Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:11,082 --> 00:00:14,322
- Robin Samsoe was a precocious
little 12-year-old girl,
2
00:00:14,420 --> 00:00:16,700
as most of them are at
that age, loved life.
3
00:00:16,799 --> 00:00:19,039
Loved her family,
loved her friends.
4
00:00:19,140 --> 00:00:23,070
And on June 20th of 1979,
she and her friend Bridget
5
00:00:23,169 --> 00:00:26,279
came down to the city of
Huntington Beach to enjoy the day.
6
00:00:27,236 --> 00:00:30,466
They were approached
by an individual
7
00:00:30,574 --> 00:00:33,204
who started talking to them
about taking their photographs.
8
00:00:33,299 --> 00:00:36,649
He was in a photo contest,
and there was prize money
9
00:00:36,752 --> 00:00:39,492
to be won, and that he would
give them some if he won.
10
00:00:39,592 --> 00:00:40,592
- It's creepy.
11
00:00:40,628 --> 00:00:42,818
I mean, the guy was the
same age as my mother.
12
00:00:44,196 --> 00:00:47,466
Approaching young girls
is just not normal.
13
00:00:47,573 --> 00:00:50,453
- His MO is his camera,
let me take your picture.
14
00:00:51,372 --> 00:00:55,652
Now the Pied Piper or the spider
just pulls you into the web
15
00:00:55,746 --> 00:00:57,296
and you're never
gonna get out of it.
16
00:00:57,396 --> 00:00:58,256
And if you do get out of it,
17
00:00:58,355 --> 00:01:00,265
you're never the
same person again.
18
00:01:01,885 --> 00:01:06,345
- He started taking pictures,
and a neighbor of Bridget's,
19
00:01:06,452 --> 00:01:09,692
an adult neighbor, saw this
going on and approached
20
00:01:09,790 --> 00:01:11,380
to find out what
was taking place.
21
00:01:11,478 --> 00:01:13,868
As she approached, this
photographer turned around
22
00:01:13,972 --> 00:01:15,892
and walked away quickly.
23
00:01:18,078 --> 00:01:21,298
He circled, he circled
that area like a shark.
24
00:01:23,527 --> 00:01:27,417
A sociopathic, sexual,
sadistic individual
25
00:01:27,517 --> 00:01:31,177
that derived pleasure
from the sexual act,
26
00:01:31,278 --> 00:01:35,348
as well as the physical
act of torture and killing.
27
00:01:50,156 --> 00:01:54,346
- Nobody can replace that
person, and we were just robbed
28
00:01:54,454 --> 00:01:58,064
of so many great
things with her.
29
00:02:46,447 --> 00:02:51,067
- Huntington Beach was
very unincorporated.
30
00:02:51,167 --> 00:02:55,827
It was just really nice to
be, it wasn't overcrowded.
31
00:02:55,925 --> 00:02:57,320
In fact, all the
things that you see
32
00:02:57,344 --> 00:02:59,464
up and down the coast
now are all brand new.
33
00:03:00,299 --> 00:03:02,389
Looking back, it
was a lot of fun.
34
00:03:02,486 --> 00:03:04,036
You could walk to the beach.
35
00:03:04,136 --> 00:03:06,016
We only lived like a half
a mile from the beach,
36
00:03:06,055 --> 00:03:07,335
so you could walk to the beach.
37
00:03:07,436 --> 00:03:09,216
Everybody knew everybody.
38
00:03:09,316 --> 00:03:10,826
You could stay out after dark.
39
00:03:10,928 --> 00:03:12,128
You could play in the streets.
40
00:03:12,194 --> 00:03:16,764
And you know, it was just
a great area to live in.
41
00:03:19,561 --> 00:03:23,151
We used to surf
and have bonfires,
42
00:03:23,245 --> 00:03:27,885
and just hang out and suntan,
and eat, and whatever.
43
00:03:29,806 --> 00:03:31,164
We knew if we went
home that my mom
44
00:03:31,188 --> 00:03:33,158
was gonna put us to work so.
45
00:03:34,257 --> 00:03:36,327
We found solace in the beach.
46
00:03:38,286 --> 00:03:40,136
You know, this is a big
part of our history.
47
00:03:40,243 --> 00:03:42,793
My sister Robin loved
being down at the beach.
48
00:03:42,891 --> 00:03:45,881
That was her to-go
place, she loved it.
49
00:03:50,719 --> 00:03:52,579
Robin loved ballet.
50
00:03:52,676 --> 00:03:56,066
She loved singing and
dancing and gymnastics.
51
00:03:56,167 --> 00:03:58,097
She was very
young-minded for her age.
52
00:03:58,201 --> 00:04:01,861
She was a 12-year-old
that was a 12-year-old.
53
00:04:01,961 --> 00:04:05,121
She was a child who
got to be a child.
54
00:04:05,223 --> 00:04:09,383
She had a few
responsibilities at home,
55
00:04:09,482 --> 00:04:12,112
but she always got
babied, she was our baby.
56
00:04:12,207 --> 00:04:13,527
So she didn't have to grow up.
57
00:04:13,626 --> 00:04:18,416
She didn't have to be
older than her years.
58
00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:21,160
But she wanted to
go to ballet so bad,
59
00:04:21,262 --> 00:04:25,312
that my mom really wasn't able
to afford it at that time,
60
00:04:25,406 --> 00:04:28,716
and Robin started working
at the ballet studio
61
00:04:28,821 --> 00:04:31,141
to get her own lessons.
62
00:04:31,239 --> 00:04:34,209
So actually that's
where she was going
63
00:04:34,308 --> 00:04:36,228
the day that she was abducted.
64
00:04:38,107 --> 00:04:40,577
- Robin and her friend Bridget
were playing on the beach
65
00:04:40,678 --> 00:04:43,528
until it was time for Robin
to go to her ballet class.
66
00:04:43,633 --> 00:04:45,493
Well she was running
late, so she asked Bridget
67
00:04:45,590 --> 00:04:47,060
if she could borrow her bike.
68
00:04:47,163 --> 00:04:49,943
And so Bridget let
her borrow her bike,
69
00:04:50,041 --> 00:04:53,971
and she left on her bike
on her way to ballet class.
70
00:04:54,070 --> 00:04:56,690
- Somewhere between
Bridget's house
71
00:04:56,794 --> 00:05:00,924
and her final destination
of the ballet class,
72
00:05:01,015 --> 00:05:04,045
she was abducted and
was never seen again.
73
00:05:06,732 --> 00:05:09,362
- Ballet school called
the home and said,
74
00:05:09,456 --> 00:05:11,076
well, she never showed up.
75
00:05:11,183 --> 00:05:13,233
And that terrified,
of course the parents,
76
00:05:13,332 --> 00:05:15,072
and of course they
called the police,
77
00:05:15,174 --> 00:05:18,864
and the search began.
78
00:05:19,702 --> 00:05:22,752
- Well originally in 1979,
I was a patrol officer,
79
00:05:22,848 --> 00:05:26,658
and working day shift
when Robin was kidnapped.
80
00:05:26,762 --> 00:05:28,388
We didn't know she was
kidnapped at the time,
81
00:05:28,412 --> 00:05:30,153
but the next day when
they put the information
82
00:05:30,177 --> 00:05:33,797
out to patrol, we
learned of it then,
83
00:05:33,899 --> 00:05:35,949
and we knew that there
was a missing bicycle.
84
00:05:36,048 --> 00:05:39,858
And so we began, most of us
anyway that I can remember,
85
00:05:39,962 --> 00:05:41,512
started checking the alleys,
86
00:05:41,612 --> 00:05:44,202
and behind shopping centers
and the trash areas,
87
00:05:44,298 --> 00:05:46,638
all looking and hoping
to find that bicycle.
88
00:05:47,751 --> 00:05:49,031
- It just, it was horrible.
89
00:05:49,132 --> 00:05:50,682
You know, every
day you wondered,
90
00:05:50,782 --> 00:05:52,682
is she warm enough at night?
91
00:05:52,778 --> 00:05:55,818
Or you know, what
could have happened?
92
00:05:55,924 --> 00:06:00,394
Because that was not Robin,
she just didn't do that.
93
00:06:00,490 --> 00:06:03,840
She was not inconsiderate,
she wasn't selfish.
94
00:06:03,944 --> 00:06:08,564
She just wouldn't
just not come or call,
95
00:06:08,663 --> 00:06:11,353
or you know, have
somebody contact us.
96
00:06:12,270 --> 00:06:15,320
So I think we knew
really early on
97
00:06:15,417 --> 00:06:17,337
that something was
seriously wrong.
98
00:06:18,870 --> 00:06:20,790
They kept in constant contact.
