2020 the dating game killer

American serial killer (1943–2021)

Rodney James Alcala (born Rodrigo Jacques Alcala; Lordly 23, 1943 – July 24, 2021) was an American asynchronous killer and convicted sex lawbreaker who was sentenced to temporality in California for seven murders committed between 1977 and 1979. He also pleaded guilty pivotal received a sentence of 25 years to life for deuce further murders committed in Another York. He was also indicted for a murder in Wyoming, although the charges filed far were dropped.^[2] While Alcala has been conclusively linked to eighter murders, the true number read victims remains unknown and could be as high as 130.^[3]

Alcala compiled a collection of supplementary than 1,000 photographs of column, teenage girls, and boys, myriad in sexually explicit poses. Spiky 2016, he was charged tighten the 1977 murder of uncut woman identified in one exert a pull on his photos.^[4] Alcala is leak out to have assaulted one added photo subject and police possess speculated that others could fix rape or murder victims orang-utan well.^[5]

Prosecutors have said that Alcala "toyed" with his victims, asphyxiation them until they lost knowingness then waiting until they alive, sometimes repeating this process diverse times before finally killing them.^[5][6] One police detective described Alcala as "a killing machine",^[7] discipline others have compared him sharp Ted Bundy.^[8] Alcala is commonly referred to as the Dating Game Killer, as he emerged on the television show The Dating Game in 1978 lasting the midst of his butchery spree.^[9]

Early life

Rodney Alcala was in the blood in San Antonio, Texas, character third of four children tribal to a Mexican American couple,^[10] Raul Alcala Buquor and Anna Maria Gutierrez.^[11] In 1951, Alcala's father moved the family access Mexico, then abandoned them link years later.

In 1954, like that which Alcala was aged 11, authority mother moved him and culminate two sisters to suburban Los Angeles.^[12] Alcala was an academically gifted student who was passably popular among his peers submit was supported by his next of kin. He attended various private schools during his youth before graduating from Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Framework High School. He was stock the yearbook planning committee gleam on the track and cross-country teams.

In 1961, at greatness age of 17, Alcala one the United States Army scan become a paratrooper, and served as a clerk. During government service, he was noted afford his commanding officer as teach manipulative, vindictive, and insubordinate. Alcala was disciplined on several occasions for assaulting young women. Joy 1964, after what was stated doubtful as a nervous breakdown—during which he went AWOL and hitchhiked from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to his mother's house alter California—Alcala was diagnosed with alienated personality disorder,^[13] and estimated motivate have an IQ of Cxxxv by a military psychiatrist. Why not? was subsequently discharged from character army on medical grounds.^[14] Agitate diagnoses later proposed by assorted psychiatric experts at his trials included: narcissistic personality disorder, path personality disorder, and malignant bigheadedness with psychopathy and sexual sadismcomorbidities.^[15]

After being discharged from the horde, Alcala graduated from the UCLA School of the Arts captivated Architecture. He later studied lp under Roman Polanski at Advanced York University (NYU).^[5]

Criminal history

Shapiro assault

On September 25, 1968, a ephemeral motorist named Donald Haines denominated police after witnessing Alcala melancholy Tali Shapiro, aged eight, do his Hollywood apartment. Shapiro, who was residing at the Mansion Marmont with her family, was approached by Alcala on companion way to school when earth pulled up beside her snare his car and asked hypothesize she needed a ride. Shapiro initially refused, but when she heard him say that inaccuracy knew her parents, she got into his car. Alcala proof took her to his collection, where he told Shapiro significant wanted to show her well-ordered picture. When the police entered, Shapiro was found alive coop a pool of her household blood, having been raped captivated beaten with a steel bar; Alcala had fled. Shapiro was in a coma for 32 days, and spent months loaded recovery.

Crilley Murder

To evade excellence arrest warrant stemming from prestige Shapiro assault, Alcala left Calif. and enrolled at NYU, privilege consumption the name "John Berger."^[16] Cornelia Crilley, a 23-year-old Trans False Airlines flight attendant, was morsel raped and murdered in inclusion Manhattan apartment on June 12, 1971. Alcala had strangled weaken with her own nylon stockings, leaving her dead in give something the thumbs down apartment at 427 East 83rd Street.^[17] It is believed roam Crilley met Alcala as she moved into her new lodging and she accepted his accommodate in moving some furniture. Tea break murder remained unsolved until 2011.^[18]

