Alcala photos discussion thread - latest updates, news, questions

Kimster

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This thread is for general discussion. This might be for questions you have regarding the case or comments about the pictures in general, etc. It could also be about the generation in time that the photos were taken. Those are just some examples.

Please open a new thread for each picture discussed so we can easily keep a record of if they've been submitted, found, etc.

If you need a post from the original thread, which is now closed, let BeanE or I know the post # and to which thread you need the copy here: New forum ideas - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community



Thanks so much! You all are amazing!!! :grouphug:
 
I wonder what prompted Alcala to take the photos in which he just photographed a girl and then let her go? Was he attracted to a certain type (although there appears to be a wide variety of girls photographed)? Was he thinking that he might photograph a girl, then get her later? Did he just want a lot of pictures of pretty girls? What about the photos that appeared to be more discreet, like the beach family, and the little children -- the ones that seemed to be shot while he was out and about, without the subject's knowledge or permission?
 
I've thought about that as well and think that perhaps he didn't have the opportunity in some of them. The girl with the purple bellbottoms was walking down the street, for example, and perhaps there were a lot of people around. He may have just decided to "capture" her on film.
 
I am hoping someone with better investigating skills than I can help me out here...

I was reading about the "Hillside Stranglers" last night and noticed that Jill Barcomb and Kathleen Robinson were both originally suspected to have been Strangler victims but were removed from the list. For a while a man named Peter Mark Jones was suspected of killing both women but there was never enough evidence for a conviction (here's some info here on Mark Jones' "CrimeSpace" page: http://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MarkJones.

It is now known that Jill Barcomb was, in fact, a victim of Rodney Alcala but I'm not able to find anything else about Kathleen Robinson. I was hoping to find a photo or something for comparison to Alcala's stash of photos, but the only descriptors I can find are that she was blond and was last seen on November 17, 1977 at a beach near Santa Monica. Any ideas?
 
Generally speaking, there is nothing "artistic" in any of these photos. His photos are horrible! The backgrounds are full of clutter and really messy, rug with trash all in it, etc...proving to me that his camera was nothing more than a prop that he used to lure people into his trap. He had no talent or "eye" for photography whatsoever.
 
Generally speaking, there is nothing "artistic" in any of these photos. His photos are horrible! The backgrounds are full of clutter and really messy, rug with trash all in it, etc...proving to me that his camera was nothing more than a prop that he used to lure people into his trap. He had no talent or "eye" for photography whatsoever.

Yes, first thing I noticed was how bad the photography was. He certainly could not make a living taking pictures. It was only a prop to gain access to his victims.
 
I am hoping someone with better investigating skills than I can help me out here...

I was reading about the "Hillside Stranglers" last night and noticed that Jill Barcomb and Kathleen Robinson were both originally suspected to have been Strangler victims but were removed from the list. For a while a man named Peter Mark Jones was suspected of killing both women but there was never enough evidence for a conviction (here's some info here on Mark Jones' "CrimeSpace" page: http://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MarkJones.

It is now known that Jill Barcomb was, in fact, a victim of Rodney Alcala but I'm not able to find anything else about Kathleen Robinson. I was hoping to find a photo or something for comparison to Alcala's stash of photos, but the only descriptors I can find are that she was blond and was last seen on November 17, 1977 at a beach near Santa Monica. Any ideas?

It is interesting to note that the Hillside victims were linked by similarity of strangling technique and posing of bodies. If Jill Barcomb is proven by DNA to be a Alcala victim could it not be possible that Alcala was the Hillside strangler? There were always questions about whether Bianca killed all the victims? I would check all the DNA from the cases if available.
 
I've been trying to follow this case as closely as possible but it's so active I may have missed some details. I've only read about confirmed IDs to women who are safe and living and not any to confirmed missing/dead women. Of course I know IDs are much faster to confirm when the subjects are living, so that may be the explanation right there. I also know many people are seeing injuries and faces that are drugged and pained. I've seen some people that certainly look like they may be under the influence but I'm not seeing the pain/trauma that some are.
That being said I started to wonder last night if taking photos of his victims "wasn't his thing". I think the more living victims that are found, the less likely it is that any of them are dead at his hand. I do think it needs to be investigated until everyone is accounted for though. Does that theory seem to make sense to anyone?
 
... I started to wonder last night if taking photos of his victims "wasn't his thing". I think the more living victims that are found, the less likely it is that any of them are dead at his hand. I do think it needs to be investigated until everyone is accounted for though. Does that theory seem to make sense to anyone?

His M.O. was to approach his victims under the pretext that he was a photographer. He took photos of Robin Samsoe before killing her, and the photo of Robin at the beach was among the collection. Of course, the photos of Robin and his other confirmed victims were not among those that are now being circulated.

L.E. believes that there are more unknown victims than those for whom he was convicted. It logically follows that they too, are among the photos found in the Seattle locker.

