NBC’s Dateline: Detective Story recounts the multi-decade-long investigation of the 1986 murder of Sherri Rasmussen. Initially, the murder was reported as a burglary gone wrong, but when the case was reopened years later, a new perspective emerged.
Here are the details on Sherri Rasmussen’s case.
Who was Dateline: Detective Story’s Sherri Rasmussen?
Sherri Rasmussen was a 29-year-old woman married to John Ruetten, living in Van Nuys in Los Angeles. On the evening of February 24, 1986, Rasmussen was found dead in her residence. Dateline: Detective Story explores her murder and how the investigation eventually revealed the involvement of a LAPD officer.
How did Sherri Rasmussen die?
As per reports, Rasmussen died from a gunshot wound. Furthermore, she had struggle marks on her body, which indicated a violent confrontation. Following the confrontation, the perpetrator shot Rasmussen three times in the chest with a .38-caliber pistol.
The crime scene showed signs of a violent struggle, including overturned furniture and a bite mark on her arm. Despite the initial theory of a burglary, valuables were left undisturbed, hinting at staging. They collected DNA samples from the bite mark, but they couldn’t find a match. With no proper leads, the case went cold.
In 2009, Detective Jim Nuttall reopened the case, questioning the theory about burglary. He reviewed the DNA evidence and ran it through the system, when technology had developed, making it easier to track samples.
Who was convicted of Sherri Rasmussen’s murder?
During his investigation, the DNA sample indicated that the killer was a female. His team compiled a list of five female suspects, including a former LAPD officer, Stephanie Lazarus. It was reported that Lazarus was having an affair with Rasmussen’s husband, Ruetten, at the time. This gave her a personal motive to carry out the murder.
Later, the team secretly collected Lazarus’s DNA from a cup and matched it to DNA from the bite mark, confirming that the former officer was indeed the perpetrator. Since she was a part of the police force, she was never suspected of the crime.
