#truecrimecommunity #interview #interrogation Wow this 2023 parole hearing gets tense between the Judge and the State on behalf of Sherri's parents that have since passed. The Judge asks why they didn't investigate Lazarus after the Rasmussen's said to look into her and was it a cover up?

The case of Sherri Rasmussen's murder is a tragic and complex story that unfolded over decades. Initially thought to be a botched burglary, the investigation eventually focused on LAPD officer Stephanie Lazarus, who had a prior relationship with Rasmussen's husband, John Ruetten. Despite the lack of immediate evidence implicating Lazarus, detectives revisited the case in 2009 and found a crucial DNA match between Lazarus and a bite mark on Rasmussen's body.

Stephanie Lazarus, by then a detective herself, was convicted of first-degree murder in 2012 and is currently serving a sentence of 27 years to life. However, Lazarus appealed her conviction, citing issues with due process, search warrants, and the admissibility of evidence. Despite her appeals, the California Court of Appeal upheld the guilty verdict in 2015.

The case also raised concerns about potential mishandling of evidence within the LAPD, with suggestions that incriminating evidence against Lazarus may have been removed from the files. Rasmussen's parents sued the department over these allegations, though their efforts were unsuccessful. Additionally, Jennifer Francis, the criminalist who discovered the crucial DNA evidence, claimed she faced pressure from police to favor certain suspects and was retaliated against when she brought attention to this issue.

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