But I agree with you that the vast majority of these photos are probably not murder victims. He probably was smart enough to only strike under the right circumstances, and knew that it was not wise to strike at every opportunity. For example, he probably didn't kill his neighbor Liane Leedon because her death would have been easily traceable back to him.
 
I suspect he photgraphed an awful lot of people, and kept photos for a variety of reasons. In some cases they would have been trophies, in other cases objects of fantasy about what could have been, and in other cases to jog his memory about people who bought into his BS persona but it wasn't convenient to kill at the time. Didn't LE say some of the photos were prints that had names and addresses on the back?
 
Leeanne Leedom said he showed her some of his photo collection, including pictures of nude boys. I think those are probably likely to be alive. I wouldn't think that he'd have been likely to show photos of murder victims to anybody he wasn't about to kill shortly because it would have been dangerous for him if people recognized murder victims and missing persons in his collection. (I might be wrong though because who knows how a serial killer's mind works. It might be a secret thrill.)
 
I suspect he photgraphed an awful lot of people, and kept photos for a variety of reasons. In some cases they would have been trophies, in other cases objects of fantasy about what could have been, and in other cases to jog his memory about people who bought into his BS persona but it wasn't convenient to kill at the time. Didn't LE say some of the photos were prints that had names and addresses on the back?

He most likely asked the people for their name and addy's when he took the photographs as a promise to send them a copy. I'd actually had that done to me more than once back around that time. It was an easy time for predators to lure you in. Just my opinion. It was post-free love and all that. So some dude would ask to atek your photo or tell you that you were a model in waiting. Bam, and then you give your name and number and addy awaiting the big break.

Another reason for the names and addy's may have been he was trying to become a photographer. If he set anyone up with a real appointment they'd need names and numbers.

I'd give a million bucks to know where all the proofs or negatives are to all these photographs. Maybe some of these even are just proofs.

In other photographs I have to say these poor people know this guy is a nutter. They are posed so odd. Maybe at his direction? They are certainly not at ease IMO. Besides looking drugged some of these poor people just look straight up weirded out.

Prayers to anyone who suffered under this guy. I am so sorry for your fear and rotten luck.
 
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011445336_serialkiller26m.html

"California killer may be linked to Seattle slayings in 1970s

Seattle cold-case detectives are investigating whether a convicted killer in California is connected to the slayings here of two teens years ago." and

"A Seattle police detective now wonders whether similarities between Alcala's California victims and the slayings of Antionette "Tony" Witaker, 13, and Joyce Gaunt, 17, in Seattle could help solve two decades-old mysteries.

Seattle cold-case Detective Mike Ciesynski is requesting a DNA comparison between the two Seattle victims and Alcala to determine whether he can be ruled out as the killer.

The timing and circumstances around the Seattle slayings give Ciesynski reason to believe Alcala may be involved.

"Bottom line is, I have to go see him," said Ciesynski, referring to Alcala.

Meanwhile, King County sheriff's Detective Jake Pavlovich, who is also on the department's cold-case squad, plans to review some of the photos found in Alcala's Shoreline storage locker to see if they match any of its missing-persons cases, particularly that of Cherry Greenman, 19, who vanished from Waterville, Douglas County, in September 1976. The Sheriff's Office looked into her disappearance during the investigation into Green River serial killer Gary L. Ridgway but failed to find a link, Pavlovich said." <snipped>

Lots more at link! Let us know on the housekeeping thread if this information needs to be updated on the Timeline. It's really late and the task side of my brain has shut down for the night. :eek:

There's a LOT more at this link. Also, it is posted in the media thread in case you are looking for it later.
 
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011445336_serialkiller26m.html

"California killer may be linked to Seattle slayings in 1970s

Seattle cold-case detectives are investigating whether a convicted killer in California is connected to the slayings here of two teens years ago." and

"A Seattle police detective now wonders whether similarities between Alcala's California victims and the slayings of Antionette "Tony" Witaker, 13, and Joyce Gaunt, 17, in Seattle could help solve two decades-old mysteries.

Seattle cold-case Detective Mike Ciesynski is requesting a DNA comparison between the two Seattle victims and Alcala to determine whether he can be ruled out as the killer.

The timing and circumstances around the Seattle slayings give Ciesynski reason to believe Alcala may be involved.

"Bottom line is, I have to go see him," said Ciesynski, referring to Alcala.

Meanwhile, King County sheriff's Detective Jake Pavlovich, who is also on the department's cold-case squad, plans to review some of the photos found in Alcala's Shoreline storage locker to see if they match any of its missing-persons cases, particularly that of Cherry Greenman, 19, who vanished from Waterville, Douglas County, in September 1976. The Sheriff's Office looked into her disappearance during the investigation into Green River serial killer Gary L. Ridgway but failed to find a link, Pavlovich said." <snipped>

Lots more at link! Let us know on the housekeeping thread if this information needs to be updated on the Timeline. It's really late and the task side of my brain has shut down for the night. :eek:

There's a LOT more at this link. Also, it is posted in the media thread in case you are looking for it later.

