Where is Rodney McCoy Now?

NBC’s ‘Dateline: After the Dance’ is an episode that chronicles the brutal 1974 homicide of 17-year-old Carla Jan Walker — a case that sadly remained unsolved for greater than 4½ many years. The truth is, it was solely because of DNA know-how developments and the constant statements given by the teenager’s then-boyfriend that she was capable of obtain true justice within the Summer time of 2021. In any case, aside from Carla and her killer, the one different dependable witness to the offense was Rodney McCoy. Now, in the event you want to know extra about him, we’ve bought the main points for you.

Who’s Rodney McCoy?

In 1974, Rodney McCoy was a senior on the Western Hills Excessive Faculty in a suburb simply on the southside of Fort Value, Texas, whereas Carla Walker was a 12 months beneath him. Regardless of that, the beginning quarterback and the favored scholar had a terrific relationship as a result of their views and personalities aligned, which meant they by no means actually argued both. “After I noticed her, I smiled. She smiled,” Rodney recalled of their very first assembly throughout his courtroom testimony. “I did love her.” That’s why he gladly took Carla to the Valentine’s-themed dance at their faculty on February 17, unaware that it could flip their world the other way up.

Having loved their time on the dance, Rodney and Carla frolicked at an area Taco Bell earlier than making their solution to a bowling alley to make use of the restroom. The pair then selected to remain inside his automobile within the car parking zone, the place they started kissing towards the passenger aspect door, just for it to be quickly yanked open from the surface. Since Rodney was above Carla, and so they each partially fell out of the automobile, it was comparatively straightforward for the assailant to pistol-whip him over the again of his head.

In line with Rodney’s assertion, he held Carla to maintain her safe even because the blood began to drip down into his eyes. Rodney added that he didn’t even understand that the weapon was a gun till the attacker pointed it at him. All he is aware of is that he was struck greater than as soon as as a result of he had heard his girlfriend scream out, “Cease hitting him!” That’s when their male assaulter, whom he may barely discover the silhouette of at nighttime, dragged Carla away, leaving the 18-year-old to blackout.

The place is Rodney McCoy Now?

Throughout Glen Samuel McCurley’s eventual trial following DNA proof in 2021, Rodney McCoy described your entire night simply as he needed to the officers greater than 47 years prior. He even added that he nonetheless remembers Carla’s expression whereas she supposedly tried to frighten away their assailant by pretending that her father was close by. “Carla turned her face to me… and mentioned, ‘Rodney, go get dad. Go get my dad,’” which turned the final phrases she ever mentioned to him. He’d rushed to the Walker family as quickly as he awoke after the incident, however it was too late.

From what we will inform, Rodney McCoy, now in his mid-60s, has moved on along with his life to the perfect of his skills. The previous remains to be one thing that continues to hold over his head like a darkish cloud, but time (and full closure in 2021 following Glen McCurley’s confession) has seemingly been serving to him. Subsequently, it seems as if Rodney McCoy is now decided to share Carla’s story with the world whereas additionally preserving his private life away from the highlight.

Learn Extra: The place is Cindy Walker Now?