Retired Detective Craig Robison, in his first public interview, reveals the inside story of how he apprehended Rodney Alcala, the infamous "Dating Game Killer." Alcala's 1978 appearance on "The Dating Game" proved crucial in his eventual capture.
Robison, also a former California prosecutor and judge, was bound by judicial restrictions from discussing the case until Alcala's death in prison in 2021. He describes Alcala as possessing a "high IQ" tragically misdirected towards victimization rather than personal relationships.
Contrary to the portrayal in the recent Netflix film "Woman of the Hour," Alcala's date with bachelorette Cheryl Bradshaw never happened. Robison, who consulted with actress Anna Kendrick for the film, explains that Bradshaw was immediately unsettled by Alcala, and her intuition likely saved her life.
Robison's investigation began in June 1979 with the disappearance of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe. A sketch based on a friend's description led a parole officer to identify Alcala, a convicted child molester, as a potential suspect.
Alcala's criminal history included a near-fatal attack on 8-year-old Tali Shapiro in 1968 and the rape of a 15-year-old hitchhiker in 1979, just months before Samsoe vanished. The surviving teen's quick thinking spared her life. Alcala was out on bail for this rape when Samsoe disappeared.
A chance viewing of a "Dating Game" episode featuring Alcala provided the crucial link. Samsoe's friend confirmed Alcala as the man who photographed her and Samsoe at the beach. Samsoe's remains were found in July 1979, leading to Alcala's arrest.
A storage locker belonging to Alcala contained incriminating evidence, including photos of women and jewelry. Among the items was a pouch containing earrings identified by Samsoe's mother. These "trophies," as Robison calls them, ultimately provided the DNA link to another victim, Charlotte Lamb, decades later.
Although Alcala's initial convictions were overturned, he was finally sentenced to death in 2010 for five California murders, including Samsoe's. He later pleaded guilty to two New York slayings and was charged with another murder in Wyoming.
Alcala died of natural causes in 2021 while awaiting execution, bringing a close to a case that spanned decades and involved multiple jurisdictions.
