SANTA ANA, Calif., Nov. 3 (UPI) -- An accused serial killer says he was insane when he killed four women in the Los Angeles area 30 years ago and denies killing a girl in California in 1979.
A hearing is scheduled Wednesday to decide whether to order a psychiatric evaluation of Rodney Alcala, 66, The Orange County (Calif.) Register reported. Alcala is representing himself in the case.
Alcala was tried, convicted and sentenced to death twice for the murder of Robin Samsoe, 12, of Huntington Beach, Calif. Both convictions were overturned on appeal.
While Alcala was waiting for a third trial, investigators found evidence linking him to four killings in Los Angeles County, including DNA. He is now scheduled for trial in Orange County Nov. 30 on all five killings.
In September, a judge ruled Alcala could act as his own lawyer. He filed a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity to the Los Angeles killings and re-filed a motion his court-appointed lawyers already lost on, to sever the Orange County case.