99
00:06:22,285 --> 00:06:25,785
Then a few weeks later, there
was a knock at the door,
100
00:06:25,892 --> 00:06:28,852
and when we seen
the police, we knew.
101
00:06:40,051 --> 00:06:44,861
- Robin was found 12 days
later in a park area,
102
00:06:44,962 --> 00:06:47,702
many miles away from
where she had disappeared.
103
00:06:47,802 --> 00:06:49,542
- She's not recognizable.
104
00:06:49,644 --> 00:06:52,414
There's been a lot
of animal damage,
105
00:06:54,325 --> 00:06:58,315
and they have to ID
her from her teeth.
106
00:06:59,774 --> 00:07:04,364
And when they go for the
death notification to her mom,
107
00:07:04,455 --> 00:07:07,185
her mom says, you know,
I wanna see my baby.
108
00:07:07,294 --> 00:07:09,384
I wanna see my girl.
109
00:07:09,482 --> 00:07:11,152
And they have to tell her
110
00:07:11,247 --> 00:07:16,037
that there's really
nothing to see,
111
00:07:16,580 --> 00:07:17,580
there's nothing.
112
00:07:17,655 --> 00:07:20,965
That's just so heartbreaking.
113
00:07:21,070 --> 00:07:25,640
There's nothing to see, we
identified her from her teeth.
114
00:07:31,852 --> 00:07:33,892
- I just remember my
mom breaking down.
115
00:07:38,260 --> 00:07:41,540
- The hunt is definitely
on for for Robin's killer.
116
00:07:41,637 --> 00:07:44,417
I mean, it's a horrible crime.
117
00:07:44,515 --> 00:07:48,205
The Huntington Beach police
118
00:07:48,313 --> 00:07:50,553
are conducting an investigation,
119
00:07:50,654 --> 00:07:52,634
trying to find out,
120
00:07:52,726 --> 00:07:57,136
who did this, who could
do this to a little girl?
121
00:07:58,558 --> 00:08:00,648
- The detectives got
a police sketch artist
122
00:08:00,746 --> 00:08:03,386
to sit down with
Robin's friend Bridget,
123
00:08:04,199 --> 00:08:05,829
and get a description
of the suspect.
124
00:08:05,926 --> 00:08:08,856
Through her conversation
with Bridget,
125
00:08:08,957 --> 00:08:12,387
the sketch artist composed a uh,
126
00:08:12,487 --> 00:08:14,567
drew a sketch of the suspect
127
00:08:14,674 --> 00:08:16,344
as described by Bridget,
128
00:08:16,439 --> 00:08:19,519
the male with the long
curly hair, and the likes.
129
00:08:19,624 --> 00:08:23,754
That sketch was put
out to both electronic
130
00:08:23,845 --> 00:08:26,185
and print media
for distribution.
131
00:08:27,068 --> 00:08:29,348
A parole officer out
of Los Angeles County
132
00:08:29,447 --> 00:08:33,027
was reading the newspaper and
saw the sketch in the paper,
133
00:08:33,131 --> 00:08:34,681
and thought it looked like
134
00:08:34,781 --> 00:08:37,481
one of his clients,
Rodney Alcala.
135
00:08:37,582 --> 00:08:40,092
He called the police
department in Huntington Beach
136
00:08:40,191 --> 00:08:42,421
and told them his suspicions.
137
00:08:44,565 --> 00:08:47,035
That's when they put the
photograph in a lineup
138
00:08:47,136 --> 00:08:49,336
with five similar-looking
individuals,
139
00:08:49,439 --> 00:08:52,489
and they went down to
Bridget's house and said,
140
00:08:52,585 --> 00:08:54,019
"I'd like you to look
at these photographs.
141
00:08:54,043 --> 00:08:56,360
The person that took your
photographs at the beach that day
142
00:08:56,384 --> 00:08:57,974
may or may not be in there.
143
00:08:58,072 --> 00:08:59,852
Just because we're showing
you these photographs
144
00:08:59,876 --> 00:09:02,076
doesn't mean you have
to identify anyone.
145
00:09:02,178 --> 00:09:05,798
If you don't recognize anybody,
don't pick somebody out."
146
00:09:05,900 --> 00:09:07,410
And she looked at
the photographs,
147
00:09:07,511 --> 00:09:09,971
and pointed at the
photograph of Rodney Alcala.
148
00:09:14,342 --> 00:09:16,121
Well, the detectives
don't know much about him
149
00:09:16,145 --> 00:09:18,805
until they start really
getting into the investigation,
150
00:09:18,908 --> 00:09:23,258
and then they're finding
out that he may be a suspect
151
00:09:23,359 --> 00:09:27,099
in other murders, but there
is no biological evidence,
152
00:09:27,196 --> 00:09:31,126
fingerprints, blood, DNA,
anything like that at the time
153
00:09:31,225 --> 00:09:32,965
that they could make
a connection to.
154
00:09:33,067 --> 00:09:35,227
- Detectives work around the
clock in a case like this,
155
00:09:35,292 --> 00:09:36,652
but they've been up for hours.
156
00:09:36,750 --> 00:09:39,180
One of the detectives goes home,
157
00:09:39,283 --> 00:09:41,293
sits down on his
couch for a break,
158
00:09:41,393 --> 00:09:43,563
pops a beer and turns on the TV.
159
00:09:43,657 --> 00:09:45,247
And it's one of those moments,
160
00:09:45,345 --> 00:09:48,385
you can't make this stuff
up, it's "The Dating Game".
161
00:09:48,492 --> 00:09:50,622
Please
welcome Rodney Alcala.
162
00:09:50,717 --> 00:09:51,767
Rod, come up here.
163
00:09:52,905 --> 00:09:55,445
- And it was like, no way
that this is happening.
164
00:09:55,552 --> 00:09:58,372
And within 24 hours,
they had a search warrant
165
00:09:58,468 --> 00:10:00,208
that they were serving
on Alcala's home.
166
00:10:05,874 --> 00:10:07,734
- When they got to
his mother's house,
167
00:10:07,831 --> 00:10:10,591
he was in bed with his
girlfriend at the time.
168
00:10:12,512 --> 00:10:14,102
And they asked him
a lot of questions.
169
00:10:14,201 --> 00:10:16,021
He denied everything of course.
170
00:10:16,119 --> 00:10:19,549
But during that time, one
of the officers noticed
171
00:10:19,649 --> 00:10:24,189
that there was a
storage locker receipt
172
00:10:24,292 --> 00:10:25,802
sitting on the table.
173
00:10:25,904 --> 00:10:28,384
Now they had a search warrant,
174
00:10:28,475 --> 00:10:31,825
but only on Rodney
Alcala in his possession,
175
00:10:31,928 --> 00:10:33,858
they couldn't search the house.
176
00:10:33,962 --> 00:10:37,812
So they weren't allowed to
take that receipt with them.
177
00:10:37,914 --> 00:10:39,463
- It was a receipt
for a storage locker
178
00:10:39,487 --> 00:10:41,727
in King County,
Seattle, Washington.
179
00:10:41,828 --> 00:10:45,488
One of the detective
sergeants, he took his notebook
180
00:10:45,588 --> 00:10:48,328
and he wrote down the information
on the storage locker,
181
00:10:48,428 --> 00:10:51,818
and they all left the scene
after the search was complete,
182
00:10:51,919 --> 00:10:56,289
and they're interviewing Alcala
at the police department.
183
00:10:57,445 --> 00:10:58,995
At one point during
the interview,
184
00:10:59,095 --> 00:11:01,945
Alcala says that he'd like
to speak to his sister.
185
00:11:02,049 --> 00:11:05,629
So they invite his sister into
the interview room with him,
186
00:11:05,733 --> 00:11:08,433
and they step outside,
but he's a murder suspect,
187
00:11:08,534 --> 00:11:11,034
so they're watching
on a video camera.
188
00:11:11,988 --> 00:11:15,068
As they're watching
he said to his sister,
189
00:11:15,172 --> 00:11:16,222
"At least they don't know
190
00:11:16,324 --> 00:11:19,104
about the storage
locker in Seattle."
191
00:11:19,201 --> 00:11:22,901
To which that Detective
Sergeant probably almost tore
192
00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:25,430
his shirt pocket, trying
to get his notebook out,
193
00:11:25,533 --> 00:11:28,543
and said, "I have that
information right here."
194
00:11:28,641 --> 00:11:31,271
- And they're up there,
I think within 12 hours.
195
00:11:31,365 --> 00:11:33,175
They get a warrant for
the storage locker,
196
00:11:33,284 --> 00:11:36,604
and they get to Seattle before
anybody else can touch it.
197
00:11:36,699 --> 00:11:38,689
And the storage locker
was a gold mine.