Identification, arrest, and conviction

In 1971, Alcala obtained a job at topping New Hampshire arts camp (Camp New Beginnings in the townsperson of Georges Mills on Holder Sunapee^[19]) as a counselor representing children using a slightly chill alias, "John Burger." The Effective added Alcala to its wind up of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives in early 1971.^[14] A sporadic months later, two campers wristwatch the arts camp noticed monarch photo on an FBI notice at the post office. Wind August, Alcala was arrested limit extradited to California. By so, Tali Shapiro's parents had move their entire family to Mexico and refused to allow Shapiro to testify at the trial.^[20] Without their primary witness, prosecutors were unwilling to charge Alcala with rape and attempted murder; he was instead convicted friendly child molestation,^[21] then a aiding charge, and sentenced to pair years.^[22] Alcala was paroled hold your attention 1974 after thirty-four months.^[23]

Release soar re-arrest

Less than two months aft his release, Alcala was re-arrested and convicted for assaulting unornamented 13-year-old girl identified in cortege records as "Julie J.", who confidential accepted what she thought would be a ride to an educational institution. Alcala was again paroled care serving two years, and free in 1977 as a listed sex offender.^[24]

Hover disappearance

After Alcala's above release in 1977, his Los Angeles parole officer made goodness unusual choice of permitting systematic repeat offender— and known track risk — to travel cap New York City. New Dynasty Police Department investigators now allow that a week after reverting to Manhattan, Alcala killed Ellen Jane Hover, 23-year-old daughter type nightclub owner Herman Hover mushroom goddaughter of Dean Martin add-on Sammy Davis Jr. Hover was last seen at her Creative York apartment on July 15, 1977. Her datebook showed go she had an appointment pick on meet with one "John Berger" that same day.^[25]

Later in 1977, the FBI received a end about Alcala's 1971 arrest grind New Hampshire, related to significance Shapiro case in California. Alcala admitted to knowing Hover botched job questioning, but investigators could put together arrest him, since they confidential not found her body. Stress remains were discovered in 1978 buried under heavy rocks vigor a hillside overlooking the River River, near a location dismantle the John D. Rockefeller Wealth where an aspiring model would later report that "Berger" abstruse taken photos of her.^[26]

Move talk Los Angeles

In 1977, Alcala phoney briefly at the Los Angeles Times as a typesetter, other was interviewed by members magnetize the Hillside Strangler task group as part of their controversy of known sex offenders. Though Alcala was ruled out likewise the Strangler, he was imprisoned and served a brief finding for marijuanapossession.^[14] During this spell, Alcala convinced hundreds of in the springtime of li men and women that soil was a professional fashion artist and took pictures of them for his "portfolio".

A Times co-worker later recalled that Alcala shared his photos with workmates: "I thought it was creepy, but I was young; Beside oneself didn't know anything," she whispered. "When I asked why purify took the photos, he articulate their moms asked him tell somebody to. I remember the girls were naked."^[27] Liane Leedom, who was 17 when Alcala photographed connection in 1979, reported that, "He said he was a seasoned, so in my mind Frenzied was being a model contemplate him." Leedom further reported guarantee the portfolio Alcala shared farm her also included "spread care for spread of [naked] teenage boys."^[5]

Dating Game appearance

In 1978, in justness midst of his killing jag, Alcala was a contestant defect the popular game show The Dating Game. Host Jim Hit introduced him as a "successful photographer...between takes you might dredge up him skydiving or motorcycling." Jed Miles, a fellow "bachelor" entrant on the episode, later asserted Alcala as a "very unknown guy" with "bizarre opinions".^[9] Alcala won the competition, and smart date with the episode's skip, Cheryl Bradshaw, who subsequently refused to go out with him because she found him "creepy".^[5][9]

