Los Angeles, CA - After being convicted of killing 12-year-old Robin Samsoe in 1979, Rodney James Alcala was twice sentenced to death. Both convictions were eventually overturned. The first conviction in 1980 was overturned because the court ruled that his past crimes — a 1972 conviction of raping and beating an 8-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl, plus the molesting of another child — were improperly allowed. Then in 2001, the second conviction was overturned on grounds that Alcala’s lawyers should have been allowed to introduce a psychologist’s testimony casting doubt on a witness’ claim of amnesia and that his attorney did not present alibi witnesses. Now Alcala is back for a third shot at the needle. This time authorities have added four other murders to his repertoire. Alcala’s DNA has been identified in the murders of Jill Barcomb, 18; Georgia Wixted, 27; Charlotte Lamb, 32; and Jill Parenteau, 21. These women were murdered, sexually assaulted, beaten and strangled between 1977 and 1979.

These women were all sexually assaulted and strangled. The killings took place during the reigns of other serial killers – the Hillside Strangler and the Freeway Killer. At one point, at least one of these murders was thought to belong to the Hillside Strangler. Now, DNA proves that to be mistaken. Police in New York suspect Alcala of killing at least two women there. One body was found in 1977 within feet of a spot where a woman posed for Alcala, an amateur photographer. It appears the only reason Alcala stopped killing was because he got caught when he killed Robin Samsoe.

Samsoe disappeared from a beach in June 1979. She was playing with a friend when a man, later identified as Alcala, approached them and asked to take their picture.  Later, Samsoe left on her friend’s bicycle for ballet class. She was never seen alive again. Samsoe’s mutilated body was found 12 days later in the Angeles National Forest by a forestry worker. It was so badly decomposed that it was impossible to determine cause of death or if she had been sexually assaulted. Another forestry worker had seen a man near a car like Alcala’s pushing a blonde girl toward a stream bed on the day Samsoe disappeared. She did not report this until after the girl’s body was found and she did not testify at the second trial because she claimed to have amnesia!  Thanks, bitch!

The only positive thing in this mess is that Alcala has remained behind bars since his original conviction. In an obvious ploy to drag this out and torture the families as long as possible, Alcala petitioned the court to represent himself in this matter. Some surviving family members believe he is just playing head games, enjoying himself. As it is likely he will never see the outside of prison, he’s just biding his time and entertaining himself.

Prosecutors from Orange and Angeles Counties will try the case. Opening statements in Alcala’s third trial began on January 11, 2010. An eerie fact in all of this …. In 1979, while on parole for raping and beating an 8-year-old girl, Rodney Alcala appeared on “The Dating Game”!!  Little did these ladies know they were flirting with a serial killer. Creepy!!!

I looked for this video everywhere when it was first reported that he had appeared on the Dating Game, to no avail. But now the video is out, so enjoy:

Tags: California, Child Murder, Crime, Death Penalty, Los Angeles, Rape, Serial Killer