Current:Home > FinanceParole rescinded for former LA police detective convicted of killing her ex-boyfriend’s wife in 1986-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Parole rescinded for former LA police detective convicted of killing her ex-boyfriend’s wife in 1986
View Date:2024-12-23 16:07:48
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A chance for parole was rescinded Wednesday for a former Los Angeles police detective serving a sentence of 27 years to life in the cold-case killing of her ex-boyfriend’s wife in 1986.
Stephanie Lazarus was convicted in 2012 of killing Sherri Rasmussen, a 29-year-old nurse who was bludgeoned and shot to death in the condo she shared with her husband of three months, John Ruetten. She wasn’t arrested until 2009.
The state Board of Parole Hearings heard arguments from lawyers on both sides during a hearing Wednesday that lasted about 90 minutes. The three commissioners then met privately and returned with a decision to rescind a previous grant of parole, according to attorney John Taylor, who represents the Rasmussen family.
Taylor said the family was relieved by the decision.
“Lazarus had her parole time up front, evading arrest for 23 years after the murder. She has expressed no remorse for the cold-blooded execution of Sherri Rasmussen committed while she was an LAPD officer. It’s unfair to the family that she should now go free and enjoy her life while receiving her LAPD pension,” Taylor said in a statement following the board’s decision.
A select committee of the parole board determined last November that Lazarus was eligible for parole. The full board took up her case in May but the final decision was delayed until this week. An attorney for Lazarus couldn’t be located Wednesday.
Rasmussen’s sisters and widower gave emotional testimony during May’s hearing about their pain and described Lazarus as a conniving criminal who used her police training to cover up the killing.
At her trial 12 years ago, prosecutors focused on the romantic relationship between Lazarus and Ruetten after they graduated from college. They claimed Lazarus was consumed with jealousy when Ruetten decided to marry Rasmussen.
The case hinged on DNA from a bite mark prosecutors say Lazarus left on Rasmussen’s arm.
Lazarus was not a suspect in 1986 because detectives then believed two robbers who had attacked another woman in the area were to blame for Rasmussen’s death.
No suspects were found and the case went cold until May 2009, when undercover officers followed Lazarus and obtained a sample of her saliva to compare with DNA left at the original crime scene, police said.
Prosecutors suggested Lazarus knew to avoid leaving other evidence, such as fingerprints.
Lazarus rose in the ranks of the Los Angeles Police Department, becoming a detective in charge of art forgeries and thefts.
veryGood! (4161)
Related
- How Leonardo DiCaprio Celebrated His 50th Birthday
- Latinos are excited about Harris, but she has work to do to win the crucial voting bloc, experts say
- Christian Slater and Wife Brittany Lopez Welcome Baby No. 2
- Democrats launch first paid ad campaign for the Harris-Walz ticket in battleground states
- New York nursing home operator accused of neglect settles with state for $45M
- Tragic 911 calls, body camera footage from Uvalde, Texas school shooting released
- After another gold medal, is US women's basketball best Olympic dynasty of all time?
- Will Katie Ledecky Compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics? She Says...
- Two 'incredibly rare' sea serpents seen in Southern California waters months apart
- From grief to good: How maker spaces help family honor child lost to cancer
Ranking
- UFC 309: Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic fight card, odds, how to watch, date
- Kelly Ripa Shares How Miley Cyrus Influenced Daughter Lola’s Music Career
- Breaking made history in Paris. We'll probably never see it at Olympics again.
- How race, police and mental health collided in America's heartland | The Excerpt
- Everard Burke Introduce
- Isaac Hayes' family demands Trump stop using his song at rallies, $3M in fees
- Browns’ plans for move to new dome stadium hits snag as county backs city’s renovation proposal
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, At Last! Coffee!
Recommendation
-
Exclusive Yankee Candle Sale: 50% Off Holiday Candles for a Limited Time
-
Will Katie Ledecky Compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics? She Says...
-
Millie Bobby Brown Includes Nod to Jake Bongiovi Marriage on Stranger Things Set
-
Simone Biles Has THIS Special Role at 2024 Paris Olympics Closing Ceremony
-
Conviction and 7-year sentence for Alex Murdaugh’s banker overturned in appeal of juror’s dismissal
-
Madonna’s 24-Year-Old Son Rocco Is All Grown Up in Rare Photos
-
Elle King Explains Why Rob Schneider Was a Toxic Dad
-
State House Speaker Scott Saiki loses Democratic primary to Kim Coco Iwamoto