Rodney James Alcala is an American serial killer and rapist who was sentenced to death for five murders committed in the state of California between 1977 and 1979. He received a further sentence of 25 years to life after pleading guilty to two homicides committed in New York in 1971 and 1977. Alcala's true victim count remains unknown, and could be much higher. He is sometimes referred to as The Dating Game Killer because of his 1978 appearance on the television show The Dating Game in the midst of his murder spree.