HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (March 11) -- Detective Patrick Ellis leafed through hundreds of photographs depicting young women in nude or provocative poses, nameless muses captured on film more than 30 years ago by convicted serial killer Rodney Alcala.
(The public can see all photos here; The Huntington Beach Police Department may be reached at 714-375-5066).
"Look at this, this person is posed like they're dead," Ellis, of the Huntington Beach Police Department, told AOL News. "And how old do you think this one is -- 13? I'm wondering how many of these people are still alive."
Indeed, it was Alcala's fascination with photography -- police seized more than 2,000 photographs -- that helped seal his doom. Many of the images, which were shown to jurors, depicted a stalker-type obsession with girls and young women.
Police have now released hundreds of those photos, hoping members of the public will help identify the girls and women depicted. They fear some of the women who were charmed into letting Alcala snap their picture may have ended up dead.
Alcala, who claimed in court that he photographed mostly landscapes and sunsets, was convicted on Feb. 25 of ********* and ********* four women and one girl, 12-year-old Robin Samsoe. Jurors deliberated for just 45 minutes this week before recommending he be sentenced to death.
