From: jcs
The detectives investigating the case of Stephanie Lazarus employed a detailed strategy during her interrogation, which was meticulously planned given that she was a fellow officer [00:00:06]. Their primary plan was to maintain a casual conversation for as long as possible before initiating a confrontation [00:00:11].
Interrogation Tactics
The Ruse and Setting
Detectives invited Stephanie Lazarus in under the ruse of advising them on a stolen art case [00:00:00]. They chose an interrogation room for the meeting, explaining that it was to prevent the spread of rumors or innuendo in the squadron [00:01:02]. The actual reason for this location was to ensure Stephanie would check in her firearm before entering, disarming her without arousing suspicion [00:01:05]. The detectives aimed to set a “compatible tone” with her from the outset, negating the negative implications of the interrogation room with a friendly disposition [00:00:37].
Introducing John Rutten’s Name
The detectives introduced the name “John Rutten,” stating that his name was mentioned in a new case they were reviewing [00:01:15]. They intentionally mispronounced his name as a strategy to observe her reaction [00:01:53]. A psychiatrist later noted that Stephanie’s pause before responding was four times longer than it should have been, indicating deception [00:02:02].
Stephanie’s Reactions and Deception
Stephanie Lazarus, a police officer for 25 years [00:05:04], exhibited several deceptive behaviors during the interrogation:
- Vague Memory: She frequently used exclamatory remarks like “gosh,” “god,” or “gee” to express surprise or strong emotion, attempting to insinuate a vague memory due to a supposed lack of contemplation on the subject [00:04:23].
- Omissions: While claiming to have met John Rutten in the dorms at UCLA starting in 1978 [00:02:30], she initially omitted the fact that they had dated for four years and went on numerous holidays together [00:02:44]. She eventually admitted they dated when pressed directly [00:03:31].
- Fight or Flight: When John’s wife, Sherri Rasmussen, was mentioned, Stephanie’s brain would have triggered a “fight or flight” psychological reaction, preparing her to confront or escape [00:03:47]. She chose to “fight” by feigning ignorance [00:03:58].
- Hyper-arousal/Terror Management Theory: She would go on unrelated tangents and over-explain trivial details, a common occurrence in interrogations where suspects face serious charges. This is believed to be a subconscious coping mechanism to gain momentary relief from a terrifying reality [00:07:31]. For example, she detailed her college years, John’s family members, and recalled scanning 10,000 photos [00:08:02], [00:08:26], [00:16:37].
- Changing Disposition: Her disposition switched from passive when giving a truthful response (about John’s apartment location on Roscoe) to frantic when pretending to have a vague memory about John’s subsequent living situation [00:15:36], [00:15:57].
DNA Request and Miranda Rights
The detectives eventually asked Stephanie for a DNA swab, stating their job was to “identify and eliminate” suspects, and that her name was in the book with people “pointing at her” [00:19:06], [00:20:04]. At this point, she stated she probably needed to talk to a lawyer because she knew “how this stuff works” [00:19:15]. She was then read her Miranda rights, and she confirmed she understood them but did not want to talk to the detectives [00:22:12].
Relationship with John Rutten and Sherri Rasmussen
Stephanie and John Rutten dated during and possibly after college [00:08:49]. She claimed their relationship was “weird” and couldn’t confirm if he considered her his girlfriend [00:11:05]. They had gone on vacations together, including to Hawaii [00:11:54]. She stated she met her husband Scott around 1992 and married in 1996, confirming she had “long stopped dating” John before that [00:09:09].
When asked about Sherri Rasmussen, John Rutten’s wife, Stephanie initially claimed she may have met her but couldn’t recall her name or anything about her profession [00:12:00]. However, she later stated she thought Sherri was a nurse [00:13:06]. Stephanie denied attending John and Sherri’s wedding [00:13:19].
She admitted knowing Sherri “got killed” after seeing a poster at work [00:13:39]. She claimed she might have heard about it from a flyer or a friend named Mike Baldrick [00:14:18].
The Confrontation and Verdict
Despite Stephanie’s denials, eight separate witnesses testified that Stephanie had confronted Sherri at the hospital where Sherri worked, while both were reportedly in an intimate relationship with John [00:14:52]. This confrontation was described as “highly aggressive,” with Stephanie being the “more combative” and making threats against Sherri’s life, leading to her being escorted off the premises [00:15:02].
The jury found Stephanie Eileen Lazarus guilty of the murder of Sherri Rasmussen in violation of penal code section 187a, and found the murder to be of the first degree [00:23:04]. John Rutten delivered a statement in court, expressing the profound loss of Sherri and the “bizarre world of disbelief and indescribable sadness” thrust upon both families [00:23:16]. He described Sherri as extraordinary, a hard worker, professional, leader, diplomat, forgiving, tough, and a kid at heart [00:24:16]. He noted that the fact Sherri’s death occurred because she met and married him “brings him to his knees” [00:24:40].
Stephanie Lazarus was sentenced to 27 years to life for the murder of Sherri Rasmussen and is currently held in the maximum security unit of the Central California Women’s Facility [00:24:54].