198
00:11:49,937 --> 00:11:52,787
- The storage unit contained,
as you might expect
199
00:11:52,891 --> 00:11:56,631
for a photographer,
thousands of pictures.
200
00:11:56,728 --> 00:12:01,078
However, these were
pictures of pornography,
201
00:12:01,180 --> 00:12:04,500
pictures of hundreds of
women and young boys,
202
00:12:04,595 --> 00:12:05,875
nude photographs.
203
00:12:05,976 --> 00:12:08,446
- There were dozens
upon dozens of women
204
00:12:08,547 --> 00:12:11,167
in bathing suits,
women doing gymnastics,
205
00:12:11,271 --> 00:12:13,901
women literally in a
gymnastics competition
206
00:12:13,996 --> 00:12:15,156
down at the beach.
207
00:12:15,262 --> 00:12:18,732
And he would zoom
in on, you know,
208
00:12:18,830 --> 00:12:20,990
the buttocks area
of various women,
209
00:12:21,094 --> 00:12:24,334
just about as creepy
as you can get.
210
00:12:24,432 --> 00:12:29,092
And there was a whole slew
of self-portraits also.
211
00:12:29,191 --> 00:12:31,891
And grandiosity is
one of the signs
212
00:12:31,992 --> 00:12:35,542
of psychopathy, or the
psychopath, is somebody that is,
213
00:12:35,637 --> 00:12:37,457
the only person
that Rodney Alcala
214
00:12:37,555 --> 00:12:40,125
ever really loved
was Rodney Alcala.
215
00:12:49,105 --> 00:12:52,765
- Most importantly, they find
this little red jewelry pouch.
216
00:12:52,866 --> 00:12:56,926
And in that little red jewelry
pouch is multiple earrings.
217
00:12:59,465 --> 00:13:01,165
- Now we are used to the idea
218
00:13:01,269 --> 00:13:04,089
of a serial killer
taking trophies.
219
00:13:04,185 --> 00:13:05,805
You watch "Silence
of the Lambs",
220
00:13:05,912 --> 00:13:08,042
and you think serial
killer trophies.
221
00:13:08,137 --> 00:13:10,027
But it was a very
unusual thing then,
222
00:13:10,133 --> 00:13:12,453
that someone would want evidence
223
00:13:12,550 --> 00:13:14,710
of having committed
such a horrific crime.
224
00:13:14,814 --> 00:13:17,294
Any of us would want to
put that out of our minds,
225
00:13:17,385 --> 00:13:19,625
but here's someone
who gloated over them
226
00:13:19,725 --> 00:13:23,575
as if they were proof of
his mastery of the moment.
227
00:13:23,678 --> 00:13:28,258
- Among those earrings
were two gold ball earrings
228
00:13:28,359 --> 00:13:31,479
that ultimately were identified
by Robin Samsoe's mother
229
00:13:31,582 --> 00:13:33,362
as the earrings
that she was wearing
230
00:13:33,462 --> 00:13:35,382
the day she disappeared.
231
00:13:36,877 --> 00:13:39,177
- And that really
helps to nail him.
232
00:13:40,062 --> 00:13:42,962
- All I know is that I
got a call from the FBI.
233
00:13:43,055 --> 00:13:46,215
So they came and they talked
to all of us and they,
234
00:13:46,317 --> 00:13:47,207
Michael talked to them.
235
00:13:47,314 --> 00:13:50,284
And I guess the whole
craziness of this
236
00:13:50,384 --> 00:13:51,904
is that he used his real name.
237
00:13:51,996 --> 00:13:56,056
- In retrospect,
yeah I feel terrible.
238
00:13:56,869 --> 00:13:57,579
- Come on, over here, ah.
239
00:13:57,675 --> 00:14:00,445
- I'm glad that I was
talked out of the fact
240
00:14:00,552 --> 00:14:02,412
that I wasn't gonna
put him on the show,
241
00:14:02,509 --> 00:14:05,169
because really having
put him on the show
242
00:14:05,272 --> 00:14:09,592
was instrumental in
having him be apprehended
243
00:14:09,685 --> 00:14:12,885
at one point in his vast career.
244
00:14:12,985 --> 00:14:17,505
- The original trial in
1980, he was convicted.
245
00:14:18,587 --> 00:14:21,477
So it goes to the penalty
phase after the guilt,
246
00:14:21,580 --> 00:14:24,190
and the jury comes back
with the death penalty.
247
00:14:25,302 --> 00:14:28,392
Once that happens, he's
transferred to San Quentin,
248
00:14:28,487 --> 00:14:30,497
lives on death row.
249
00:14:30,597 --> 00:14:34,677
In California a death penalty
is a automatic appeal,
250
00:14:34,779 --> 00:14:36,259
whether you want to
appeal it or not,
251
00:14:36,314 --> 00:14:37,334
it's an automatic appeal,
252
00:14:37,427 --> 00:14:40,167
and they have attorneys
that will handle that.
253
00:14:40,267 --> 00:14:43,757
It was determined that
during the penalty phase,
254
00:14:44,564 --> 00:14:46,234
an incorrect fact was given.
255
00:14:46,329 --> 00:14:48,029
When they talked
about the kidnapping,
256
00:14:48,133 --> 00:14:50,183
they talked about Robin
being sexually assaulted,
257
00:14:50,281 --> 00:14:51,521
and ultimately murdered.
258
00:14:51,624 --> 00:14:53,874
Well, because of the
condition of Robin's remains,
259
00:14:53,965 --> 00:14:56,665
there was no evidence
of a sexual assault.
260
00:14:56,766 --> 00:14:58,124
For that reason
it was overturned,
261
00:14:58,148 --> 00:15:01,038
and came back for
retrial in 1984.
262
00:15:01,141 --> 00:15:04,191
Went through that trial,
the jury again says guilty,
263
00:15:04,287 --> 00:15:06,737
and the jury again
says death penalty,
264
00:15:08,047 --> 00:15:11,587
which of course initiates
an automatic appeal.
265
00:15:11,693 --> 00:15:14,243
- And it gets set
aside again on appeal,
266
00:15:14,340 --> 00:15:17,730
and these appeals don't happen
in a month or two months.
267
00:15:17,832 --> 00:15:20,992
It's a very long period of time.
268
00:15:21,094 --> 00:15:24,104
- He avoids it twice,
the death penalty.
269
00:15:24,202 --> 00:15:28,672
It's frustrating for
everyone, from the police
270
00:15:28,768 --> 00:15:31,908
to the district attorney
to the families.
271
00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:34,080
He's still not out
running around,
272
00:15:34,140 --> 00:15:37,490
but he's not got
the death penalty,
273
00:15:37,593 --> 00:15:40,563
which he so
righteously deserves.
274
00:15:40,663 --> 00:15:43,733
Third time's the charm,
this time they get him.
275
00:15:47,455 --> 00:15:52,245
- When Alcala did his killings,
the ones that we know about,
276
00:15:52,673 --> 00:15:55,643
it was at a time where
the forensic technology
277
00:15:55,743 --> 00:15:57,143
was much simpler.
278
00:15:57,239 --> 00:15:59,669
You know, you had blood
types, fingerprints,
279
00:15:59,772 --> 00:16:02,232
that kind of thing,
you didn't have DNA.
280
00:16:03,187 --> 00:16:05,967
But by the time his actual big,
281
00:16:06,065 --> 00:16:08,935
final trial happened in 2010,
282
00:16:09,787 --> 00:16:14,577
we had developed DNA
forensic science,
283
00:16:15,159 --> 00:16:17,379
that was so good by that time,
284
00:16:18,190 --> 00:16:22,430
that the experts could go
back to those earrings,
285
00:16:22,526 --> 00:16:25,416
remember the earrings
found in the storage shed?
286
00:16:25,519 --> 00:16:27,489
And they could find
DNA from there.
287
00:16:27,591 --> 00:16:30,481
- We did DNA testing and we
didn't get any DNA on them.
288
00:16:30,584 --> 00:16:33,214
And that's common over
time for DNA to degrade,
289
00:16:33,308 --> 00:16:37,048
except for one little rose
earring, and we came back
290
00:16:37,145 --> 00:16:41,225
with 0.06 nanograms of
Charlotte Lamb's DNA.
291
00:16:41,328 --> 00:16:44,108
So Charlotte Lamb,
all those years later,
292
00:16:44,206 --> 00:16:46,096
essentially was in
that courtroom with us,
293
00:16:46,201 --> 00:16:48,021
a tiny little
piece of her saying
294
00:16:48,119 --> 00:16:50,049
that Rodney Alcala
takes trophies,
295
00:16:50,153 --> 00:16:52,203
that Rodney Alcala
took these earrings,
296
00:16:52,302 --> 00:16:54,432
and Rodney Alcala kept them
in that little silk pouch
297
00:16:54,527 --> 00:16:56,447
that was recovered in
the storage locker.
