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Very Scary People on Investigation Discovery revisits the stories of notorious figures from the darker corners of history like Rodney Alcala. The upcoming episode, titled The Dating Game Killer, features Rodney Alcala, a notorious serial killer whose murderous spree horrified the nation. Scheduled to air on August 30, 2024, the episode will focus on the twisted mind of Alcala.
Rodney Alcala passed away on July 24, 2021 while on death row at California State Prison in Corcoran. His death was cited as natural causes, typical in cases where long-term incarceration and underlying health issues converge.
At the age of 77, Alcala's death marked the end of his decades-long wait on death row since his conviction for multiple murders. His death coincided with the anniversary of his arrest on July 24, 1979, which is an eerie alignment that closes the final chapter of his notorious legacy.
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His long tenure in prison involved several health battles which is typical for aging inmates, yet specific details about chronic illnesses or conditions were not publicly disclosed by prison authorities. His death sentence was not fulfilled as California had not conducted an execution since 2006 due to ongoing debates and legal challenges against the death penalty.
What did Rodney Alcala do?
Rodney Alcala who is often dubbed the Dating Game Killer due to his brief appearance on the TV show The Dating Game during his murder spree was a notorious American serial killer. His criminal activities spanned from the late 1960s until his arrest in 1979. Alcala was responsible for a series of brutal murders and assaults with his victim count possibly numbering over 100, although he was officially charged with fewer crimes.
Rodney Alcala's known criminal history began in 1968 when he was charged with the rape and attempted murder of 8-year-old Tali Shapiro which kicked off a series of horrific acts that would span over a decade.
He lured Shapiro into his car as she was walking to school and brought her to his apartment where he violently assaulted her. A police officer arriving on the scene after a tip from a concerned citizen, who had witnessed Shapiro getting into Alcala's car, likely saved her life. Rodney Alcala escaped through the back door, evading arrest for this crime initially.
Following the Shapiro incident, Rodney Alcala moved to New York under the pseudonym 'John Berger' to escape the pending arrest warrant in California. During his time in New York, Alcala killed Ellen Jane Hover whose remains were found buried on the grounds of the Rockefeller Estate. The murder among others, went unsolved until Alcala was later connected to these cases through DNA evidence and other forensic methods.
In 1971, Rodney Alcala was included in the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list but continued to evade capture by moving between states and adopting different identities. His modus operandi often involved offering to take photographs of his victims which facilitated his eventual attack.
The tactic was evident in the murder of 23-year-old Cornelia Crilley(a flight attendant) in her Manhattan apartment in 1971. Like Hover, her case remained cold until Alcala’s identification much later.
Upon his return to California, Rodney Alcala’s string of violent crimes continued unabated. He worked briefly at the Los Angeles Times and posed as a fashion photographer which is a guise he used to approach and lure victims. His collection of photographs depicting young women in vulnerable positions later raised fears that he could have many more unidentified victims.
His was finally arrested in July 1979 when two of his most notorious murder charges were brought against him. The first was the case of 12-year-old Robin Christine Samsoe who disappeared while riding her bike to ballet class. Her remains were found nearly two weeks later. Witnesses linked Alcala to the location where Samsoe was last seen and her possessions were found in Alcala's storage locker.
The second major break in his prosecution was through DNA technology which linked him conclusively to several other victims including 27-year-old nurse Georgia Wixted, 31-year-old legal secretary Charlotte Lamb and 21-year-old computer keypunch operator Jill Parenteau. These women were all murdered in the late 1970s and their bodies left in posed and degrading positions.
Throughout the various trials that followed his 1979 arrest Rodney Alcala was convicted of five murders although he was suspected in many more. His courtroom antics including representing himself and displaying bizarre behaviors only added to the media circus surrounding his cases. Despite numerous death sentences, he died of natural causes in 2021.
Catch The Dating Game Killer on Investigation Discovery on August 30, 2024.