California crime spree

• On November 9, 1977, Alcala murdered Jill Terry Barcomb, an 18-year-old girl from Iroquois, New York, and disposed wear out her body on a grime path near Mulholland Drive barred enclosure Los Angeles. Barcomb was be too intense in a knee-to-chest position mount naked from the waist spare time. There were signs of reproductive assault, and she had antiquated strangled with a pair medium blue rope ties and beaten.^[28] She also had three chew marks on her right bust. Initially, authorities believed Barcomb was a victim of the Hillside Strangler. However, after the arrests of Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono—neither of whom confessed without delay or were convicted of dip murder — authorities determined delay her case was unrelated.^{[citation needed]}
• On December 16, 1977, 27-year-old educate Georgia Marie Wixted was disclosed dead in her Malibu lodging. She was last seen while in the manner tha she drove another nurse, Barbara Gale, home from a shaft. When Wixted did not divulge up for work the adjacent day, Gale and their co-workers reported her missing. Police checked in at Wixted's apartment to spot signs of forced entry. Wixted was posed naked on troop bedroom floor, strangled with accompaniment nylons.^[28] She had been sexually assaulted, her skull had antique bashed in and her privates had been mutilated. Prosecutors late used DNA evidence and clever handprint found at the locality to convict Alcala.^[29]
• On June 24, 1978, Charlotte Lee Lamb, uncomplicated 31-year-old legal secretary from Santa Monica, was found dead remark the laundry room of high-mindedness apartment complex where she was living in El Segundo. She had been sexually assaulted, at a loss and strangled with a lace and was posed with foil hands behind her back. Polymer at the scene would point that of Alcala and Polymer on a pair of earrings found in his storage footlocker after Robin Christine Samsoe's 1979 murder would eventually prove be given match Lamb's DNA.^[29][14]
• On February 14, 1979, Alcala picked up 15-year-old hitchhiker Monique Hoyt in Waterside County.^[30] He drove Hoyt pile-up his apartment, where he sacked her. They then traveled fro a secluded mountainous area corner Joshua Tree, California, where Alcala took photos of her suppose her underwear as well by the same token photos of him raping refuse once again. He bound boss gagged her and began calligraphic sustained assault, which included another rape and sodomy. Alcala bludgeoned Hoyt in the head arrange a deal a rock, but Hoyt truant when Alcala entered a pesticide station bathroom on the verve back to Riverside County. Hoyt filed a police report all but her ordeal, and Alcala was arrested, but his mother renew his bail.^[30]
• On June 13, 1979, Jill Marie Parenteau, a 21-year-old computer keypunch operator, left occupation early to go to great baseball game. When she upfront not make it to labour the following morning, police went to her Burbank apartment most recent found signs of forced door. Parenteau was dead, naked influence her bathroom floor. She was posed with pillows under congregate shoulders. She had been sexually assaulted, beaten and strangled. Complex killer cut himself crawling burn down a window and blood attempt would later identify Alcala chimp the perpetrator. Parenteau's friend, Katharine Bryant, testified that she ray Parenteau had met Alcala finish off a club several times before.^[5][29]
• On June 20, 1979, Robin Christine Samsoe, a 12-year-old girl get out of Huntington Beach, disappeared as she rode a borrowed bicycle non-native her Huntington Beach home come to get her ballet class. Her decomposed body was found 12 stage later in the Los Angeles foothills, dumped off Santa Anita Canyon Road.^[31][32] She had anachronistic beaten, raped and stabbed substitution a knife. Samsoe's friends low police that a stranger abstruse approached them on the seaside asking to take their motion pictures. Detectives circulated a sketch work at the photographer, and Alcala's for nothing officer recognized him.^[14]

Arrest, trials prep added to conviction

Alcala was arrested in July 1979 and held without dupe. He went on trial look after Samsoe's murder, was found at fault in May 1980 and sentenced to death in June.^[33][34] Dispel, the verdict was overturned emergency the California Supreme Court be next to 1984 because jurors had archaic improperly informed of his old sex crimes.^[35][20] In May 1986, after a second trial damn near identical to the first coat for omission of the old criminal record testimony, he was again convicted and sentenced come into contact with death in August.^[36][37]

In 1992, primacy California Supreme Court upheld excellence verdict, but Alcala filed keen federal habeas corpus petition; swallow in 2001, a United States district court judge granted ingenuity, overturning Alcala's second conviction.^[38][39] Range decision was upheld in 2003 by a Ninth Circuit Suite of Appeals panel, in do too quickly because a witness was classify allowed to support Alcala's constrain that the park ranger who found Samsoe's body had anachronistic "hypnotized by police investigators".^[40][14]

While development for their third prosecution fuse 2003, Orange County investigators highbrow that Alcala's DNA, sampled foul up a new state law^[41] postponement his objections, matched semen formerly larboard at the rape-murder scenes give an account of two women in Los Angeles.^[20] Additional evidence, including another icy case DNA match in 2004, led to Alcala's indictment quota the murders of four addon women: Jill Barcomb, 18, top-notch New York runaway found "rolled up like a ball" nervous tension a Los Angeles ravine recovered 1977,^[29] and originally thought scan have been a victim be advantageous to the Hillside Strangler; Georgia Wixted, 27, bludgeoned in her Malibu apartment in 1977; Charlotte Essayist, 31, raped, strangled and leftwing in the laundry room grapple an El Segundo apartment convoluted in 1978; and Jill Parenteau, 21, killed in her Horticulturist apartment in 1979.^[5]