298
00:16:56,983 --> 00:17:00,413
- With that DNA evidence,
they were able to create
299
00:17:00,513 --> 00:17:04,983
a much more detailed
map of his killings.
300
00:17:05,080 --> 00:17:07,780
- Jill Barcom, that was
found in the Hollywood Hills,
301
00:17:07,881 --> 00:17:11,931
that had been sexually
assaulted, strangled and posed.
302
00:17:12,025 --> 00:17:14,455
Charlotte Lamb, that was
found in the washroom
303
00:17:14,557 --> 00:17:17,797
of an apartment building,
strangled and posed.
304
00:17:17,895 --> 00:17:21,285
Georgia Wixted murdered in
Malibu, in Los Angeles County.
305
00:17:21,387 --> 00:17:25,697
And then of course Jill
Parenteau, strangled and posed.
306
00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:28,310
They were all
connected at that time.
307
00:17:28,409 --> 00:17:30,339
- This is when they discover
308
00:17:30,443 --> 00:17:32,403
that they've got
a serial killer.
309
00:17:33,282 --> 00:17:36,372
They only knew for a while
that they had a child killer.
310
00:17:36,467 --> 00:17:39,497
- Oh fuck, a serial killer?
311
00:17:40,304 --> 00:17:42,704
You knew he was creepy,
312
00:17:42,798 --> 00:17:44,498
but you didn't think
he was that creepy.
313
00:17:44,602 --> 00:17:48,222
- It was a whole different
trial than the first two,
314
00:17:48,324 --> 00:17:51,454
because they can really,
really put the screws to him,
315
00:17:51,547 --> 00:17:56,437
because they can prove that
with physical evidence,
316
00:17:56,535 --> 00:17:57,535
that he was there.
317
00:17:57,610 --> 00:18:01,920
His DNA is on things, the
victim's DNA is on things.
318
00:18:02,022 --> 00:18:03,942
There's no way out of that.
319
00:18:06,819 --> 00:18:11,169
- After 30 years in
prison, studying law books,
320
00:18:11,270 --> 00:18:16,040
reading about cases,
somehow Alcala got the idea
321
00:18:16,143 --> 00:18:19,653
that he would be
his own best lawyer,
322
00:18:19,750 --> 00:18:21,150
even though he
didn't have any kind
323
00:18:21,208 --> 00:18:24,868
of a formal legal education.
324
00:18:24,968 --> 00:18:29,768
- The most difficult time of
that trial was number one,
325
00:18:30,187 --> 00:18:33,267
looking through the autopsy
and crime scene photographs
326
00:18:33,372 --> 00:18:36,192
with Rodney, to determine
what evidence would go in,
327
00:18:36,288 --> 00:18:38,608
and just have to sit
with him and watch him
328
00:18:38,705 --> 00:18:42,845
look at the destruction
of his work,
329
00:18:43,885 --> 00:18:47,505
the brutality of what he
had done to these victims,
330
00:18:47,607 --> 00:18:51,537
and know that he is gaining
pleasure a second time
331
00:18:51,636 --> 00:18:55,716
outta looking at these photos
of, and probably reliving
332
00:18:55,819 --> 00:19:00,399
the assaults, and
whatever maniacal pleasure
333
00:19:00,500 --> 00:19:03,360
he got out of
assaulting those women,
334
00:19:03,455 --> 00:19:05,485
was very difficult
to sit through.
335
00:19:06,678 --> 00:19:09,108
And then to have Rodney
Alcala cross-examine
336
00:19:09,210 --> 00:19:12,140
Robin Samsoe's mother,
after she had lived through
337
00:19:12,242 --> 00:19:14,832
two other trials and 30 years
338
00:19:14,928 --> 00:19:17,968
of watching him slip
through justice.
339
00:19:18,074 --> 00:19:21,974
And then he, at this point
gets to ask her questions,
340
00:19:22,065 --> 00:19:24,795
that he gets to ask
questions of Tally Shapiro,
341
00:19:24,904 --> 00:19:28,184
who as an adult, who was,
he raped at eight years old.
342
00:19:28,281 --> 00:19:30,641
Again, unconscionable.
343
00:19:30,737 --> 00:19:34,967
These just, there are no words
to describe how disturbing
344
00:19:35,073 --> 00:19:39,723
and uncomfortable and
unfair that all felt.
345
00:19:45,241 --> 00:19:47,061
During a
two-hour, often rambling
346
00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:48,980
closing argument
Monday afternoon,
347
00:19:49,078 --> 00:19:51,428
accused serial
killer Rodney Alcala,
348
00:19:51,534 --> 00:19:53,934
who is defending himself
in the death penalty trial,
349
00:19:54,028 --> 00:19:57,108
sat at the counsel table and
spoke in a dull monotone.
350
00:19:57,213 --> 00:20:00,033
Alcala could not make his
laptop computer project
351
00:20:00,129 --> 00:20:02,829
on the large courtroom
screen, and he often scrambled
352
00:20:02,930 --> 00:20:04,940
to find photos and
other exhibits.
353
00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:07,010
- I was alone in the courtroom
354
00:20:07,113 --> 00:20:10,933
with Rodney Alcala right there,
and the judge in his seat,
355
00:20:11,026 --> 00:20:13,566
and an empty courtroom,
which was creepy as heck.
356
00:20:13,674 --> 00:20:14,954
It's just like, why in the world
357
00:20:15,017 --> 00:20:16,937
would somebody do
that to somebody?
358
00:20:18,279 --> 00:20:20,369
I mean, that's
just unforgivable.
359
00:20:20,466 --> 00:20:22,606
- I sat behind him
in the courtroom,
360
00:20:23,766 --> 00:20:26,116
and it's amazing
361
00:20:26,221 --> 00:20:27,961
what you think of when
you're sitting there.
362
00:20:28,063 --> 00:20:30,043
I mean, you know
those little cartoons
363
00:20:30,135 --> 00:20:32,335
with the bubble over their head?
364
00:20:32,438 --> 00:20:34,025
And I had a bottle of
water and I kept thinking,
365
00:20:34,049 --> 00:20:35,749
what if I just whipped
this at his head?
366
00:20:35,853 --> 00:20:38,323
And you know, I knew
you'd get in trouble,
367
00:20:38,423 --> 00:20:40,203
but these little
bubbles, you know,
368
00:20:40,304 --> 00:20:44,624
kept like appearing, and just
kept thinking these things.
369
00:20:44,716 --> 00:20:47,526
And then when my
mom had to testify
370
00:20:47,633 --> 00:20:49,823
with him cross-examining her,
371
00:20:51,470 --> 00:20:53,400
just like my heart
was ripped out.
372
00:20:53,503 --> 00:20:57,923
'Cause no person
ever should have to
373
00:20:59,029 --> 00:21:01,689
be subjected to that.
374
00:21:01,792 --> 00:21:03,417
Alcala spent
some of his argument
375
00:21:03,441 --> 00:21:06,101
attacking the credibility
of Maryanne Connolly,
376
00:21:06,204 --> 00:21:08,334
12-year-old Robin,
Samsoe's mother.
377
00:21:08,430 --> 00:21:11,820
Alcala claimed Connolly,
who he refers to as Frazier,
378
00:21:11,922 --> 00:21:14,282
Connolly's previous
name, made up a story
379
00:21:14,377 --> 00:21:16,457
about her daughter's earrings
being the same earrings
380
00:21:16,526 --> 00:21:18,606
that were found in the
Seattle storage locker,
381
00:21:18,713 --> 00:21:20,193
rented in Alcala's name.
382
00:21:20,286 --> 00:21:24,596
- No testimony from anyone
other than Mrs. Frazier,
383
00:21:24,699 --> 00:21:26,619
that Robin's ears were pierced.
384
00:21:27,807 --> 00:21:30,817
None of her friends
were aware of that.
385
00:21:30,915 --> 00:21:33,615
They were unaware of
her wearing earrings.
386
00:21:33,716 --> 00:21:37,986
And Mrs. Frazier
387
00:21:38,091 --> 00:21:40,981
had plenty of opportunity
to provide you,
388
00:21:41,084 --> 00:21:45,174
the jury, with a picture
of Robin wearing earrings.
389
00:21:45,266 --> 00:21:47,086
- He never showed
any sign of remorse.
390
00:21:47,185 --> 00:21:48,695
He's incapable of
feeling remorse.
391
00:21:48,796 --> 00:21:53,296
If he tried to express
remorse, it would've been fake.
392
00:21:53,401 --> 00:21:56,331
No, this is a guy who
did this on purpose,
393
00:21:56,432 --> 00:21:57,332
over, and over again.
