DeepSummary
Bailey Sarian discusses the true crime story of Rodney Alcala, a serial killer known as the 'Dating Game Killer' or the 'Photography Killer.' He was able to operate across the United States for over a decade, kidnapping and assaulting children in California, murdering women in New York, and appearing on the popular TV show 'The Dating Game' in 1978. Alcala had a charming personality and would lure victims by offering to take their photographs.
Despite being arrested multiple times, Alcala managed to escape punishment due to the lack of technology and background checks at the time. His trial for the murder of Robin Samsoe in 1980 dragged on for over 30 years due to appeals and retrials. It was not until 2010, with the help of DNA evidence, that he was finally convicted and sentenced to death for five murders.
Investigators believe Alcala's victim count could be in the triple digits, as his hundreds of photographs found in a storage locker suggest many more unidentified victims. He traced outlines of his victims in the photographs, exhibiting psychopathic behavior until his death in prison in 2021 at the age of 77.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Rodney Alcala, known as the 'Dating Game Killer' or 'Photography Killer,' was a serial killer who operated across the United States for over a decade, primarily in the 1970s.
- He had a charming personality and would lure victims, often children and young women, by offering to take their photographs.
- Despite multiple arrests, Alcala was able to evade punishment for many years due to the lack of technology like DNA testing and background checks at the time.
- His trial for the 1979 murder of Robin Samsoe dragged on for over 30 years due to appeals and retrials before he was finally convicted in 2010 with the help of DNA evidence.
- Investigators believe Alcala's true victim count could be in the triple digits based on the hundreds of unidentified photographs found in his possession.
- He exhibited psychopathic behavior until his death in 2021, tracing outlines of victims in photographs but never fully admitting to all his crimes.
- Alcala's ability to operate for so long highlights the importance of advancements in technology like DNA testing for solving crimes and preventing further victims.
- His case underscores ethical issues like allowing defendants to cross-examine victims' families and the need for thorough background checks, especially when working with children.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “The downside is that they were not able to arrest him because Ellen was still considered missing. They had no body. They had no evidence. They just had his name written on a calendar.“ by Bailey Sarian
- “It took a while, but they got him. I mean, luckily, like, when he was waiting for trial, he was sitting in jail the whole time. Like, at least they do that shit, you know?“ by Bailey Sarian
Entities
Company
Product
Organization
Service
Person
Book
Location
Episode Information
Murder, Mystery & Makeup
Audioboom Studios
3/12/24
They called him the Dating Game Killer, but should he really be the Photography Killer? Or maybe the Getaway Man, because somehow this doofus was always getting away. Plus since they didn’t have the tech we have now, will we ever actually know how many he really did kill?
Also, let me know who you want me to talk about next time. Hope you have a great rest of your week, make good choices and I'll be seeing you very soon.
xo
Bailey Sarian
________
: : F O L L O W M E : :
Discord : https://discord.com/invite/baileysarian
Tik Tok : https://bit.ly/3e3jL9v
Instagram : http://bit.ly/2nbO4PR
Facebook : http://bit.ly/2mdZtK6
Twitter : http://bit.ly/2yT4BLV
Pinterest : http://bit.ly/2mVpXnY
Youtube : http://bit.ly/1HGw3Og
Snapchat : https://bit.ly/3cC0V9d
RECOMMEND A STORY HERE : cases4bailey@gmail.com
Business Related Emails : Baileysarianteam@wmeagency.com
Wanna Send Me Something?
Bailey Sarian
4400 W Riverside Dr Ste 110-300,
Burbank, CA 91505
_________
Right now, Ibotta is offering our listeners $5 just for trying Ibotta by using the code MAKEUP when you register. Just go to the App Store or Google Play store and download the FREE Ibotta app to start earning cash back and use code MAKEUP.
Go to https://www.Quince.com/makeup for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.
Visit