The Man known as the Date Game Killer

On September 13th, 1978, Rodney James Alcala made an appearance on the well-liked dating show "The Dating Game" on ABC. The show featured a number of celebrities before they became famous, including Burt Reynolds, Farrah Fawcett, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Rodney was introduced as a successful photographer who also enjoys riding his motorcycle and skydiving. Rodney won bachelorette Cheryl Bradshaw's heart by being extremely charming. Nobody anticipated that Rodney would become famous as well, but for very different reasons.

Rodney and Cheryl spent time backstage, Cheryl not liking the vibe, refused to go on a date with Rodney. Refusing to go on a date with Rodney might have saved Cheryl's life. On July 24th, 1979, less than 1 year after appearing on the dating game, Rodney was arrested at his mom's home in Monterey Park, CA for the murder of Robin Samsoe.

On August 23rd, 1943, parents Raul Alcaca Buquor and Anna Maria Gutierrez, welcomed their 3rd child Rodney to the world in San Antonio, TX. Rodney was born as Rodrigo Jacques Alcala Buquor. In 1951, Rodney’s father moved the family to Mexico, and left his family within 3 years to return to the U.S..

After his dad left the family, Rodney’s mom, Rodney, and his siblings moved to Los Angeles, CA. Rodney was a pretty gifted student, and at the age of 17 graduated from Montebello High School. It’s said that Rodney was liked by his fellow students.

In 1961, Rodney enlisted in the U.S. army, to become a paratrooper. His commanding officer described Rodney as manipulative, vindictive, disobeying orders, and having a problem with authority figures.

On January 8th, 1962, Rodney's father passed away in Tulare County, CA. The whole family attended the funeral including Rodney.

Some time in 1963, Rodney went AWOL and showed up to his mom’s house in L.A. Rodney hitchhiked from Fort Bragg (now called Fort Liberty) in North Carolina to L.A.

Rodney did return back to Fort Bragg, but by early 1964 he was medically discharged from the U.S. Army after he had a nervous breakdown. He was diagnosed with severe, chronic, antisocial personality disorder. Rodney went back to L.A. where he began to feel like himself again.

In July 1968, Rodney met 16 year old, Morgan Rowan, in a teenage club on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood, CA. Morgan got in Rodney’s car thinking he would take her to IHOP to eat something. Instead, he took her to his apartment a few blocks away from the club, where Rodney beat and r*ped her.

On September 25th, Rodney approached 8 year old Tali Shapiro while she was on her way to school. At first Tali refused a ride from Rodney, but he told her he knew her parents. Witness Donald Hines saw Rodney lure Tali into his apartment, Donald called the police. LAPD found Tali r*ped and badly beaten in Rodney’s apartment, but Rodney was nowhere to be found. LAPD found Rodney’s UCLA student ID, and after talking with his neighbors, determined Rodney was the main suspect. Talia was in a coma for 32 days and spent months recovering, Talia’s family moved to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico a short time after the attack.

After the r*pe and attempted murder of Talia, Rodney fled to New York under the alias John Berger, in New York, Rodney was accepted to NYU’s school of arts undergraduate program.

In July 1969, Rodney was hired as an arts counselor at a summer camp in George Mills, NH using the same John Berger alias. Rodney went back to fulfill the counselor position in the summer of 1970.

In June 1971, Rodney graduated from NYU and went back to George Mills, NH for the last time to fulfill the counselor position at the summer camp he had worked the previous 2 years. At the same time he started his career as a photographer, focusing mainly on taking pictures of young women.

On June 12th, Cornelia Michel “Michael” Crilley, a 23 year old flight attendant, was found r*ped and strangled to death in her Manhattan apartment. It’s believed Rodney asked her if she needed help moving into her new apartment, which she accepted.

In July, the FBI and LAPD Detective Hodel met, after the meeting Rodney was added to the FBI’s Most Wanted List for the r*pe and attempted murder of Talia.

In August, the FBI was contacted by the summer camp director, after 2 kids at the camp recognized their counselor on the FBI’s Most Wanted List.

On August 11th, the FBI arrives in George Mills, NH to arrest Rodney for the r*pe and attempted murder of Talia. Rodney was extradited back to L.A, he was charged with r*pe, kidnapping, assault, and attempted murder. Rodney was offered a plea deal, because the prosecution's main witness Talia, was living in Mexico. Rodney pled guilty to child molestation, getting off really easy.

On May 19th, 1972 Rodney was sentenced to 1-10 years in prison with the possibility of parole.

In August 1974, a California State Prison psychiatrist determined that Rodney had improved considerably during the time he spent in prison, this resulted in Rodney being granted parole. Rodney had spent a little over 2 years in prison, but he has a free man again. He had to register as a sex offender with the Monterey Park Police Department.

Remember how his commanding officer in the Army said Rodney was manipulative, it seems he had been able to manipulate the psychiatrist, within 8 weeks of his release Rodney struck again on October 13th. This time he kidnapped a 13 year old girl.

My story about Rodney a.k.a. the dating game killer continues in Part 2.