394
00:21:57,430 --> 00:22:00,020
There's no remorse, there's
no human connection there,
395
00:22:00,116 --> 00:22:01,816
because I don't
think Rodney Alcala
396
00:22:01,919 --> 00:22:03,389
ever actually had a soul.
397
00:22:03,492 --> 00:22:07,192
- Alcala actually cross-examined
himself as a witness,
398
00:22:07,291 --> 00:22:11,451
and went so far as to
use different voices.
399
00:22:11,550 --> 00:22:15,060
He would use one voice
as the defense lawyer,
400
00:22:15,157 --> 00:22:17,737
and then he would use
another voice as himself
401
00:22:17,843 --> 00:22:19,763
answering his own questions.
402
00:22:20,414 --> 00:22:24,114
- He would first assume
the voice of an attorney,
403
00:22:24,213 --> 00:22:27,223
and he was very stern,
and he was very correct.
404
00:22:27,321 --> 00:22:30,291
And then, then he would
assume the personality
405
00:22:30,391 --> 00:22:33,251
of Rodney Alcala, and
he would answer, "No."
406
00:22:33,345 --> 00:22:35,815
And he was charming
and delightful.
407
00:22:35,916 --> 00:22:39,496
He put on a show for five hours
408
00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:42,840
that was absolutely astounding.
409
00:22:42,938 --> 00:22:45,638
- For some reason, still
I don't think anyone
410
00:22:45,739 --> 00:22:48,559
can really quite
grasp the why of it,
411
00:22:48,655 --> 00:22:52,545
he plays a portion of
412
00:22:52,646 --> 00:22:55,186
a song "Alice's Restaurant",
413
00:22:55,294 --> 00:22:57,154
and he plays the portion where,
414
00:22:57,250 --> 00:22:59,340
it's reflective of
the Vietnam War.
415
00:22:59,438 --> 00:23:00,638
That's when the song came out,
416
00:23:00,704 --> 00:23:04,174
it was a whole different context
than Rodney Alcala gave it.
417
00:23:04,272 --> 00:23:07,132
But he plays a portion of it
where it says, I wanna kill.
418
00:23:07,227 --> 00:23:09,967
I wanna feel dead bodies, I
wanna feel veins in my teeth.
419
00:23:10,066 --> 00:23:11,956
You know, kill, kill, kill.
420
00:23:12,062 --> 00:23:15,452
Now how that was supposed
to make the jury feel,
421
00:23:15,554 --> 00:23:18,914
or the judge, or anyone
in the courtroom feel,
422
00:23:19,007 --> 00:23:22,167
I don't know what he
was going for there.
423
00:23:22,269 --> 00:23:24,589
I wanna kill,
I wanna, I wanna kill.
424
00:23:24,686 --> 00:23:27,916
I wanna see blood and gore and
guts, and veins in my teeth.
425
00:23:28,024 --> 00:23:29,734
Eat dead, burnt bodies,
426
00:23:29,828 --> 00:23:32,718
I mean kill, kill, kill, kill.
427
00:23:32,821 --> 00:23:36,671
- That jury understood that
the pain and the suffering
428
00:23:36,773 --> 00:23:38,903
that were wreaked upon
all of these families
429
00:23:38,998 --> 00:23:40,888
and all of these people
by Rodney Alcala,
430
00:23:40,994 --> 00:23:44,224
and he plays them
a frigging song?
431
00:23:45,061 --> 00:23:48,451
I knew them, I knew they
would be outraged by it,
432
00:23:48,553 --> 00:23:50,263
and I knew I had
him at that moment.
433
00:23:56,265 --> 00:23:57,865
The
families of the victims
434
00:23:57,954 --> 00:24:00,544
had harsh words for
the serial killer.
435
00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:02,730
- Most people who are
opposed to the death penalty
436
00:24:02,827 --> 00:24:04,747
have never had a
reason to use it.
437
00:24:05,474 --> 00:24:08,754
Rodney James Alcala is a reason
to use the death penalty.
438
00:24:08,851 --> 00:24:10,671
- I wish he would
experience the terror
439
00:24:10,770 --> 00:24:12,700
He put his victims through.
440
00:24:12,803 --> 00:24:16,043
He is truly a devil, he does
not belong on this Earth.
441
00:24:16,142 --> 00:24:18,272
- I think lethal injection
is far too humane
442
00:24:18,367 --> 00:24:20,647
for anyone like him.
443
00:24:20,746 --> 00:24:22,216
I only wish that
I could be the one
444
00:24:22,319 --> 00:24:24,409
to administrate the injection.
445
00:24:24,507 --> 00:24:25,707
- There's murder and rape,
446
00:24:25,811 --> 00:24:27,211
and there's the
unequivocal carnage
447
00:24:27,269 --> 00:24:29,659
of a Rodney Alcala-style
murder and rape.
448
00:24:29,763 --> 00:24:33,193
- Mr. Alcala, I
suspect it's a blessing
449
00:24:33,294 --> 00:24:36,524
that your mother is not
here today to witness this.
450
00:24:37,323 --> 00:24:40,123
I feel sure she died
with a broken heart.
451
00:24:52,441 --> 00:24:55,991
- We were already looking at
him in Manhattan at that point,
452
00:24:56,086 --> 00:24:58,896
but we couldn't bring
him to Manhattan
453
00:24:59,002 --> 00:25:01,932
until his California
case was concluded.
454
00:25:02,034 --> 00:25:05,274
What we were mostly
concerned with was,
455
00:25:05,372 --> 00:25:09,112
what similarities can we
find in the California cases
456
00:25:09,209 --> 00:25:14,019
that could help bolster
our case by showing
457
00:25:14,121 --> 00:25:17,591
that he is the one who has
this distinctive method,
458
00:25:17,689 --> 00:25:19,199
and use that to help show that
459
00:25:19,301 --> 00:25:21,161
that's what he did in our cases.
460
00:25:21,258 --> 00:25:25,568
Cornelia Crilley was bound,
she was sexually assaulted.
461
00:25:25,670 --> 00:25:27,800
She had blunt force
trauma to her head.
462
00:25:27,896 --> 00:25:30,016
She was the victim of
ligature strangulation
463
00:25:30,121 --> 00:25:34,321
with her pantyhose, and she
had a bite mark on her breast.
464
00:25:34,419 --> 00:25:39,219
Many of the California
victims had the same thing.
465
00:25:39,791 --> 00:25:42,301
- When I was looking at
the Ellen Hover murder,
466
00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:45,410
I had gone to Tarrytown
to get their files,
467
00:25:45,508 --> 00:25:48,398
and talked to the
prosecution office up there.
468
00:25:48,501 --> 00:25:50,321
There's another woman
that I've interviewed.
469
00:25:50,420 --> 00:25:52,850
Rodney Alcala took her
to the same exact area,
470
00:25:52,952 --> 00:25:54,162
tried to sexually assault her,
471
00:25:54,257 --> 00:25:56,517
and then he tried to kill
her, and she escaped.
472
00:25:58,324 --> 00:26:02,524
The Crilley case was unique
because the big key is,
473
00:26:02,622 --> 00:26:04,362
I knew Rodney Alcala
was in that apartment,
474
00:26:04,464 --> 00:26:07,424
because he left his
fingerprints on her mail.
475
00:26:08,224 --> 00:26:11,564
That puts him inside her
apartment on that day.
476
00:26:13,404 --> 00:26:16,414
The other big piece
is that dental bite,
477
00:26:16,512 --> 00:26:20,482
that I brought to
a forensic dentist
478
00:26:20,580 --> 00:26:22,480
who is proficient
in comparisons.
479
00:26:22,575 --> 00:26:27,365
And he says, if you can get
a mold of his full bite mark,
480
00:26:28,215 --> 00:26:31,755
I can tell you if you
have, I can make a match,
481
00:26:31,861 --> 00:26:34,521
or I can tell you if
you have the right guy.
482
00:26:34,623 --> 00:26:37,233
So I go to California
and I get a court order,
483
00:26:38,038 --> 00:26:41,488
and we were able to get a
dental mold of Rodney Alcala.
484
00:26:42,336 --> 00:26:44,036
- The dental
impression was given
485
00:26:44,139 --> 00:26:48,259
to a forensic dental expert,
so that he could match
486
00:26:48,360 --> 00:26:50,950
the impressions
to the bite marks
487
00:26:51,046 --> 00:26:53,656
that were left on the young
lady, they were a match.
488
00:26:58,682 --> 00:27:01,732
- We presented our evidence
to the grand jury in 2011,
489
00:27:01,829 --> 00:27:04,839
and he was indicted for
the murder of Ellen Hover,
490
00:27:04,937 --> 00:27:07,597
and he was indicted for the
murder of Cornelia Crilley.
