The horrendous murder of Sherri Rasmussen in 1986 still sends chills down one’s nerves. The homicide of the 29-year-old director of nursing at Glendale Adventist Medical Centre is one of Los Angeles’ most haunting cold cases. The young lady was found beaten and shot dead inside her Van Nuys condo on February 24, 1986. While it initially appeared to be a botched burglary, years later, forensic science and the persistence of Sherri’s family revealed a truth no one was prepared for.
However, what was later revealed not only shocked everyone but still haunts the souls of every person involved. In a twisted turn of events, it was revealed that the killer was one of the LAPD’s own detectives. The infamous case became a horrifying moment in the history of the LAPD when it was revealed that Sherri’s husband, John Ruetten’s ex-girlfriend and detective, Stephanie Lazarus, was behind the murder. As Dateline’s episode, Secrets Uncovered: Obsessed, highlights how love, jealousy, and manic took the life of an innocent woman, let us shed light on the tragic case.
The initial investigation and false assumptions
Sherri and John were newlyweds when the tragedy turned their world upside down. On February 24, 1986, John had left for work, while Sherri was at home. However, when he returned home, instead of a happy wife and a warm home, he found a scene that completely shattered him. From broken glass everywhere to their car being stolen, the condo was in disarray, and there were signs of a violent struggle. However, what horrified John was the lifeless body of his wife, Sherri, who had been shot three times, and there was a bite mark on her forearm.
The initial investigation theorised that Sherri was a victim of a burglary gone wrong, as several items were tampered with, and reports of nearby robberies justified what the scene told them at the moment. However, Sherri’s father, Nels Rasmussen, was not satisfied with the justification; he suspected that the killer was someone familiar to his daughter. His gut told him that John’s ex-girlfriend, Stephanie Lazarus, was somehow involved in the demise of his little girl. However, unfortunately, despite Nels’ warnings, investigators dismissed his suspicions, and the case went cold.
How did the DNA evidence revive the case after almost two decades?
Several years passed before the case was revived by the LAPD Cold Case Unit in 2004. The technology had advanced tenfold, and 18 years later, the department was able to re-examine the evidence. However, what became the light at the end of the tunnel was the preserved bite mark on Sherri’s arm. DNA testing revealed the attacker was female, casting doubt on the original burglary theory. The breakthrough prompted the detectives to re-examine all the evidence.
The LAPD re-questioned all available suspects, and soon enough, Stephanie Lazarus’ name was finally added to the list of suspects. As a longtime detective in the LAPD’s Art Theft Detail, she had a close connection to the department, making it difficult to believe an officer could be involved. However, the DNA evidence began to accumulate, and in 2009, detectives had a sample of DNA from Stephanie after they found a discarded cup they had used, and it turned out to be a match with a mark on Sherri’s arm.
Stephanie Lazarus’ arrest and the lengthy trial of Sherri Rasmussen’s murder
On June 5, 2009, Stephanie Lazarus was arrested at the LAPD headquarters, leaving her colleagues and the public in extreme shock. Prosecutors argued that the former detective was driven by jealousy over John’s marriage to Sherri and confronted the victim in a fatal fit of rage. At the trial, DNA from the bite mark and ballistics evidence showing that the gun used in the murder belonged to Stephanie had sealed her fate. In March 2012, she was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 27 years to life in prison.
Dateline’s reinvestigation solidified the failure of the institution and the cycle of change
This conviction marked the culmination of over 26 years of searching for justice. And now, over a decade later, Dateline has brought back the incident that destroyed a happy family. It revisited the case, focusing on the systemic failures within the LAPD. It examined how internal relationships and professional hierarchies may have led to crucial oversights during the initial investigation. The show also commended Sherri’s parents, Nels and Loretta Rasmussen, who were instrumental in pushing for the reopening of the case.
It was their persistence that eventually became the key in prompting the LAPD to re-examine the evidence, which ultimately led to the breakthrough that solved the case. The use of DNA testing decades after the crime demonstrated how modern technology can right past wrongs. Following the case, the LAPD made changes to its cold-case handling and evidence management procedures. The case even became an important tool in teaching criminology training programs, highlighting the importance of unbiased investigations and the dangers of confirmation bias.
Where is Stephanie Lazarus now?
As of 2025, Stephanie Lazarus remains incarcerated at the California Institution for Women in Chino. The former detective has pleaded for parole hearings. However, the court has repeatedly denied them, as Stephanie continues to claim her innocence. In 2024, the parole board rejected her release for the second time, citing her ongoing denial of guilt highlights the severity of the crime, and her continued incarceration serves as a reminder of the justice Sherri Rasmussen deserves.
image credit @unseen
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