Stephanie Lazarus, a former Los Angeles police detective serving a life sentence for the 1986 killing of her ex-boyfriend’s wife, had her chance for parole rescinded by the state Board of Parole Hearings on Wednesday. Lazarus was convicted in 2012 for the murder of Sherri Rasmussen, who was found bludgeoned and shot to death in her shared condo with her husband. Lazarus, who wasn’t arrested until 2009, was initially granted parole eligibility last November by a select committee, but the full board’s decision was delayed until this week. Following the family’s emotional testimony in May, the parole board decided to rescind the parole grant, citing Lazarus’ lack of remorse and the unfairness of her potentially being released and receiving LAPD pension after evading arrest for 23 years.
During her 2012 trial, prosecutors focused on the romantic relationship between Lazarus and Rasmussen’s husband, John Ruetten, and argued that Lazarus was motivated by jealousy when Ruetten chose to marry Rasmussen. The case was centered around DNA evidence from a bite mark on Rasmussen’s arm, which prosecutors claimed matched Lazarus’. Initially, Lazarus was not a suspect in the 1986 murder as detectives believed two robbers were responsible for Rasmussen’s death. It wasn’t until 2009, when undercover officers obtained a DNA sample from Lazarus, that she was connected to the crime scene. Prosecutors suggested that Lazarus, being a police detective, knew how to avoid leaving other types of evidence, such as fingerprints.
Rasmussen’s family members and widower spoke emotionally during the May hearing, describing Lazarus as a conniving criminal who used her police training to cover up the murder. The family expressed their relief at the parole board’s decision to rescind Lazarus’ chance for parole, highlighting their continued pain and the injustice of her potentially being released after committing a cold-blooded execution. Lazarus rose through the ranks of the LAPD, eventually becoming a detective in charge of art forgeries and thefts. Despite her career success, her involvement in Rasmussen’s murder ultimately led to her conviction and life sentence.
The full parole board’s decision to rescind Lazarus’ chance for parole comes after years of legal proceedings and emotional testimonies. The case of Sherri Rasmussen’s murder, which remained unsolved for over two decades, was finally brought to justice with Lazarus’ conviction in 2012. Lazarus’ subsequent attempt at parole eligibility has now been revoked, ensuring that she will continue to serve her life sentence without the possibility of parole. The Rasmussen family is grateful for the parole board’s decision and hopeful that justice will continue to be served in the memory of Sherri Rasmussen.
