Man charged in 5 murders in Calif. in 1970s claims alibi for girl’s slaying

Man charged in 5 Calif. murders claims alibi in 1

SANTA ANA, Calif. — A defendant representing himself against five murder charges says he was at an amusement park when a Southern California girl was kidnapped and killed in 1979.

Rodney James Alcala was twice sentenced to death for the murder of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe of Huntington Beach, but both convictions were overturned on procedural grounds.

Alcala delayed his opening statement at his third trial until Tuesday, when he said he was at Knott’s Berry Farm when Samsoe was abducted on her way to ballet practice.

The 66-year-old Alcala has been charged with killing Samsoe and four women in the 1970s. The photographer didn’t mention the other four deaths in his hour-long opening statement.

Information from: The Orange County Register, www.ocregister.com