![]() ![]() Ruetten acknowledged that Lazarus knew his entire family and in September 1984, unaware of his relationship with Rasmussen, Lazarus threw a surprise 25th birthday party for Ruetten. On cross-examination, Lazarus’ lawyer, Mark Overland, stressed that the relationship with the police woman was more serious than Ruetten said. Presby asked if he had anything to do with the killing and he said no. When the case was reopened in 2009, he said he voluntarily gave a DNA sample. “In those times when you saw the defendant, did she ever ask about Sherri’s death?” asked Presby. When he moved back to the Los Angeles area the next year, he said he contacted her and they had sex again at least twice. He went to live with his parents in San Diego, and in 1989 he made contact with Lazarus again and met up with her in Hawaii. He said he was later assured by a homicide detective that Lazarus was not a suspect, and that his wife was most likely killed by burglars. He said he didn’t mention Lazarus to police as a possible suspect in the murder because, “It never crossed my mind that she could be involved.” But he said he never lived in the condo again, quit his job and moved out of Los Angeles. He said he put a blanket over his wife’s face, called 911 and made himself available to police for interviews. 24, 1986, to find his wife dead on the living room floor. Later in the day, Ruetten told of returning home from work on Feb. Prosecutors are trying to show that Lazarus sought revenge for being spurned by Ruetten. 24, 1986, bludgeoned and shot to death by an intruder at the condo where she and Ruetten lived. ![]() ![]() Lazarus did not look up as the photos flashed on a courtroom screen. Ruetten identified blissful photos of the couple’s wedding on Nov. He also said he ended all contact with Lazarus, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Rasmussen. I want nothing more in the world than to be married to you.” Later, he said, he confessed the incident to Rasmussen and told her: “Don’t let this mess us up. “It was clear she was very upset that I was getting married and moving on.” He stressed that nothing changed that night. She also asked him to have sex with her, which he said he did but now considers it a stupid move. However, he said she later learned of the engagement, summoned him to her condo and through tears expressed her love for him. When they were engaged, he said, he felt no need to tell Lazarus because he had not seen her for months. Ruetten, 53, wearing a dark business suit, testified that he met Rasmussen in 1984 at a party and they quickly became a couple. Jurors were shown pictures of them together as college kids, including one of Ruetten with his arm around Lazarus in her cap and gown at graduation. See Privacy Policy at and California Privacy Notice at. Visit the show's website at for contact, merchandise, and donation information You can help support the show at /truecrimeallthetime But, they had to tread carefully to take down one of their own. And when they did all signs pointed to Stephanie Lazarus. ![]() It took cold case investigators, over 20 years later, to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Many people have said this caused them to not interview key witnesses or even take a hard look at John's ex-girlfriend. From the start, police were stuck on the theory that Sherri was killed by one or multiple burglars. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss the murder of Sherri Rasmussen committed by Stephanie Lazarus. She used her police training to make the murder look like a robbery. Lazarus was still infatuated with her ex, John Ruetten, and decided to execute the woman she thought was her romantic rival. In 1986, Stephanie Lazarus was an LAPD officer who murdered her ex-boyfriend's wife, Sherri Rasmussen. ![]()
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