From: jcs
The case of Stephanie Lazarus involves the murder of Sherri Rasmussen, a crime that went unsolved for over two decades until detectives employed psychological tactics during an interrogation to uncover the truth [00:01:32].
The Interrogation: A Calculated Ruse
Detectives devised a plan to bring Stephanie Lazarus, a police officer herself, into an interrogation by creating a ruse, inviting her to advise them on a stolen art case [00:00:00]. Knowing they were dealing with a fellow officer, they prepared extensively for the interview, aiming to keep the conversation casual for as long as possible before initiating confrontation [00:00:06].
Setting the Scene and Tone
Upon Stephanie’s arrival, detectives immediately established a compatible, friendly tone, negating the negative implications of being in an interrogation room [00:00:37]. They gave a seemingly plausible reason for meeting in such an “unusual location”—to avoid spreading rumors or innuendo within the squadron [00:00:59]. The actual, strategic reason was to ensure Stephanie would check in her firearm before entering, without raising suspicion [00:01:05].
Introducing the Victim’s Husband
The detectives introduced the name of John Ruetten, the man for whom Stephanie had committed first-degree homicide over two decades prior [00:01:40]. They deliberately mispronounced his name, a strategy to observe her reaction [00:01:53]. Stephanie’s pause before responding was noted by a psychiatrist as being four times longer than it should have been, indicating deception [00:02:02]. She acted as if she hadn’t thought about the name for a long time, despite John Ruetten being the second longest relationship in her life [00:01:58].
Stephanie’s Deceptive Responses
Throughout the interview, Stephanie exhibited various deceptive behaviors:
- Omissions and Understatements: She stated she met John Ruetten in the dorms at UCLA around 1978 and graduated in 1982 [00:02:24]. She initially claimed they were “very close friends” [00:02:56], but omitted the fact that they dated for four years and went on numerous holidays together [00:02:44]. When directly asked if there was a relationship, she admitted they had dated [00:03:31].
- Fight or Flight Response: When John Ruetten’s wife, Sherri Rasmussen, was mentioned, Stephanie’s brain likely triggered a fight or flight response [00:03:41]. She chose to “fight” by engaging with the question [00:03:58].
- Feigned Vague Memory: Stephanie frequently used exclamatory remarks like “gosh” and “god” 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]. She aimed to create the impression that she had no reason to think about John or anything related to him since they stopped seeing each other over two decades prior [00:04:41].
- Hyper-arousal and Tangents: As the interrogation progressed, Stephanie began to over-explain things that didn’t require explanation, a sign of hyper-arousal and a derivative of Terror Management Theory (TMT) [00:07:29]. She detailed her education, her husband Scott, when she met him, and her living arrangements, all as means for momentary relief from the terrifying reality [00:08:00].
- Contradictory Statements: Initially, Stephanie claimed she “may have” met Sherri Rasmussen but couldn’t remember her name or anything about her [00:04:09]. However, eight separate witnesses testified that Stephanie had confronted Sherri aggressively at the hospital where Sherri worked, leading to Stephanie being escorted off the premises by security [00:14:52]. Reports indicated Stephanie was the more combative and even made threats against Sherri’s life [00:15:08].
Escalation and DNA Request
The detectives continuously ramped up pressure. When Stephanie challenged them for the second time, asking “what’s this all about,” the question was avoided in a more confrontational manner, with no reassurance offered [00:10:45].
As the detectives revealed the case was related to John’s wife and her death [00:13:37], Stephanie finally verbalized the victim’s tragic demise [00:13:48]. She claimed she learned about it from a poster at work or a flyer, or hearing about it from John or his friend Mike Baldrick [00:13:57].
The detectives eventually directly asked Stephanie if she would be willing to give a DNA swab [00:19:06]. At this point, she stated she probably needed to talk to a lawyer, recognizing the situation [00:19:11]. She expressed disbelief, saying, “I just can’t believe it that’s I mean we understand that I mean if we were in your position I mean we would feel the same way” [00:20:39].
Verdict and Sentence
Stephanie Lazarus was read her Miranda rights, confirming she understood her rights to remain silent and to an attorney [00:21:52]. When asked if she wanted to talk to them, she replied, “No” [00:22:10].
The jury found Stephanie Eileen Lazarus guilty of the murder of Sherri Rasmussen, a felony in the first degree [00:22:46]. John Ruetten gave a powerful statement during the sentencing, describing Sherri’s profound impact on many people and the indescribable sadness caused by her loss [00:23:16]. He emphasized Sherri’s extraordinary character, her professionalism, and her compassionate nature [00:24:03]. He stated that the fact Sherri’s death occurred because she met and married him brought him to his knees [00:24:40].
Stephanie Lazarus was sentenced to 27 years to life for the murder of Sherri Rasmussen [00:24:45]. She is currently held in the maximum security unit of the Central California Women’s Facility [00:24:50].