40 Years Later: The Murder of Sherri Rasmussen Pt. 1 | Murder: True Crime Stories

Summary

Podcast Summary: Scams, Money, & Murder

Episode: 40 Years Later: The Murder of Sherri Rasmussen Pt. 1 | Murder: True Crime Stories

Hosts: Carter Roy & Vanessa Richardson
Date: February 26, 2026

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Overview

This episode launches a two-part deep dive into the murder of Sherri Rasmussen, 40 years after her death. Hosts Carter Roy and Vanessa Richardson piece together Rasmussen’s life, the fateful love triangle behind her murder, and the dangerous obsession that led to tragedy. The episode focuses on the background of Sherri, her relationship with her husband John Rutten, and the emerging threat from John's ex, Stephanie Lazarus. The story sets up the tension, the ignored warnings, and ends with Sherri’s shocking murder, paving the way for Pt. 2.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Life and Accomplishments of Sherri Rasmussen

[05:52] Carter Roy:

• Sherri was an exceptionally bright and ambitious woman, skipping two grades and graduating high school at 16.
• She pursued nursing at Loma Linda University, then excelled at UCLA Medical Center.
• Rose quickly to become one of the youngest head nurses, known for both technical skill and compassion.

[08:12] Vanessa Richardson:

• Recounted incident: Sherri defused a violent confrontation with grace, convincing a grieving man to hand over a gun.
• By 1983, named Nurse of the Year at UCLA, and director of critical care at Glendale Adventist at 27.

2. Meeting John Rutten and the Creation of a Love Triangle

[09:10] Vanessa Richardson & Carter Roy:

• Sherri’s romantic life was on hold for years, but in 1984 she met John Rutten through a friend.
• Their relationship moved quickly, culminating in an engagement about a year after meeting.
• John bought Sherri a BMW as an engagement gift—practicality vs. sentiment marked their differences.

[10:53] Vanessa Richardson:

• Stephanie Lazarus emerges as John’s long-term on-and-off “friend with benefits.”
• Stephanie believed she and John were soulmates, refusing to let go even as he moved on with Sherri.

3. Stephanie Lazarus: The Persistent Ex

[12:42] Carter Roy:

• Stephanie joined the LAPD, bringing determination and assertiveness.
• Kept up a sexual relationship with John until he grew serious with Sherri, though Stephanie never got closure.

[13:46] Vanessa Richardson & Carter Roy:

• Stephanie was devastated upon learning of John’s engagement.
• Diary quote: “I found out that John is getting married. I was very depressed. This is very bad.” – Stephanie Lazarus [14:07]
• Rather than moving on, Stephanie decided to fight for John and began harassing the couple.

4. Escalation: Obsession Turns to Harassment

[17:15] Carter Roy & Vanessa Richardson:

• Stephanie called John for a tearful final plea, which led to one last night together—unknown to Sherri until Stephanie confronted her.

[19:58] Vanessa Richardson:

• Stephanie visited Sherri at work, telling her: “If I can’t have him, no one else can.”
• Sherri was shaken, and John eventually confessed to the clandestine meeting.
• Stephanie’s obsession extended to writing a two-page love letter to John’s mother.

5. Troubling Aftermath and Warnings

[21:14] Carter Roy & Vanessa Richardson:

• Sherri doubted her marriage but ultimately wed John in November 1985.
• The couple struggled with financial disagreements and emotional tension.

[29:51] Carter Roy & Vanessa Richardson:

• Stephanie continued appearing at their home, sometimes in her police uniform and sometimes inside without warning or invitation.
• Stalking and intimidation included following Sherri, appearing at her gym, and watching the couple at restaurants.

[32:32] Vanessa Richardson:

• Sherri confided in her father: “Something major is going on... I’ll call you if I can’t solve it in two weeks.”
• This was the last time her parents saw her alive.

6. The Morning of the Murder

[33:13] Carter Roy & Vanessa Richardson:

• February 24, 1986: Sherri felt ill and stayed home from work.
• John went to work, leaving the alarm off as per their routine.

[34:21] Vanessa Richardson:

• Odd events: Sherri’s garage door left open, her car missing, and her answering machine off.
• Neighbors found her purse discarded nearby and attempted to return it.