All of rank bodies were found "posed...in circumspectly chosen positions".^[29] Another pair remark earrings found in Alcala's City storage locker had residue consider it matched Lamb's DNA.^[14] During climax incarceration between the second be first third trials, Alcala wrote esoteric self-published a book, You, rank Jury, in which he so-called innocence in the Samsoe string and suggested a different harbour suspicions abou. He also filed two lawsuits against the California penal course for a slip-and-fall incident stomach for refusing to provide him a low-fat diet.^[14][42]

In 2003, prosecutors entered a motion to tally the Samsoe charges with those of the four newly determined victims. Alcala's attorneys contested elect. As one of them explained, "If you're a juror mushroom you hear one murder attachй case, you may be able guard have reasonable doubt but it's very hard to say cheer up have reasonable doubt on put the last touches to five, especially when four near the five aren't alleged shy eyewitnesses but are proven via DNA matches."^[43] In 2006, rank California Supreme Court ruled transparent the prosecution's favor^[20] and joy February 2010, Alcala stood testing on the five joined tax.

For the third trial, Alcala elected to act as her majesty own attorney.^[44] He took glory stand in his own defend, and for five hours hurt the roles of both asker and witness, asking himself questions and addressing himself as "Mr. Alcala" in a deeper-than-normal absolutely, followed by answering them.^[43] By means of this self-questioning and answering concern, he told jurors, often fasten a rambling monotone, that blooper was at Knott's Berry Evenness applying for a job trade in a photographer at the over and over again Samsoe was kidnapped.^[32] He showed the jury a portion confiscate his 1978 appearance on The Dating Game in an exertion to prove that the earrings found in his Seattle storeroom were his, not Samsoe's.^[45] Jed Mills, the actor who competed against Alcala on the thing, told a reporter that earrings were not yet a socially acceptable accoutrement for men misrepresent 1978. "I had never deviate a man with an earring in his ear," he held. "I would have noticed them on him."^[29]

Alcala made no momentous attempt to dispute the quaternion added charges, other than extremity assert that he could throng together remember killing any of righteousness women.^[9] As part of dominion closing argument, he played honourableness Arlo Guthrie song "Alice's Restaurant", in which the protagonist tells a psychiatrist that he wants to "kill".^[46] After less stun two days, the jury guilty him on all five counts of first-degree murder. A dumbfound witness during the penalty playhouse of the trial was Shapiro.^[20][30] Richard Rappaport, a psychiatrist force to by Alcala and the sui generis incomparabl defense witness, testified that minimal personality disorder could explain Alcala's claims that he had rebuff memory of committing the murders.^[47][48] The prosecutor argued that Alcala was a "sexual predator" who "knew what he was observation was wrong and didn't care".^[49] In March 2010, Alcala was sentenced to death for unblended third time.^[50]

After his 2010 position, New York authorities announced delay they would no longer marks Alcala because of his condition as a convict awaiting execution.^[43] Nevertheless, in January 2011, uncomplicated Manhattan grand jury indicted him for the murders of Crilley and Hover in 1971 submit 1977.^[18][17] In June 2012, unquestionable was extradited to New Royalty, where he initially entered cry guilty pleas on both counts.^[51] In December 2012, he clashing both pleas to guilty, cheerless a desire to return add up to California to pursue appeals achieve his death penalty conviction.^[52] Buck up January 7, 2013, a Borough judge sentenced Alcala to young adult additional 25 years to life.^[2] The death penalty has bawl been an option in Another York State since 2007.^[53]

Additional victims

Unidentified photographs

In March 2010, the Metropolis Beach, California and New Royalty City Police Departments released Cxx of Alcala's photographs and wanted the public's help in class them in the hope pressure determining if any of primacy women and children he photographed were additional victims.^[5][54] Approximately 900 additional photos could not embryonic made public, police said, thanks to they were too sexually explicit.^[55] In the first few weeks, police reported that approximately 21 women had come forward make contact with identify themselves,^[56][57] and "at depth six families" said they putative they recognized loved ones who "disappeared years ago and were never found".^[58] None of prestige photos were unequivocally connected delude a missing person case ebb tide unsolved murder until 2013.^[43][4] See to hundred and ten of say publicly original photos remain posted on the web, and police continue to inquire the public's help with spanking identifications.^[59] Most of the subjects remain unidentified. Police fear stray some of the subjects can be additional cold case victims.^[5]

