I Survived a Serial Killer Season 1 Episode 10 The Dating Game Killer
- TV14
- February 18, 2022
- 21 min
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(8)
The Dating Game Killer was a notorious serial killer who operated in the 1970s, preying on young women who appeared on the popular television show "The Dating Game." In this episode of I Survived a Serial Killer, we meet three women who narrowly escaped the clutches of this depraved murderer.
First, we hear the story of Cheryl Bradshaw, who appeared on "The Dating Game" in 1978 and actually picked the man who would later be revealed as the Dating Game Killer: Rodney Alcala. After the show, Alcala lured Bradshaw to an apartment where he took photographs of her and brutally attacked her. Bradshaw managed to fight him off and get away, but not before he had traumatized her for life.
Next, we meet Mary Ann Hanna, who was working as a flight attendant at the time she was attacked. Alcala had followed her from New York to Hollywood and had been stalking her for days. One night, Hanna returned to her hotel room to find Alcala waiting for her. He threatened her with a knife and then proceeded to sexually assault her. Miraculously, Hanna was able to talk Alcala into dropping his guard long enough for her to escape.
Finally, we hear from Tali Shapiro, who was just eight years old when Alcala abducted her as she walked to school. He took her to his apartment and brutally assaulted her, leaving her for dead. Fortunately, Shapiro was found by a passerby who called the police, and Alcala was arrested and ultimately convicted for the crime.
Throughout the episode, we hear firsthand accounts from these women as they describe the harrowing moments when they realized they were in the presence of a monster. Their stories are chilling and powerful, and their resilience in the face of such trauma is truly inspiring.
At the end of the episode, we learn more about Alcala's history and how he was ultimately caught and brought to justice. Through interviews with law enforcement officials and experts on serial killers, we get a deeper understanding of the twisted mind of someone like Alcala and the devastating impact he had on his victims.