Rodney Alcala: The Biography of the Man You will Never Like

Rodney Alcala, also known as “The Dating Game Killer,” was a serial killer and rapist who terrorized the U.S. during the 1970s. Born in 1943, Alcala led a double life, hiding his violent nature behind a seemingly charming persona. He gained his nickname after appearing on the popular TV show The Dating Game in 1978, where he won the contest but failed to secure a date. Behind this public facade, Alcala was a predator who lured women and children by posing as a photographer. He would assault, strangle, and often kill his victims, sometimes taking disturbing “trophies” of his crimes in the form of photographs. Alcala’s killings spanned multiple states, including California and New York. He was particularly notorious for his ability to evade law enforcement for years, despite multiple run-ins with the law. He was first arrested in 1979, after authorities connected him to the murder of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe in California. This arrest marked the beginning of a legal saga, with Alcala receiving multiple death sentences, though he managed to get several convictions overturned through appeals. During his trials, photographs found in his possession revealed many unidentified women, leading authorities to believe he may have killed up to 130 people. In 2010, Alcala was finally convicted of five murders in California, including Samsoe’s, after DNA evidence linked him to the crimes. He received a death sentence but remained on death row until his death in 2021. Alcala’s case remains infamous due to his cunning manipulation of his public image and the sheer brutality of his acts, marking him as one of the most prolific serial killers in U.S. history.