You ever see someone on TV and think, Something ain’t right with that dude? Like, your gut says, “Run!” but everyone around you is clapping and laughing like it’s no big deal? That’s the story of Rodney Alcala, y’all—the “Dating Game Killer.” And yes, his nickname is just as horrifying as it sounds.
Picture this: It’s 1978, and Rodney Alcala struts onto The Dating Game like he owns the place. This man was smiling, winking, and dropping corny pickup lines on national television. And folks were eating it up! He even won! The bachelorette, Sheryl Bradshaw, picked him. But let me tell you, sis took one look at him backstage and thought, Nah, I’m good. Her gut was screaming, “Girl, he’s giving ‘creepy uncle at the cookout’ vibes.” So, she canceled the date. And thank God she did because Rodney wasn’t just creepy—he was deadly.
But hold up, this story gets crazier. See, Rodney wasn’t new to being shady. This man had a rap sheet—like, for real! Back in 1968, he kidnapped an 8-year-old girl named Tali Shapiro. He lured her into his car like, “Hey, little girl, wanna see some puppies?” (because of course he did). But thankfully, two park rangers saw what was going on and called the cops. They busted into his apartment, and there she was—barely alive, but alive. Rodney? Oh, he ran. He ran faster than your cousin who owes you money.
Now, you’d think, That’s it, they’re gonna get him, right? Nope. This man went on the run and started a whole new life on the East Coast, calling himself “John Berger.” Like, really? You couldn’t even come up with a good fake name? Anyway, he gets caught a few years later, but guess what? The justice system said, Eh, let’s give him another shot at life. They let him out after 34 months! Thirty-four months for almost killing a child. What kind of logic is that?
Fast forward to 1978, and this fool has the audacity to show up on The Dating Game. He’s on TV, smiling like he’s America’s Next Top Bachelor. Meanwhile, Tali Shapiro—his first victim—is watching this man and thinking, Hold up, I know that face! Can you imagine the shock? It’s like seeing your ex on Instagram dating someone new, except way, WAY worse.
And then comes Robin Samsoe, the case that finally brings this guy down. She was a sweet 12-year-old girl who disappeared on her way to ballet class in 1979. Witnesses saw Rodney talking to her at the beach, pretending to be a photographer. And let me tell you, that wasn’t no Instagram photo shoot. When Robin didn’t come home, her mom was devastated. The police started piecing it all together, and witnesses pointed right at Rodney.
The cops searched his place and found all kinds of creepy. There were hundreds of photos of women and children—some of them still unidentified to this day. But the real kicker? They found a pair of earrings that Robin’s mom said belonged to her. That was it. Game over.
But even after they caught him, this man was out here playing Uno with the justice system. He got convicted, then had his sentence overturned—twice. It took until 2010 to finally lock him up for good. By then, they’d tied him to more murders with DNA evidence, and his little collection of photos hinted at even more victims.
Now, there’s a movie called Woman of the Hour about all this, and it’s wild. It dives into how Rodney was able to fool people with his fake charm and how Sheryl Bradshaw dodged a bullet—literally. It also shines a light on the people who stood up, like Tali Shapiro, who survived her nightmare and wasn’t afraid to call him out years later.
The lesson here? Trust your gut, people. If someone gives you that weird vibe, believe it. Because sometimes the guy cracking bad jokes on a dating show isn’t just awkward—he’s a straight-up monster. And for the love of all things holy, can we stop letting serial killers out on parole?
