A man convicted in the deaths of four women and a 12-year-old girl in the 1970s was once ‘Bachelor No. 1’ on ‘The Dating Game’ in 1978.
According to CNN, Rodney Alcala, now 66, was introduced to the potential date, Cheryl Bradshaw, as “a successful photographer,” who also liked “skydiving and motor-cycling.”
As part of the game show, the young woman asked the three potential bachelors questions about themselves. When she asked Alcala, “What’s your best time?” he responded with a big smile: "The best time is at night… Nighttime is when it gets good."
In the end, Bradshaw chose Alcala as her date of choice, but reports state that she refused to go out with him.
Prior to appearing on the game show, Alcala had already been convicted in the 1968 rape of an eight-year-old girl. Within months of his television appearance, he had claimed the lives of four more women and raped a 12-year-old Robin Samsoe in 1979.
Alcala was convicted in the deaths of these women and had already been sentenced to death twice before, but the convictions were overturned on appeal.
The Associated Press reports that in his latest trial a California jury found special circumstances that Alcala raped and tortured his victims which makes him eligible for the death penalty. He was convicted again last month.
Now representing himself, Alcala will have a chance to plead his case. Jurors can recommend the death penalty or life without parole.
