The ‘Dating Game killer’ Rodney Alcala had been diagnosed with a rare condition – a trait shared with fellow infamous serial killers such as John Wayne Gacy and Ted Bundy.
The story of Rodney Alcala is currently back in public consciousness once again, thanks to Anna Kendrick’s new Netflix film Woman of the Hour.
The film follows Alcala’s story, most notably his appearance on The Dating Game in 1978 which saw him ‘win’ a date with contestant Cheryl Bradshaw.
While the film made several changes from the real-life case – not notably the date between Alcala and Bradshaw – Woman of the Hour manages to capture the disturbing nature of his crimes.
By the time Alcala made his appearance on The Dating Game he had already served two prison sentences, one for sexually assaulting and beating an eight-year-old girl and another for attacking a 13-year-old girl.
Alcala would go on to be convicted of eight murders, with a possibility of as many as 130 cold cases linked to his name.
Rodney Alcala appeared on The Dating Game after serving two prison sentences (ABC)
Alcala’s long history of behavioural issues can be traced back to his younger years, specifically to a diagnosis he received back in 1964.
He had enlisted in the United States Army at the age of 17 but struggled to adjust, resulting in several disciplinaries.
Alcala would ultimately suffer a breakdown, leading to him being discharged from the army as well as being diagnosed with anti-social personality disorder.
What is anti-social personality disorder?
Anti-social personality disorder (ASPD) is a rare condition which is estimated to impact between one and four percent of adults in the US.
Health experts aren’t completely sure what causes ASPD however it’s believed that genetics and traumatic childhood experiences may contribute to an individual developing the disorder.
Symptoms and severity can often vary from person to person, however being unable to experience empathy or remorse, struggling to follow the law and lacking guilt are common traits.
Alcala died in prison back in 2021 (Huntington Beach Police)
It’s also important to note that not every individual diagnosed with ASPD is violent or a killer, with most people with ASPD never killing another person.
However, the condition does allow individuals to act without feeling guilt or remorse towards an intended victim – making committing crimes easier.
Alcala wasn’t the only famous serial killer believed to have the condition either, with infamous names such as John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Bundy all being linked to ASPD.
Gacy has even been used as a case study in understanding the worst case scenario of someone with ASPD, with Donald W. Black’s book Bad Boys, Bad Men noting how many serial killer’s biographies have striking similarities to ASPD criteria.