491
00:27:07,699 --> 00:27:11,779
We then start the extradition
process, which he fought.
492
00:27:11,882 --> 00:27:14,582
- That old children's nursing
rhyme, "Catch Me if You Can",
493
00:27:14,683 --> 00:27:18,693
that's the person that he
is, a narcissistic scumbag.
494
00:27:18,789 --> 00:27:22,029
We went out there to go
get him out of San Quentin.
495
00:27:22,127 --> 00:27:24,707
When they brought him
into room with us,
496
00:27:24,813 --> 00:27:29,203
he had on his prison jumpsuit,
and we will not take anyone
497
00:27:29,302 --> 00:27:31,622
from someone else
without searching him.
498
00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:33,580
I go, I need you to
take off that jumpsuit.
499
00:27:33,677 --> 00:27:34,497
He said, "Why?"
500
00:27:34,598 --> 00:27:36,948
I said, "Because you
can't get in our car
501
00:27:37,053 --> 00:27:40,293
dressed like that
without being searched."
502
00:27:40,392 --> 00:27:42,902
So when he takes
off the jumpsuit,
503
00:27:43,001 --> 00:27:43,861
we're all standing there
504
00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:48,930
but he's kinda being guarded
and he's shying from us.
505
00:27:49,025 --> 00:27:51,265
And we're like, figuring
it's a little bit of modesty
506
00:27:51,366 --> 00:27:54,106
or whatever, but then we're
like, yo, turn around.
507
00:27:54,205 --> 00:27:56,785
When he turns around, we see,
508
00:27:56,891 --> 00:27:58,891
it looks like he
has a catheter in,
509
00:28:00,537 --> 00:28:03,887
and clearly it's a
catheter that wasn't done
510
00:28:03,990 --> 00:28:05,200
by a doctor or a nurse.
511
00:28:05,295 --> 00:28:07,495
It wasn't a medically
done catheter,
512
00:28:07,597 --> 00:28:09,107
because it's duct taped.
513
00:28:09,208 --> 00:28:09,908
We're like, what is that?
514
00:28:10,014 --> 00:28:12,684
He goes, oh, oh, the doctor
prescribed this for me
515
00:28:12,777 --> 00:28:15,207
because I'm in incontinent,
and when I'm on long trips,
516
00:28:15,309 --> 00:28:17,127
I figure 'cause you guys are
flying me back to New York,
517
00:28:17,151 --> 00:28:19,621
you won't let me use the
bathroom on the plane.
518
00:28:19,722 --> 00:28:21,041
So if I gotta go
to the bathroom,
519
00:28:21,065 --> 00:28:22,645
I can just go to the bathroom.
520
00:28:22,753 --> 00:28:25,113
So we all kinda like,
looked at each other.
521
00:28:25,209 --> 00:28:27,909
Like, what are you,
F-ing kidding me?
522
00:28:28,010 --> 00:28:29,560
And they peeled
the duct tape off.
523
00:28:29,660 --> 00:28:32,250
They pulled the tube that
he had stuck up him out,
524
00:28:32,346 --> 00:28:34,164
and took the bag off and
they threw it the garbage,
525
00:28:34,188 --> 00:28:36,808
and hey gave him
a paper jumpsuit
526
00:28:36,912 --> 00:28:39,382
with just a pair
of boxer shorts.
527
00:28:39,483 --> 00:28:42,023
And that's how we walked
him outta the jail.
528
00:28:42,860 --> 00:28:45,930
- We got him back in 2012.
529
00:28:47,733 --> 00:28:49,863
He made four court
appearances only,
530
00:28:49,959 --> 00:28:52,509
and on the fourth time he
came to court in Manhattan,
531
00:28:52,606 --> 00:28:55,076
he pleaded guilty
to both counts,
532
00:28:55,177 --> 00:28:58,717
and was sentenced,
in January of 2013,
533
00:28:58,822 --> 00:29:00,872
to 25 years to life.
534
00:29:00,971 --> 00:29:02,331
- He just said yes.
535
00:29:02,429 --> 00:29:04,209
He just, they asked if
he committed the murders
536
00:29:04,233 --> 00:29:06,403
and he said yes,
and it was stunning.
537
00:29:06,497 --> 00:29:10,117
After all those years of
denying it, he said yes.
538
00:29:10,219 --> 00:29:12,189
- I think he pled guilty
to the New York cases
539
00:29:12,291 --> 00:29:14,261
because he wanted to
come back to California
540
00:29:14,363 --> 00:29:18,063
and focus on his
death sentence appeal.
541
00:29:18,161 --> 00:29:20,331
And he knew that if
he pled guilty there,
542
00:29:20,425 --> 00:29:22,585
that they would ship
him back to California,
543
00:29:22,689 --> 00:29:24,159
where he was comfortable.
544
00:29:24,262 --> 00:29:26,242
He was comfortable
living in San Quentin.
545
00:29:26,335 --> 00:29:27,995
- Doing time in New
York is a lot harder
546
00:29:28,100 --> 00:29:30,020
than doing time in California.
547
00:29:30,364 --> 00:29:32,414
- It didn't matter to me
very much where he was.
548
00:29:32,512 --> 00:29:35,872
I just wanted to make
sure he never set foot
549
00:29:35,966 --> 00:29:37,166
as a free man again.
550
00:29:37,270 --> 00:29:38,780
- We knew that he was prolific.
551
00:29:38,882 --> 00:29:41,162
We knew that he had
many, many victims,
552
00:29:41,261 --> 00:29:42,851
but that was the
first word we had
553
00:29:42,949 --> 00:29:45,799
that he had actually
murdered people in New York.
554
00:29:45,904 --> 00:29:48,594
And then the next
thought after that is,
555
00:29:49,703 --> 00:29:52,733
oh my God, how many states
did he go to back then?
556
00:29:55,228 --> 00:29:57,238
Your next thought is horror.
557
00:29:57,338 --> 00:29:59,758
You know, how many women
did Rodney Alcala kill?
558
00:30:04,552 --> 00:30:06,452
- The storage unit in Seattle
559
00:30:06,548 --> 00:30:09,158
contained thousands of pictures.
560
00:30:10,653 --> 00:30:11,896
- You're looking at
these photographs
561
00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:14,240
and you're wondering,
are some of these people
562
00:30:14,337 --> 00:30:16,117
also his victim?
563
00:30:16,217 --> 00:30:19,257
- He traveled coast to
coast more than once,
564
00:30:19,364 --> 00:30:22,104
would stop off in
between, and he drove.
565
00:30:22,203 --> 00:30:24,483
You know, he had his little
motorcycle in his car.
566
00:30:24,582 --> 00:30:28,172
So what did he do in
the five or six days,
567
00:30:28,266 --> 00:30:29,926
and it probably took him more,
568
00:30:30,031 --> 00:30:32,301
to get from New
York to California?
569
00:30:33,254 --> 00:30:38,054
- After the trial in 2010,
the Orange County prosecutor
570
00:30:38,626 --> 00:30:43,476
and the detectives
decided to make public
571
00:30:43,576 --> 00:30:45,486
those photographs
of these women,
572
00:30:46,185 --> 00:30:49,185
thinking that maybe somebody
would say, that's my sister,
573
00:30:49,293 --> 00:30:50,923
and in fact that's
what happened.
574
00:30:59,116 --> 00:31:03,906
Christine Thornton had
disappeared in 1977,
575
00:31:04,526 --> 00:31:07,646
while on a trip to
Montana and in Wyoming.
576
00:31:07,750 --> 00:31:10,870
She was last seen in Wyoming,
577
00:31:10,973 --> 00:31:15,773
but her sister had no idea
whatever happened to her.
578
00:31:16,076 --> 00:31:19,236
The body had not,
at least no remains
579
00:31:19,338 --> 00:31:22,138
had been connected to
Christine Thornton.
580
00:31:23,137 --> 00:31:25,947
But because of a photograph
that was released
581
00:31:26,053 --> 00:31:29,163
after the 2010 trial,
582
00:31:30,197 --> 00:31:33,317
they noticed, that is Christine.
583
00:31:33,420 --> 00:31:36,700
And they looked, and
investigators figured out,
584
00:31:36,797 --> 00:31:38,787
oh, that background is Wyoming.
585
00:31:40,672 --> 00:31:44,372
And then they
realized that in 1982,
586
00:31:44,471 --> 00:31:49,271
skeletal remains of
a woman and an infant
587
00:31:49,651 --> 00:31:53,141
had been found on
a ranch in Wyoming.
588
00:31:54,371 --> 00:31:56,571
Well, Christine had
been six months pregnant
589
00:31:56,673 --> 00:31:58,593
when she disappeared.
