logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2022
1h 12m

Episode 397: The Murder of Sherri Rasmus...

Morbid Network | Wondery
About this episode

In 1986 Sherri Rasmussen was brutally murdered in her own home. She was a young nurse who had already worked her way to becoming the director of nursing at Glendale Adventist Medical Center and had just gotten married three months earlier. But when her husband John returned home on February 24th, 1986 he found her laying dead on their living room floor and their home absolutely ransacked. Was this a case of robbery gone wrong or was someone in a position of power responsible?


Thank you to the no no no....notorious David White for research assistance:



Archibold, Randal. 2009. "Police Find Unlikely Suspect in a Cold Case: One of Their Own." New York Times, June 13: A11.

Bowden, Mark. 2012. "A Case So Cold It Was Blue." Vanity Fair, July.

McGough, Matthew. 2011. "The Lazarus File." The Atlantic, June.

Mikulan, Steven. 2012. "In plan sight: Stephanie Lazarus was an exemplary cop. She is also a murderer." Los Angeles Magazine, September.

New York Times. 2009. "California: detective must stand trial in 1986 killing." New York Times, December 11.

—. 2009. "California: Detective's Motion Denied." New York Times, December 8.

O'Neill, Ann. 2012. A bite, bullet and broken heart: Former LA cop stands trial for murder. February 8. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://www.cnn.com/2012/02/07/justice/lazarus-trial-cold-case/index.html.

People v. Lazaus. 2015. B241172 (Court of Appeal, Second District, Division 4, California, June 13).

Rasmussen v. City of L.A. 2012. B234731 (Los Angeles County Superior Court, November 15).

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Yesterday
The Dartmouth College Murders
On the evening of January 27, 2001, Roxana Verona arrived at the Etna, NH home of her friends Half and Susanne Zantop for a dinner the couple had planned with friends that night. When no one answered the door, Verona entered the home and found the brutalized bodies of Half and Su ... Show More
1h 20m
Oct 6
Forensics, Fiction, and the Fine Line Between Them: A Sit Down with Patricia Cornwell
Weirdos! Today we are joined by legendary crime novelist Patricia Cornwell, the mastermind behind the Kay Scarpetta series and one of the pioneers of the forensic thriller genre! Whether you’re a longtime Scarpetta stan or newly forensic-curious, this episode is packed with morbi ... Show More
1h 16m
Oct 2
The Manhattan Alien Abduction
On the evening of November 30, 1989, Linda Napolitano awoke in her lower Manhattan apartment to find herself unable to move. She felt as though she was in the presence of other individuals, then she began to lift off her bed and was transported, as though by unseen hands, out her ... Show More
1h 12m
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2023
The Murder of Sherri Rasmussen
On February 24, 1986, the body of Sherri Rasmussen (born February 7, 1957) was found in the apartment she shared with her husband, John Ruetten, in Van Nuys, California. She had been beaten and shot three times in a struggle. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) initially con ... Show More
54m 17s
Mar 2023
A Broken Heart: What Killed Lina Kaufman? | My Life of Crime
On November 7th, 2007, 33-year-old Lina Kaufman was found dead in her Florida home on the bathroom floor. Her husband, Adam Kaufman, called 911 while trying to revive her. Seventeen months passed with no answers for the cause of her death, until Adam was suddenly arrested and cha ... Show More
37m 2s
Oct 2023
#469: Convicting a Murderer | Part 2
We continue analyzing Teresa Halbach's murder and the behavior of Steven Avery who was convicted in 2007 for her killing along with his nephew Brendan Dassey. They are both currently serving life sentences in Wisconsin. Filmmaker Shawn Rech’s new series “Convicting A Murderer” re ... Show More
32m 47s
Mar 2024
Shattered Dreams
In March 2011, David Ditto called 911 to say his wife, Karina, had fallen down a flight of stairs in their Mira Mesa, California home and slammed her head on a tile floor. Karina died two days later, and the medical examiner ruled that she was beaten and strangled. Investigators ... Show More
48m 34s
Aug 2023
31. The Bad Guy in a Uniform
On this episode, Payton delves into the chilling account of how a police officer's obsession spiraled into a web of deception, ultimately leading to a tragic and deadly outcome.https://linktr.ee/bingedpod Episode Sources: The Investigators, episode: “Badge of Dishonor,” aired 12/ ... Show More
36m 51s
Jan 2024
RLRC Daily 1/22/24 | Navy Commander Arrested for DUI, Hollywood Heir Charged with Brutal Murder, Woman Arrested for Assaulting Husband over Birthday Sex
In this episode, We discuss a murder case involving self-defense claims, the firing and arrest of a Navy Commander, a court case surrounding a Hollywood heir, and a peculiar incident of accusing neighbors of being pirates. Additionally, we touch on a fatal shooting during a vehic ... Show More
46m 58s
Dec 2023
The "Psychic Killer" | The Case of Lea & Maxx Porter | UNSEEN
“I would give up my life to find her” -- It’s June 3rd, 2014 and Maxx Porter is desperately trying to reach his little sister Lea, but she isn’t answering any of his calls. 8 days later, her family turns on the TV and there's a bizarre interview of a man with a disturbing sto ... Show More
22m 29s
Feb 2024
SERIAL KILLER: The Alphabet Murders Part 2
Dozens of commuters see a young girl fleeing a car on the side of the expressway in Rochester, NY, but no one pulls over to help. The community is devastated when her body is discovered just days later, but it’s assumed to be a tragic but isolated incident. But when more young gi ... Show More
49m 11s
Feb 2024
The Internet's First Killer (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
In February of 2000, a police officer in a small Missouri town stepped into an apartment where a man had just taken his own life. The officer felt bad for the guy, but at the same time, when he walked in there, he fully expected this to be a pretty straightforward case… man commi ... Show More
44m 36s
Jun 2023
The Murder of Marlene Warren
This week we are discussing Marlene Warren, a beloved mother whose murder went unsolved for 33 years, even after multiple witnesses saw someone dressed as a clown shoot her in broad daylight.  Research by Haley Gray with Haley Gray Research.  Check-out the Promo for Murder, She T ... Show More
1h 25m