Serial killer Rodney James Alcala died at the age of 77 of natural causes while on death row in California.
Alcala, who was nicknamed the “Dating Game Killer,” was discovered dead Saturday morning, as announced by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. (RELATED: Suspected Serial Killer Who Allegedly Went On ‘Vicious’ Crime Spree Charged With 41 Felonies)
Alcala, who earned his nickname due to a 1978 appearance on the television show “The Dating Game,” died Saturday of natural causes, according to a press release from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.#national #DatingGameKiller https://t.co/QfV4szwRm4
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Alcala, who earned his nickname after making a 1978 appearance on the television show “The Dating Game,” was arrested and convicted on five counts of first degree murder — four women and one 12-year-old girl — that were committed between 1977 and 1979 across six states. He was later sentenced to death for the crimes in 2010.
“Alcala was first sentenced to death in 1980 for the 1979 kidnapping and murder of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe, but his conviction was reversed by the California Supreme Court and he was granted a new trial,” CNN reported.
He later confessed to two additional murders that were committed in New York in 1971 and 1977, which added another 25 years to his sentence. There was also speculation that he may have been responsible for as many as 100 murders.