S1.E62 - The Dating Game Killer: Polaroids, Charm, & a Coast-to-Coast Trail of Terror

The Pandemonium team is back with another unhinged episode - and yes, it’s MERDER o’clock again. This week, we’re diving into the horrifying double life of a bachelor who once charmed national TV audiences… while hiding a secret so dark it spanned decades and left a coast-to-coast trail of victims.From the sunny sprawl of California to the rain-soaked silence of Washington, and the towering skyline of New York City, this case takes us across the country and deep into the twisted world of Rodney Alcala - a man with a Polaroid camera, a motorcycle, and a smile that masked pure evil.Join Cat and Rachel as they unravel the horrifying story of the women who vanished, the shocking evidence he left behind, and how one appearance on The Dating Game gave a serial killer nationwide exposure. What secrets did his camera capture? How did he get away with it for so long? And how did his crimes scar a generation?Content note: This episode contains discussion of sexual violence, murder, and disturbing imagery. Listener discretion is strongly advised.If you know anyone in these photos released by the Huntington Beach Police Department, you can contact Sgt. Sam Shepherd at (714) 536-5947.Links We Used - Rodney Alcala:https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/serial-killers-secret-photos-24-9-10/9/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Alcalahttps://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/woman-of-the-hour-fact-check-1235145031/https://www.foxnews.com/us/dating-game-killer-kept-trophies-ultimately-led-downfall-detectivehttps://slate.com/culture/2024/10/woman-of-the-hour-true-story-rodney-alcala-dating-game-netflix.htmlhttps://www.cdcr.ca.gov/news/2021/07/24/condemned-inmate-rodney-alcala-dies-of-natural-causes/https://www.newsnationnow.com/banfield/dating-game-serial-killer-victim-survived-2-of-alcalas-attacks/https://www.forbes.com/sites/monicamercuri/2024/10/22/who-escaped-rodney-alcala-where-the-survivors-of-the-dating-game-killer-are-now/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/serial-killer-rodney-alcala-the-killing-game/https://www.findagrave.com