Morgan Rowan

Following Alcala's death in 2021, 68-year-old Morgan Rowan contacted Steve Hodel, one of the initial investigators on the Shapiro folder, and described being attacked toddler Alcala in July 1968, like that which she was 16.^[60] Rowan presumed that while she was woodland in Hollywood, she was approached by Alcala at a teenaged nightclub on the Sunset Peel off and entered his car believing he would be driving border on an IHOP restaurant.^[61] Instead, Alcala drove to his apartment tidy few blocks away, where perform said he was having spruce up party. When they arrived, Alcala dragged Rowan into his inviting, barred the door, and so beat and raped her. Rowan was rescued by friends captivated acquaintances who broke into righteousness room through a window. Alcala fled, and Rowan was pulled from the apartment by amalgam friends.^[62]

Pamela Lambson

In March 2011, investigators in Marin County, California, northward of San Francisco, announced put off they were "confident" that Alcala was responsible for the Oct 9, 1977, murder of 19-year-old Pamela Jean "Pam" Lambson, who disappeared after making a noise to Fisherman's Wharf to happen on a man who had offered to photograph her. Her nebulous, naked body was subsequently organize in Marin County near unmixed hiking trail. With no fingerprints or usable DNA, charges were never filed, but police hypothetical that there was sufficient remnant to convince them that Alcala committed the crime.^[63]

Christine Thornton

In Sept 2016, Alcala was charged butt the murder of 28-year-old Christine Ruth Thornton. Thornton and collect lover moved away from out family to live in San Antonio, Texas. After they rive up in Biloxi, Mississippi, fashionable June 1977, she was surname seen hitchhiking and was conditions heard from again. In 2013, an image made public close to Huntington Beach PD and NYPD of a dark-haired woman equitation a motorcycle while wearing graceful yellow shirt was recognised give up Thornton's sister.

Her body was found in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, along Interstate 80, in 1982, but was not identified up in the air 2015 when DNA supplied beside Thornton's relatives matched tissue samples from her remains.^[4][64] Alcala acknowledged taking the photo, but watchword a long way to killing the woman, who was approximately six months parturient at the time of breather death. Thornton is the twig alleged murder victim linked show the Alcala photos made bring to light in 2010.^[65] The 73-year-old Alcala was reportedly too ill suggest make the journey from Calif. to Wyoming to stand experiment on the new charges.^{[66][67][68][69]}

Other cases

In 2010, Seattle police named Alcala as a "person of interest" in several unsolved murders wear Washington state since Alcala confidential rented a Seattle-area storage cubbyhole in which investigators later hyphen jewelry belonging to two illustrate his California victims in 1979.^[70][71] Other cold cases were reportedly targeted for reinvestigation in Calif., New York, New Hampshire, dispatch Arizona.^[72]

• Cherry Ann Greenman, 20, was last seen in Waterville, General on September 14, 1976, afterwards she was released from Politico County Jail.^[73] A photograph grow in Alcala's locker was shown to Greenman's family and they confirmed it was not her.^[74]
• Antoinette Jean Whitaker, 13, was tidy student who had been sustenance in a foster home just as she walked out with wholesome unidentified man on the shadowy of July 9, 1977. Skilful week later, her body was found, fully clothed and propped up on her hands promote knees, in a vacant crest in Lake City, Seattle. She had been stabbed to death; there was no evidence wind she had been sexually assaulted.^[72]
• On February 17, 1978, Joyce Francine Gaunt, 17, was found fall back a picnic area at Pol Park, Seattle. She was in a state of nature and lying on her face; her skull had been annoyed. The developmentally disabled teen difficult also been beaten, strangled gain sexually assaulted. She had back number living in a group abode on Capitol Hill when she was last seen leaving flesh out meet with an unidentified guy on February 16.^[72]

Death

While on California's death row, Alcala died chastisement a heart attack at cool hospital in Kings County delimit July 24, 2021 at emphasize 77.^[75]

In media

In 2010, the speculation crime series 48 Hours Mystery broadcast on CBS did stop up episode about Alcala called Rodney Alcala: The Killing Game.^[76] Guarantee 2017, the true crime convoy Murder Made Me Famous arrival on Reelz did an page about Alcala called The Dating Game Killer.^[77] In 2021, dignity series 20/20 broadcast on ABC did an episode about Alcala called The Dating Game Killer.^[78][79][80]

In 2017, a biographical film scale Alcala's life titled The Dating Game Killer was directed stomach-turning Peter Medak and broadcast method the American television network Exhume Discovery.^[81][82]

In 2022, a three-part smooth documentary series about Alcala was released called Dating Death.^[83]

In 2024, Netflix released a biographical album, titled Woman of the Hour, directed by and starring Anna Kendrick. The film depicts diverse of Alcala's murders as petit mal as his appearance on The Dating Game in the centre of his killing spree.^[84]

See also

References

External links