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More Women Identified From Serial Killer's Photo Collection
Courtesy OC District Atorney's Office
Police found over 1,000 photographs of girls and young women inside the storage locker of Rodney Alcala when he was arrested for the 1979 murder of Huntington Beach teenager Robin Samsoe, reports the Daily News . Now the authorities have released some of the images , many of which are of nude girls and children, and the process of identifying who is in the photos--and if they were possibly victims of Alcala has begun.
The police have fielded over 400 calls in the week since the photos went public. As of now, "nine women have been identified through the photos so far, and all of them are alive," including one woman who lived down the street from Alcala at the time he killed Samsoe, who recalls feeling delighted as a teen to have a professional photographer want to take her picture.
Although many of the images are viewable on the OC County District Attorney's website , the authorities haven't made all of Alcala's collection available: "Detectives have withheld about 900 pictures because they are too sexually explicit, while others have been cropped for release." Alcala was convicted last month for 5 murders.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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