Rodney Alcala (1943-2021) Biography, Family

Quick Info

Profession	Serial Killer
Nationality	American
Date of Birth	23/08/1943
Age	77 years (died on 24, Jul, 2021)
Birthplace	San Antonio, Texas, United States
Date of Death	24/07/2021

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Bio/Wiki

Birth Name	Rodrigo Jacques Alcala Buquor
Full Name	Rodney James Alcala
Other Name	Dating Game Killer
Known For	Being one of the most notorious American serial killers with an estimated 130 victims

Physical Stats & More

Height	5' 10" (178 cm)
Eye Color	Black
Hair Color	Salt and Pepper

Educational Qualification(s)

High School	Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary High School, California
College/University	University of California, Los Angeles, United States New York University, New York
Degrees	A degree in Fine Arts from University of California, Los Angeles A degree in Filmmaking from New York University

Personal Life

Ethnicity	Mexican American
Marital Status	Unmarried

Family

Father	Raul Alcala Buquor
Mother	Anna Maria Gutierrez
Siblings	1 2

Career

Overview	Rodney Alcala enlisted in the United States Army in 1961 but was discharged due to allegations of sexual misconduct and a nervous breakdown. After his discharge, he committed his first known violent crime in 1968 when he beat and sexually assaulted an 8-year-old girl in Los Angeles. He evaded capture by moving to New York under the alias John Berger and enrolling at New York University. By 1971, he was on the FBI's Most Wanted list and was arrested after being recognized from a wanted poster. He was convicted of child molestation and served 34 months before parole. Upon release, he worked as a typesetter for the Los Angeles Times and as a wedding photographer while remaining a registered sex offender. In September 1978, he appeared as a contestant on the television show The Dating Game, unbeknownst to producers that he was an active serial killer. His murder spree occurred between 1977 and 1979 in California, with additional murders in New York and Wyoming. He was convicted of six murders in California and pleaded guilty to two murders in New York. He received multiple death sentences, with his final death sentence imposed in 2010. He died of natural causes in 2021 while incarcerated.

Overview

Rodney Alcala enlisted in the United States Army in 1961 but was discharged due to allegations of sexual misconduct and a nervous breakdown. After his discharge, he committed his first known violent crime in 1968 when he beat and sexually assaulted an 8-year-old girl in Los Angeles. He evaded capture by moving to New York under the alias John Berger and enrolling at New York University. By 1971, he was on the FBI's Most Wanted list and was arrested after being recognized from a wanted poster. He was convicted of child molestation and served 34 months before parole. Upon release, he worked as a typesetter for the Los Angeles Times and as a wedding photographer while remaining a registered sex offender. In September 1978, he appeared as a contestant on the television show The Dating Game, unbeknownst to producers that he was an active serial killer. His murder spree occurred between 1977 and 1979 in California, with additional murders in New York and Wyoming. He was convicted of six murders in California and pleaded guilty to two murders in New York. He received multiple death sentences, with his final death sentence imposed in 2010. He died of natural causes in 2021 while incarcerated.

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Alcala served in the United States Army starting in 1961 but was discharged due to behavioral issues.
2. He experienced a nervous breakdown during his service, diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder.
3. Despite his criminal activities, he was intelligent, having an IQ of 135.
4. In 1978, he participated in The Dating Game and won a date, which the contestant declined due to unease.
5. His criminal timeline spanned over a decade with numerous victims, many of whom remain unidentified.
6. He experienced a nervous breakdown during his service and was diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder.
7. Prosecutors described how Alcala would strangle his victims until they lost consciousness, then wait for them to revive, sometimes repeating this process multiple times before finally killing them.
8. He used aliases including John Berger and John Burger to evade law enforcement.
9. While conclusively linked to nine murders, the true number of his victims remains unknown and could be as high as 130.

Rodney Alcala Serial Killer American San Antonio, Texas, United States