instances of Rodney's criminal tendencies can be traced back to when he was just 17. He had joined the United States Military to become a paratrooper, but his commanding officer deemed him manipulative and insubordinate.
The officer reprimanded Rodney on multiple occasions for the assault on young women. Upon suffering a nervous breakdown, army psychiatrists diagnosed him with narcissistic personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, malignant narcissism with psychopathy, and s*xual sadism comorbidities.
2) Alcala assaulted an eight-year-old child
One of Rodney Alcala's early crimes involved an eight-year-old girl named Tali Shapiro. A motorist named Donald Hines witnessed Rodney picking up Tali in his car on September 5, 1968. Rodney lured her in on the pretext of knowing her parents.
By the time authorities were alerted and reached his apartment, Shapiro had already been r*ped and assaulted with a steel bar. Alcala had fled the scene, and the child spent 32 days in a coma.
3) He appeared on a dating game show and proceeded to murder three people after
Rodney Alcala gained popularity in 1978 after appearing as a contestant on The Dating Game hosted by Jim Lange. He was introduced as a successful photographer passionate about skydiving and motorcycling.
Alcala won the game show, leading to a date with the episode's bachelorette, Cheryl Bradshaw. She found Rodney creepy and rejected the date. It has been noted by authorities that Rodney killed around three people following the game show. They cited the rejection by Cheryl as a triggering factor for his murders.
4) Rodney went on his most criminal spree in California
Alcala's most violent spree of crimes took place between 1977 and 1979. He has been heavily linked to six known s*xual assaults and murders within this period. He has also been conclusively linked to three of the murders, including that of Robin Christine Samsoe.
Samsoe was a 12-year-old girl who was r*ped and stabbed by Alcala. Her body was found 12 days after her murder. Her murder was the first case for which Rodney was arrested and eventually tried. He was also sentenced to death following his arrest and trial.
5) The 'Dating Game Killer' escaped death sentence twice
Alcala was sentenced to death in May 1980 following the trial for the murder of Robin Christine Samsoe. He escaped the sentence when it came to light that jurors had been improperly informed of his prior s*x crimes. The sentence was overturned by the California Supreme Court.
He was tried again in 1986 for the same crime, with jurors being properly informed of his record. The second trial also resulted in a death sentence. However, Rodney Alcala filed a federal habeas corpus petition citing improper imprisonment. A United States district court judge overturned his death sentence in 2001, upholding his petition. The serial killer was finally convicted and sentenced to death in 2010, unable to evade his judgment for a third time.
People Magazine Investigates: Surviving a Serial Killer will premiere on ID on May 5, 2024 at 9 pm.