590
00:32:00,817 --> 00:32:04,397
And then all of the forensic
evidence came together
591
00:32:04,501 --> 00:32:08,161
and connected the
disappearance and the murder
592
00:32:08,261 --> 00:32:11,181
of Christine Thornton
to Rodney Alcala.
593
00:32:14,861 --> 00:32:17,181
- To figure out that that's
who we were dealing with,
594
00:32:17,278 --> 00:32:20,398
or that's potentially
a suspect for our case,
595
00:32:20,501 --> 00:32:22,101
it was kind of
overwhelming at the time.
596
00:32:22,190 --> 00:32:24,890
'Cause I thought, this
is my first cold case,
597
00:32:24,991 --> 00:32:27,421
first homicide case so,
how do you go about this?
598
00:32:27,523 --> 00:32:29,463
So on top of the other
interviews we conducted,
599
00:32:29,557 --> 00:32:31,837
and just doing all the
follow up work that we did
600
00:32:31,936 --> 00:32:35,326
to find out who this guy was,
and what he was capable of
601
00:32:35,428 --> 00:32:37,058
or what he had been capable of,
602
00:32:37,155 --> 00:32:39,695
we decided to fly to California
603
00:32:39,802 --> 00:32:41,992
in September of 2016
to interview him.
604
00:32:43,985 --> 00:32:45,375
- Our initial
thought was that we
605
00:32:45,481 --> 00:32:47,071
were gonna be going
to San Quentin.
606
00:32:47,169 --> 00:32:51,829
And apparently he had had a
pacemaker, and so in order,
607
00:32:51,927 --> 00:32:53,784
when they put the pacemaker
in, his health started
608
00:32:53,808 --> 00:32:55,817
to deteriorate a little bit
more from my understanding,
609
00:32:55,841 --> 00:32:57,811
and that's why they
moved to Corcoran.
610
00:32:57,913 --> 00:33:00,583
So when we went to Corcoran,
it was a different type
611
00:33:00,676 --> 00:33:02,336
of atmosphere than
I was expecting.
612
00:33:02,441 --> 00:33:04,261
I was expecting that
we were gonna come in,
613
00:33:04,360 --> 00:33:06,330
and we were gonna be in
an interrogation room.
614
00:33:06,432 --> 00:33:07,674
We're gonna be in
an interview room,
615
00:33:07,698 --> 00:33:09,171
where we'd be able to
sit and interview him,
616
00:33:09,195 --> 00:33:10,895
and I'd be behind
a two-way mirror
617
00:33:10,998 --> 00:33:13,468
watching Detective
Sheaman interview him.
618
00:33:13,569 --> 00:33:16,349
- We walked in and there
he is laying on his bed.
619
00:33:16,447 --> 00:33:17,497
It was a hospital bed.
620
00:33:17,598 --> 00:33:18,988
It looked like a hospital room,
621
00:33:19,094 --> 00:33:24,024
but it was just this old
rundown room, metal doors,
622
00:33:24,121 --> 00:33:27,321
peach-colored paint, that's
peeling off the walls.
623
00:33:27,421 --> 00:33:29,121
- There's one window.
624
00:33:29,224 --> 00:33:31,934
Outside the window,
the view is of pipes,
625
00:33:32,025 --> 00:33:34,765
and I think maybe even been
a furnace or something,
626
00:33:34,865 --> 00:33:36,295
working into another building.
627
00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:39,600
And he wasn't even facing the
window, he was facing a wall.
628
00:33:39,700 --> 00:33:42,480
And while he was in there,
there was a fly that just,
629
00:33:42,577 --> 00:33:45,007
it was almost like sent
from Hera to torment,
630
00:33:45,110 --> 00:33:46,970
a gadfly sent to torment him.
631
00:33:47,067 --> 00:33:49,497
And it would just land on his
face and he'd brush it away.
632
00:33:49,599 --> 00:33:51,609
And it just land
again on his face.
633
00:33:51,710 --> 00:33:55,600
And his feet, once
I walked in there
634
00:33:55,700 --> 00:33:56,700
and I looked at his feet,
635
00:33:56,736 --> 00:33:59,206
'cause they were sticking up
from underneath the sheets.
636
00:33:59,307 --> 00:34:00,667
I knew he hadn't
been ambulatory.
637
00:34:00,765 --> 00:34:02,084
I knew he hadn't
been walking around,
638
00:34:02,108 --> 00:34:05,728
because as his foot was
sticking out, his big toe,
639
00:34:05,830 --> 00:34:06,958
the nail on his
big toe is probably
640
00:34:06,982 --> 00:34:09,882
about a good half
inch above the toe.
641
00:34:09,975 --> 00:34:12,405
And so I'm thinking, he
hasn't been moving much.
642
00:34:12,507 --> 00:34:13,941
- I guess I was
expecting Rodney Alcala,
643
00:34:13,965 --> 00:34:15,875
all the pictures
that I'd seen of him,
644
00:34:16,766 --> 00:34:18,236
everything I knew
about this guy.
645
00:34:18,339 --> 00:34:19,969
And I walked in, when I saw him,
646
00:34:20,066 --> 00:34:22,076
it actually made the
interview a lot easier,
647
00:34:22,177 --> 00:34:24,377
because I just walked in
and I thought, this is him.
648
00:34:24,479 --> 00:34:26,760
This is the guy that terrorized
California all those years
649
00:34:26,819 --> 00:34:28,739
back in the '60s and '70s.
650
00:34:31,616 --> 00:34:34,226
My name's Detective Sheaman,
my first name is Jeff.
651
00:34:35,300 --> 00:34:38,060
We came from Rock Springs,
Wyoming, it's a long ways.
652
00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:41,440
What do you know about Wyoming?
653
00:34:42,897 --> 00:34:45,057
I did not expect
that he was going
654
00:34:45,161 --> 00:34:47,961
to respond so readily
to the photographs.
655
00:34:49,804 --> 00:34:51,764
What can you tell
me about that area?
656
00:34:53,833 --> 00:34:55,753
It's part of my area.
657
00:34:56,749 --> 00:34:57,569
- It's what?
658
00:34:57,670 --> 00:34:58,750
Part of my area.
659
00:34:58,821 --> 00:35:00,741
- It's part of your area?
660
00:35:01,123 --> 00:35:03,313
Okay, and what do you
mean by part of your area?
661
00:35:04,692 --> 00:35:09,542
What I mean is
that, I've been to this area.
662
00:35:09,642 --> 00:35:11,582
- Okay.
663
00:35:11,675 --> 00:35:12,565
At first I didn't believe him.
664
00:35:12,673 --> 00:35:14,913
I thought, well it's sagebrush,
that could be anywhere.
665
00:35:15,014 --> 00:35:17,724
That could be Wyoming, it
could be Texas, you know?
666
00:35:17,815 --> 00:35:19,455
So I didn't really
think, I thought maybe
667
00:35:19,542 --> 00:35:21,712
he was just playing
a game with us.
668
00:35:21,805 --> 00:35:24,805
But then the more
pictures you showed him,
669
00:35:24,913 --> 00:35:27,583
you could tell that
it clicked with him.
670
00:35:27,676 --> 00:35:29,416
He remembered that area and he,
671
00:35:29,518 --> 00:35:31,838
I think it woke him
up a little bit.
672
00:35:31,935 --> 00:35:33,635
- As he started looking
at more pictures,
673
00:35:33,739 --> 00:35:36,019
and especially after
Detective Sheaman
674
00:35:36,118 --> 00:35:37,978
showed him the
picture of Christine,
675
00:35:38,075 --> 00:35:39,235
you could really start to see
676
00:35:39,303 --> 00:35:42,123
that he was going back in time.
677
00:35:42,219 --> 00:35:43,423
- Okay, I'm gonna
tell you three things
678
00:35:43,447 --> 00:35:45,367
I know about this photo, Rod.
679
00:35:47,476 --> 00:35:49,556
That's your
motorcycle, that's one.
680
00:35:49,663 --> 00:35:51,603
That is your car, that's two.
681
00:35:51,697 --> 00:35:53,847
And this photo, you
took that photo.
682
00:35:54,690 --> 00:35:56,240
That is your photograph.
683
00:35:56,340 --> 00:35:58,430
For several minutes,
I don't know how long,
684
00:35:58,527 --> 00:36:00,227
but we watched him
just take his finger
685
00:36:00,330 --> 00:36:05,130
and just trace Christine
on the picture,
686
00:36:05,664 --> 00:36:09,674
and focusing on her body.
687
00:36:09,769 --> 00:36:11,165
And he never touched
the motorcycle,
688
00:36:11,189 --> 00:36:13,319
it just was concentrating
on her body.
689
00:36:13,415 --> 00:36:15,225
And he ran his finger
down several times,
690
00:36:15,333 --> 00:36:17,273
and then he had the
picture on his lap,
691
00:36:17,367 --> 00:36:19,717
and he would start
tapping on the photograph.