Kim thank you for all the hard work you're doing.

I found a photograph of Joyce Gaunt on a photobucket type site. It's from a newspaper. I wasn't sure where to post it. I'll try and look through the photographs again to see if any of the women look like Joyce. I'm going to try and find a picture of Antoinette Witaker now. May they rest in peace.


http://media.photobucket.com/image/...bbPocket/But I Trusted You/th_JoyceGaunt1.jpg

There's also photographs of Seaward Park and it's foilage here. Again not sure where to post it, but thought it relevant as there's alot of trees and such. BTW, they also mentioned a poor murdered girl named Penny DeLeo, but I believe her murderer was found.


http://s531.photobucket.com/albums/dd352/JessicaWebbPocket/?newest=1

Oh and thank you to whoever Jessica Webb is who took the time to put all those photographs up there.
 
Sorry for the double post.

Hopefully it's O.K. I post this as it's making me physically ill. There's a theme here. Well obviously, but I'm seeing:

1.) These poor souls it appears quite a few of them had their knee either broken or close to it. That would assure you couldn't run away. I believe the girl posed naked outside with her leg ascending is not alive. Her eye is open, but in now way could you pose a body like that. I don't even want to link to it as it's disturbing. She also has a dark rope around her neck. There's also the girl he has posed outside we spoke about in the original thread. She is made to smile. She has her finger under her chin, but this poor kid her knee has to be busted. Above that is a huge bruise.


2.) Many of these women have an overbite. That may be a general assumption, but I'm noticing this because I do as well. For some reason people pay attention to that. They'll tell you look like someone like Carly Simon or Vanna White. It's the overbite. Usually accompanying it is a beautiful smile. Your teeth stick out is how I usually answer to the compliment. I'm not being disrespectful, but just noticed that and again I myself have that so this is why I noticed.

3.) Bicycles. Did he pick victims on bikes because he figured their guard was down? Someone tries to grab you instinct is to not leave your bike but try and pick it up?

Thanks for letting me vent that. I pray these people are all alive. I highly doubt the two poor girls in the outdoors with bruised and broken knees are.


Warning this is the girl in really awkward pose. It shows the bruise. It's a disturbing photograph.


http://cnnnancygrace.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/00273.jpg



Girl with finger under chin. Her right knee is all out of proportion. I know her leg is bent slightly but there's something really wrong here.


http://cnnnancygrace.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/00641.jpg
 
Sorry for the double post.

Hopefully it's O.K. I post this as it's making me physically ill. There's a theme here. Well obviously, but I'm seeing:

1.) These poor souls it appears quite a few of them had their knee either broken or close to it. That would assure you couldn't run away. I believe the girl posed naked outside with her leg ascending is not alive. Her eye is open, but in now way could you pose a body like that. I don't even want to link to it as it's disturbing. She also has a dark rope around her neck. There's also the girl he has posed outside we spoke about in the original thread. She is made to smile. She has her finger under her chin, but this poor kid her knee has to be busted. Above that is a huge bruise.


2.) Many of these women have an overbite. That may be a general assumption, but I'm noticing this because I do as well. For some reason people pay attention to that. They'll tell you look like someone like Carly Simon or Vanna White. It's the overbite. Usually accompanying it is a beautiful smile. Your teeth stick out is how I usually answer to the compliment. I'm not being disrespectful, but just noticed that and again I myself have that so this is why I noticed.

3.) Bicycles. Did he pick victims on bikes because he figured their guard was down? Someone tries to grab you instinct is to not leave your bike but try and pick it up?

Thanks for letting me vent that. I pray these people are all alive. I highly doubt the two poor girls in the outdoors with bruised and broken knees are.


Warning this is the girl in really awkward pose. It shows the bruise. It's a disturbing photograph.


http://cnnnancygrace.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/00273.jpg



Girl with finger under chin. Her right knee is all out of proportion. I know her leg is bent slightly but there's something really wrong here.


http://cnnnancygrace.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/00641.jpg

BBM
In that photo, her ankle looks horrible swollen and misshapen. I just thought it was a trick of the photo because she doesn't seem to be in any pain or distress. But her ankle look way too big and distorted for her legs.
 
Kimster,

Would it be possible to post the "Found Alive" threads in a sticky??? They're getting lost on the second page already and it would be a shame for sleuthers to continue to spend time on pics that have been resolved. Just a thought...
 
Kimster,

Would it be possible to post the "Found Alive" threads in a sticky??? They're getting lost on the second page already and it would be a shame for sleuthers to continue to spend time on pics that have been resolved. Just a thought...

Done. At some point we're probably going to need a little sub-forum for them.
 

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