The Dating Game Killer: Rodney Alcala

Cheese for Thought

Listener discretion advised. Sensitive topics including: rape, sexual assault of a minor, mutilation and murder.

When you think of a game show you think of funny answers, exciting times and unforgettable memories. What do you think you’d do if you got matched with a guy who seems normal at first? What if you found out he enjoyed photography and seemed to have pretty normal life. But what about if he gave you a bad feeling after meeting face to face? What if you found out he’s a serial killer? Join in this week where we discuss Rodney Alcala’s heinous crimes, and how he landed on “The Dating Game” as a convicted rapist.
Resources:

Alvarado, Francisco. “Who Were Rodney Alcala’s Confirmed Murder Victims?” A&E, 6 May 2024, www.aetv.com/real-crime/alcala-victims (http://www.aetv.com/real-crime/alcala-victims).
Cavallier, Andrea. “Rodney Alcala Was a Dating Show Contestant Who Turned out to Be a Serial Killer.” The Independent, Independent Digital News and Media, 24 Oct. 2024, www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/woman-of-the-hour-true-story-rodney-alcala-dating-game-netflix-b2633298.html?callback=in&code=NWRJNDLMYMUTMWUYNI0ZY2Q3LTK2ZDQTMDQWODEWYTNJNGVH&state=21fe2e7f510a4c55a4a68c5bc3cacfce (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/woman-of-the-hour-true-story-rodney-alcala-dating-game-netflix-b2633298.html?callback=in&code=NWRJNDLMYMUTMWUYNI0ZY2Q3LTK2ZDQTMDQWODEWYTNJNGVH&state=21fe2e7f510a4c55a4a68c5bc3cacfce).
“The Dating Game Killer l 20/20 l PART 2.” YouTube, 9 Jan. 2021, http://youtu.be/V4G1FNFGHXA (http://youtu.be/V4G1FNFGHXA).
Dimitropoulos, Stav. “How Serial Killer Rodney Alcala Used Photography to Lure Victims.” A&E, 6 May 2024, www.aetv.com/real-crime/rodney-alcala-dating-game-killer-photography-lure-victims (http://www.aetv.com/real-crime/rodney-alcala-dating-game-killer-photography-lure-victims).
Esquivel, Paloma. “For Rodney Alcala Victims’ Families, a Life Sentence.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2010, www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-mar-31-la-me-alcala31-2010mar31-story.html (http://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-mar-31-la-me-alcala31-2010mar31-story.html).
Karrh, Amanda, et al. “A Close Call: How Serial Killer Rodney Alcala Appeared on ‘The Dating Game’ and Won.” ABC News, ABC News Network, 6 Jan. 2021, abcnews.go.com/US/close-call-serial-killer-rodney-alcala-appeared-dating/story?id=75039197 (http://abcnews.go.com/US/close-call-serial-killer-rodney-alcala-appeared-dating/story?id=75039197).
Kettler, Sara, and Tyler Piccotti. “Rodney Alcala: Biography, Serial Killer, The Dating Game Killer.” Rodney Alcala, 18 Oct. 2024, www.biography.com/crime/rodney-alcala (http://www.biography.com/crime/rodney-alcala).
Levenson, Michael, and Eduardo Medina. “Rodney Alcala, the ‘dating Game’ Serial Killer, Dies.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 25 July 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/07/24/us/rodney-alcala-dead-dating-game.html (http://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/24/us/rodney-alcala-dead-dating-game.html).
Mercuri, Monica. “Who Escaped Rodney Alcala? Where the Survivors of the ‘dating Game Killer’ Are Now.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 25 Oct. 2024, www.forbes.com/sites/monicamercuri/2024/10/22/who-escaped-rodney-alcala-where-the-survivors-of-the-dating-game-killer-are-now/ (http://www.forbes.com/sites/monicamercuri/2024/10/22/who-escaped-rodney-alcala-where-the-survivors-of-the-dating-game-killer-are-now/).
Oleksinski, Johnny. “The True Story of How an Active Serial Killer Appeared on ‘The Dating Game.’” New York Post, New York Post, 21 Oct. 2024, nypost.com/2024/10/21/entertainment/how-serial-killer-rodney-alcala-ended-up-on-the-dating-game/ (http://nypost.com/2024/10/21/entertainment/how-serial-killer-rodney-alcala-ended-up-on-the-dating-game/)
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Sager, Jessica. “The True Story behind ‘Woman of the Hour’: Inside Serial Killer Rodney Alcala’s Infamous TV Show Appearance - and How He Finally Got Caught.”
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Scott, Owen. “Murdered Remembering Ellen Jane Hover: Rodney Alcala Victim Who Was Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr’s Goddaughter.”
The US Sun
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Van Sant, Peter. “Serial Killer Rodney Alcala’s Trail of Murder.”
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“Woman’s Picture Links Serial Killer to Another Cold Case Slaying.”
CBS News
, CBS Interactive,
www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/rodney-alcala-serial-killers-picture-links-him-to-another-cold-case-slaying/ (http://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/rodney-alcala-serial-killers-picture-links-him-to-another-cold-case-slaying/)
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