Rodney Alcala, AKA The Dating Game Killer, was a depraved murderer who eluded authorities for years. He hid his true identity behind charm and persuasion. He worked as a summer camp counselor while on the lam for the savage assault of an eight-year-old girl. He convinced his parole officer to let him take a vacation to the other side of the country, where he proceeded to commit another of his many murders. While New Yorkers were watching their backs for the Son of Sam in the summer of ’77, he killed again. And at the height of his killing spree, he managed to star in one of the creepiest moments in Hollywood history as a contestant on a popular television game show.

To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com/badlands.

This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including sexual assault, child sexual abuse, and graphic descriptions of violence.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices