Close encounter with a Serial Killer many years ago

[Beowulf]

Found this out only the other day after contacting a friend of mine whom I hadn't heard from since 1971.

The same year she and I went to the beach with whom we now believe was Rodney Alcala, the Dating Game killer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Uf95INZmWI

He is current in San Quentin, death row, for killing five California girls. They think he may have killed as many as 134 across the United States.

This is our conversation online, and how after just getting in touch with her she wrote me:

Linda: "What do you remember about the time we hitch-hiked to Fire Island? After we got to the beach, the guy who picked us up sent you off to the refreshment stand, which was quite a distance away. Tell me what you remember before I go on. Glad you got in touch"

ME: "Think I remember that he told us he was Eddie Rickenbacher's son. I told someone I knew this (a man in his late sixties) and he laughed and said that guy was really putting one over on you, Eddie Rickenbacher was a pilot in World war one and no way was this young guy his son!"

Linda: "There's a reason I want to see if you remember him before I finish. I'm not sure if he was the one you mentioned. Do you remember anything about the guy who drove us to the beach? You sat in the front and I was in the back. I think it may have been a convertible. He had a lot of photo equipment with him and said he was a student."

Me: "I don't remember him, really. I remember you were into photography and I think I remember you and he struck a chord with that, but it's real foggy.
The guy I remember was tall, dark and kind of ruggedly handsome, is that the same guy?"

Linda: "I'm pretty sure it was Rodney Alcala. We hitchhiked during the summer of 1971, which was exactly when he was in NYC."

Me: "Wow. No kidding. Wait a min, you mean, on this site it says he was the dating game killer, that guy?"

Linda: "He took pics of me and half-heartedly tried to rape me while you were gone. That's why I never forgot him. Years later I realized that all the details added up. I even spoke to the CA District Atty about 2 years ago and she said it was his m.o. He was only in NYC for a few months, and that was exactly when he picked us up. I think it was a weekday because there weren't many cars in the lot. He looked a lot better back then!"

Me: "Yes, I think I do remember him because, Linda, what I remember is he was kind of good looking and took an interest in you and yet, he kind of scared me, even at that time. I was so naïve to leave you alone. God! You never said anything to me did you?"

Linda: "The pics would have been of me walking on the beach. I don't seem to be in any of the published pics- I've looked.

I was pretty freaked out and never said anything to you. I think I felt responsible (and stupid). But we left when you got back. I think the snack bar may have been closed.

He didn't talk much at all during the car ride. And I was disappointed because he had a lot of photo equipment with him and said he was a photo student in NYC. He was probably quiet because he was figuring out how to separate us. As soon as he got us way down the beach, he gave you money and sent you off.

We didn't bring bathing suits because it was a little too early in the season and the water was cold. He wanted me to walk towards the beach naked, but I wouldn't do that.

We were young and naive. He could easily have killed us both!

There were some people down by the water, but we were much further back. I didn't know what to do because the wind and surf were loud enough to where I didn't think anyone would hear me. Plus, I remember thinking that I didn't want to embarrass him and get him angry. I just told him that he was nice looking and could get any girl. He was just laying on top of me.

I'm guessing he picked us up in May, strangled the girl in NYC in June, and by August he was in New Hampshire being arrested. And look at the first paragraph- he was studying film in NYC, just like he told us! The timeline is very tight around then."

http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/predators/rodney_alcala/3.html

Since then we have talked on the phone. Linda and I did not hitch rides, ever. I said to her we didn't do that, she said, no not really. Then I told her what I think I remember is we met this guy at a park or something, he spoke to us, charmingly and claimed he was Rickenbacker's son, trying to impress us (only we being young had no real idea of who that was). Then asked us if we wanted to go for a ride to the beach, Fire Island.

I'm wondering if he told us this story about being Rickenbacker's son to make us think he was someone we'd want to get to know better, impress us, even make us think maybe he had some money or something. Not sure.

It was off season, May. The snack bar would've been closed, he would've known this so he was sending me off waaay down the beach on a wild goose chase, so he could be alone with my friend. This is my summation.

Linda is sure we did not go back with him. She says she was so stunned and wouldn't have gotten back in the car with him. Neither of us can remember how we got back from Fire Island.

Thought I'd put it on here to see what anyone knows of Rodney Alcala. My friend believes he was in a convertible and we are trying to remember or find this out.

Also, Linda has not seen the pictures he took of her on the websites online. We think that they were not put up to 'identify this girl' because she said they were taken of her from the side and she was too uncomfortable to look at the camera, so they would not be very good for someone identifying anyone.

[Errata]

I guess if you really want to know, contact the police department who arrested him, and find out who has his pictures. They should be cataloged, and your friend can describe herself and the car and the surroundings and they can see if she is in he collection.

[Beowulf]

Yes, she is in the process of working with the D.A. on that, actually.

I sure would like confirmation.

[GUT]

G'Day Beowulf

Is she in any way traumatized by the event?

[Ginger]

Yes, she is in the process of working with the D.A. on that, actually.

I sure would like confirmation.

I'm not too sure if I'd really want to know for certain.

[Beowulf]

G'Day Beowulf

Is she in any way traumatized by the event?

I actually think it took her years to be able to speak of it. When it happened she never mentioned it to me. We hadn't spoken till really about 5 days ago since we went our separate ways after college, where we met.

I think it has shook her to the core.

She was always a trusting, compassionate girl. I, on the other hand was raised to be mistrustful of strange friendly men, (mom's input) and I do remember being very uncomfortable with the whole affair, but as I was so young went along with it for my friends sake. When she told me about it I was stunned and in a state of shock over it for days, because I DO remember that face. He looked at me like a caged wolf.

[GUT]

G'Day Beowulf

I guess someone trying to rape you would do that to anyone. What I was really wondering is do you think her realising now that it was not just an attempted rape but perhaps a brush with a Serial Killer had made it even worse?

[Beowulf]

G'Day Beowulf

I guess someone trying to rape you would do that to anyone. What I was really wondering is do you think her realising now that it was not just an attempted rape but perhaps a brush with a Serial Killer had made it even worse?

Oh, yes. That is what she is reacting to. A post traumatic stress reaction, only very 'post'.

Her experience, I can tell, really has affected her. While we were talking on the third phone call she suddenly nervously laughed. I said 'what?' she said, 'you know, he never kissed me'. They say, you know, those guys never 'kiss'.

It made it clear to her what was going on, really. The attempt at sex was not romantic in nature. To her innocent young mind back then she must've thought his behavior reflected some sort of desire for HER as a pretty girl, in a normal, flattering way. Thinking his behavior was an uncontrolled response out of some sort of hasty male behavior. She was unable to comprehend that heinous mind.

I pointed out to her on the sites about him how sadistic and brutal he was. There are photos they will not show of his tortured victims. She said she did not know that. She sounded severely shocked at my statement. I thought, how could you not know? You're the one who read up on him. I think she must have blocked that from her own mind.

She's still processing. She began to suspect he was the guy we met when she saw a news story about him being sentenced, I think in 2011. At that point she read a bit about him or recognized his pic and things fell into place for her. He wasn't in NY long. His car had so much photo equipment only one could sit in the back seat, which is why I sat in the front.

She was an amateur photographer. She was pursuing it in school at the time. She asked him about his camera, his photography. She said he wouldn't talk about it. It took me to the third conversation to realize, hey, here in the back seat may have been in those cameras photos of victims, trophies. Here was a potential victim asking about it. No wonder he didn't want to talk about it. He had mentioned to her he was a student of photography in Manhattan. In the Alcala bio it says he was going to NYU (Manhattan)and had taken a class under Roman Polanski.

She couldn't remember if it happened in 71 or 72 and I told her I never graduated Farmingdale College, as my father moved us to Az at the end of the first year of my going there. She then knew it was 71, the time he was in NY.

[GUT]

G'Day Beowulf

I hope you can encourage her to get some help to recover from what she must be going through.

[Beowulf]

She told me she already has someone she sees from time to time about some other matter. I'm sure this is on the plate.

Nice thought, thank you