692
00:36:19,823 --> 00:36:22,603
And we were just
waiting, we were waiting,
693
00:36:22,701 --> 00:36:24,441
try to see if he'd
provide any information.
694
00:36:24,542 --> 00:36:27,312
And I was pretty eager,
'cause I could tell
695
00:36:28,456 --> 00:36:30,616
just his actions, just the way
696
00:36:30,720 --> 00:36:33,960
he was acting at the
time, his eye movement.
697
00:36:34,058 --> 00:36:34,878
I mean, he closed his eyes
698
00:36:34,979 --> 00:36:36,909
and you could still
see his eyes moving.
699
00:36:37,013 --> 00:36:39,523
And I could tell that
he was reliving that.
700
00:36:39,622 --> 00:36:42,042
I think he relived that
whole moment at that point.
701
00:36:44,534 --> 00:36:46,164
I'm not asking if you
took that picture,
702
00:36:46,260 --> 00:36:46,970
'cause I know you did.
703
00:36:47,066 --> 00:36:49,226
I'm asking if you remember
taking that picture.
704
00:36:49,330 --> 00:36:51,230
Do you remember
taking that picture?
705
00:36:51,325 --> 00:36:52,025
Yes.
706
00:36:52,131 --> 00:36:52,841
- Okay.
707
00:36:52,937 --> 00:36:57,537
Now the question is, Mr. Alcala,
how did she end up dead?
708
00:36:58,961 --> 00:36:59,961
I'm not sure.
709
00:36:59,997 --> 00:37:01,917
- You're not sure?
710
00:37:02,376 --> 00:37:03,926
When we walked out of there,
711
00:37:04,026 --> 00:37:06,456
and after admitting
that, that's my area,
712
00:37:06,559 --> 00:37:08,719
his response with seeing
the picture of her,
713
00:37:08,823 --> 00:37:10,873
statements of being there,
714
00:37:10,972 --> 00:37:12,367
and admitting that
he took the picture,
715
00:37:12,391 --> 00:37:15,171
eventually was
all that we needed
716
00:37:15,269 --> 00:37:17,279
to finally place
him at the scene.
717
00:37:17,380 --> 00:37:18,740
Combined with all
the information
718
00:37:18,838 --> 00:37:20,538
that we gathered on
all the other murders,
719
00:37:20,641 --> 00:37:22,581
all the other homicides
that he committed,
720
00:37:22,675 --> 00:37:25,375
that we had enough to
charge first degree murder.
721
00:37:28,239 --> 00:37:30,289
A large part of me
wanted to extradite him.
722
00:37:30,387 --> 00:37:34,987
But when it got down to
it, he's on his deathbed.
723
00:37:36,680 --> 00:37:38,880
Why should he get a vacation?
724
00:37:38,983 --> 00:37:40,613
Why should he get a
trip out to Wyoming?
725
00:37:40,709 --> 00:37:41,609
He breathed our air once,
726
00:37:41,707 --> 00:37:43,103
he doesn't need to
breathe it again.
727
00:37:43,127 --> 00:37:45,057
Let him stay in that
room and let him,
728
00:37:45,160 --> 00:37:47,630
with that fly and his toenails,
729
00:37:47,731 --> 00:37:49,771
looking at the wall,
let him die there.
730
00:38:00,355 --> 00:38:04,165
- It wasn't justice
because he died peacefully.
731
00:38:04,269 --> 00:38:05,473
Justice would've
been if somebody
732
00:38:05,497 --> 00:38:07,417
was choking him as he died.
733
00:38:08,336 --> 00:38:11,706
And I think to this
day, I stand by that,
734
00:38:12,826 --> 00:38:15,826
because he was very
sanitized in a hospital,
735
00:38:15,934 --> 00:38:19,254
with doctors or
nurses, and he passed,
736
00:38:19,349 --> 00:38:20,749
and that's not justice.
737
00:38:20,845 --> 00:38:23,315
Hopefully he'll get
justice in the next world,
738
00:38:23,416 --> 00:38:25,806
'cause he certainly
didn't get it here.
739
00:38:25,910 --> 00:38:29,690
- The only one consolation
I really can say that I have
740
00:38:29,786 --> 00:38:30,946
throughout all of this is
741
00:38:31,052 --> 00:38:33,932
that my mom passed
away on July 24th.
742
00:38:34,889 --> 00:38:37,399
My mom's birthday
was on July 25th,
743
00:38:37,499 --> 00:38:40,089
and he died in between
those two days.
744
00:38:40,185 --> 00:38:45,145
And I feel that my mother's
probably dancing around,
745
00:38:45,250 --> 00:38:47,150
in heaven, doing cartwheels.
746
00:38:49,355 --> 00:38:53,395
- Though when I found out
that he died, I cried.
747
00:38:53,499 --> 00:38:56,809
I couldn't stop crying, I
was like, why am I not happy?
748
00:38:56,914 --> 00:38:58,894
I just could not stop crying.
749
00:38:58,986 --> 00:39:02,916
I just cried for all the evil
he brought into the world.
750
00:39:03,015 --> 00:39:05,925
I cried for Tali's
lost childhood,
751
00:39:06,968 --> 00:39:09,318
cried for the mess
of my own life,
752
00:39:09,423 --> 00:39:14,013
but mostly I cried
for all those women
753
00:39:14,105 --> 00:39:16,645
that'll never be
found somewhere,
754
00:39:16,752 --> 00:39:18,942
their parents that
still wait for them,
755
00:39:20,321 --> 00:39:22,241
and it's just a horrible thing.
756
00:39:22,738 --> 00:39:23,981
And every time I
thought about it,
757
00:39:24,005 --> 00:39:27,465
all I could do was cry, because
he died with that secret.
758
00:39:27,573 --> 00:39:29,203
To me you know,
759
00:39:29,300 --> 00:39:30,770
you could take that
dark thought of,
760
00:39:30,873 --> 00:39:35,453
each one of these photographs
represents a possible victim
761
00:39:35,554 --> 00:39:37,724
and how many more are out there?
762
00:39:37,818 --> 00:39:42,168
Christine's photo stands
out out of all of those.
763
00:39:42,269 --> 00:39:45,429
Here's this beautiful girl
in a bright yellow shirt
764
00:39:45,531 --> 00:39:48,691
with this pretty smile,
looking like she's having
765
00:39:48,792 --> 00:39:51,922
the best day, and
that stood out to me.
766
00:39:52,015 --> 00:39:53,641
And then you look at
all these other pictures
767
00:39:53,665 --> 00:39:56,405
and they're just a bunch of
other Christines out there.
768
00:39:56,505 --> 00:40:00,585
I just wonder to this day,
how many of those photographs
769
00:40:00,687 --> 00:40:03,307
represent somebody who's
not around anymore?
770
00:40:03,412 --> 00:40:07,532
- It's still coming
out of other girls,
771
00:40:07,633 --> 00:40:11,493
women have called my office,
at the time, my office,
772
00:40:11,585 --> 00:40:13,855
to say, how did you
get that photo of me?
773
00:40:13,964 --> 00:40:16,044
The man that took that
photo molested me.
774
00:40:17,072 --> 00:40:21,622
- I did find two
murders in New York
775
00:40:21,715 --> 00:40:23,915
That I believe
Rodney Alcala did.
776
00:40:24,017 --> 00:40:26,987
The witnesses describe
Alcala to a T, it's him.
777
00:40:27,087 --> 00:40:30,587
She's found with the
same type of Garrett knot
778
00:40:30,694 --> 00:40:32,824
and she's strangled
with her own hoisery.
779
00:40:32,919 --> 00:40:34,159
It's definitely him.
780
00:40:34,262 --> 00:40:36,202
- There was certainly a
second batch of photos
781
00:40:36,296 --> 00:40:37,116
that were never recovered.
782
00:40:37,217 --> 00:40:39,647
Maybe they're in the wall
someplace in his mother's house,
783
00:40:39,749 --> 00:40:41,449
were buried in a can someplace.
784
00:40:41,553 --> 00:40:42,718
I can't believe
that Rodney Alcala
785
00:40:42,742 --> 00:40:44,102
ever actually threw them away.
786
00:40:44,200 --> 00:40:46,900
But in that group of photos,
787
00:40:47,001 --> 00:40:50,431
there will be photographs of
Georgia Wixted, Charlotte Lamb,
788
00:40:50,532 --> 00:40:53,462
Jill Parenteau and
probably 50 other people
789
00:40:53,563 --> 00:40:55,483
that he murdered and
took pictures of.
790
00:41:00,969 --> 00:41:05,689
You know, if there's a hell,
I know where Rodney Alcala is.
60148
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.