In-depth on the Rodney Alcala serial murder case

Christine Peilisek at the L.A. Weekly penned a lengthy, in-depth look at the history of the Rodney Alcala case, from his life as a fine-arts student to a perpetual resident on death row. Alcala is currently on trial in Orange County Superior Court for the third time for the murder of a little girl. But this time, he is also being accused of killing four women in Los Angeles in the 1970s, including one whose body was found in an El Segundo apartment laundry room.

Some telling highlights:

"Orange County Senior Deputy District Attorney Matt Murphy, who hopes during the current trial to put Alcala permanently on death row for Samsoe's 1979 murder and the slayings of four women in the Los Angeles area, says: 'The '70s in California was insane as far as treatment of sexual predators. Rodney Alcala is a poster boy for this. It is a total comedy of outrageous stupidity.'"

"But police in several California and East Coast cities are certain that this well-spoken sexual predator was far more than a child rapist; he is a slippery, brilliant, persuasive serial murderer in the mold of Ted Bundy, the handsome killer who was executed in Florida in 1989. And this time, as they face Rodney Alcala in court, cops and prosecutors believe they have extensive DNA evidence to prove it."

The Orange County Register has been following the trial. Columnist Frank Mickadeit stopped in and wrote for today's editions Alcala trial not for the faint of heart.

Previously here:

Trial underway for alleged serial killer Rodney Alcala 

Jury picked in serial killer case

Serial killer will face it all together

(Photo from the Orange County Register)