Rodney James alkala also known as The Dating Game Killer was an American serial killer and rapist active primarily in the 1970s alcala's criminal career began in 1968 when he kidnapped and assaulted an 8-year-old girl but he fled and evaded capture for years the dating game in 1978 where he won a date with a contestant who later declined to go out with him sensing something off about him alala was arrested in 197 79 and after numerous trials and appeals he was sentenced to death in California he died of natural causes on July 24th 2021 while awaiting execution