[36:14] Vanessa Richardson & Carter Roy:

• John returns home to open garage, glass in the driveway, and the door ajar.
• He finds Sherri’s body:** “Her face was covered in bruises. Blood smeared her forehead and sealed her right eye shut. Her left eye stared back at him, wide open and glassy.”** – Carter Roy [37:02]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On trust in relationships:
  “Everyone has a past, and ultimately choosing to love someone means taking a leap of faith. There’s no way of knowing every single one of your partner’s secrets.” – Vanessa Richardson [01:57]

• On Stephanie’s determination:
  “Stephanie Lazarus wasn’t the type of woman to back down so easily. She decided to fight for John to get him back by any means necessary, even if that meant playing dirty.” – Carter Roy [14:07]

• Sherri’s warning to her father:
  “She said she was going to call him if she couldn’t solve it in the next two weeks... something major was going on.” – Vanessa Richardson [32:32]

• John’s rationalization:
  “He thought Stephanie was itching for an argument and said making a big deal out of her visit would give her exactly the kind of reaction she was hoping for.” – Vanessa Richardson [23:39]

• Crime scene discovery:
  “That’s when he saw Sherry sprawled on her back in the middle of the living room... blood smeared her forehead and sealed her right eye shut. Her left eye stared back at him, wide open and glassy.” – Carter Roy [37:02]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Sherri’s early life and achievements: [05:52 - 09:10]
• Meeting John, early romance: [09:10 - 10:53]
• Stephanie's background and persistence: [10:53 - 14:07]
• Escalation of harassment: [17:15 - 21:14]
• Marriage, financial/marital tensions: [24:48 - 26:06]
• Stalking incidents escalate: [29:51 - 32:32]
• Final conversation with her father: [32:32 - 33:13]
• Day of the murder, discovery of body: [33:13 - 37:02]

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Tone and Storytelling

This episode is empathetic and suspenseful, interweaving narrative and direct quotes with analysis. The hosts highlight the witnesses' emotions and Sherri’s growing dread, underscoring both her accomplishments and vulnerability. There’s a strong focus on how warning signs were ignored or dismissed, foreshadowing the tragic conclusion.

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Next Episode Teaser

The episode ends with Carter Roy promising a deeper look at the murder investigation, missteps made by law enforcement, and how Sherri’s case remained controversial decades later.

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End of Summary

Transcript

[Vanessa Richardson]

Hi, it's Vanessa. If you're drawn to true crime stories about disappearances, there's a new Crime House original you should check out. It's called the Final Hours, hosted by Sarah Turney and Courtney Nicole. Sarah's an advocate for missing and murdered victims whose own sister disappeared in 2001. And Courtney is a true crime storyteller who's seen firsthand how crime can change a family forever. Together, they bring lived experience to every case, Examining the moments just before a person disappears. The routines, the timelines, the small details that often get overlooked because every disappearance has a moment where everything still feels normal. Until it doesn't. Listen to and follow the final hours on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes drop every Monday.

[Carter Roy]

This is crime house. There are certain cases that stick with us long after they've been solved. Stories where the evidence points in one direction, but the investigation goes in another. Where even a verdict doesn't clear everything up. Today I have a special guest to help me dig into one of these cases. My friend and fellow Crime House host, Vanessa Richardson. Now, Vanessa, it's so great to have you here.

[Vanessa Richardson]

Thanks, Carter. I can't wait to get started. Today's story is truly one of the most frustrating we've ever covered. It's the murder of Sherry rasmussen. On the 40th anniversary of her death.

[Carter Roy]

That's right. Back in 1984, 27 year old Sherry met her future husband, 25 year old John Rutten. It was her first serious relationship. And I think we can all relate to how scary that can be.

[Vanessa Richardson]

Absolutely. Even when you meet someone you like, you can't help but wonder if you're getting to know the real them. Everyone has a past, and ultimately, choosing to love someone means taking a leap of faith. There's no way of knowing every single one of your partner's secrets.

[Carter Roy]

Sadly, Cheri learned that the hard way. On the surface, she and John seemed like a perfect match. They were both high achievers with a bright future ahead of them. And when they tied the knot, Sherry was excited to start a new chapter. But before long, John's hidden past came back to haunt them. And on February 24, 1986, Sherry paid the ultimate price for it. People's lives are like a story. There's a beginning, a middle, and an end. But you don't always know which part you're on. Sometimes the final chapter arrives far too soon. And we don't always get to know the real ending. I'm Carter Roy, and this is True Crime Stories, a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. New episodes come out every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with Friday's episode covering the cases that deserve a deeper look.

[Vanessa Richardson]

And I'm Vanessa Richardson, host of Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes. Crime House is made possible by you. Follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes and Murder True Crime Stories wherever you listen and subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts for ad free early access to each two part series 40 years

[Carter Roy]

after the murder of 29 year old Sherry Rasmussen, we're looking back at the case to see what went wrong and why. Today we'll introduce you to Sherry, a brilliant young nurse who could do anything she set her mind to. In 1984, Sherry met a man named John Reuten and a year later they were married. But soon Sherry learned John had some skeletons in his closet and and what should have been the happiest time of Sherry's life turned into a nightmare. Next time, we'll break down the earliest moments of the investigation and the assumptions that steered it off course. Because four decades later, Sherry's case still raises disturbing questions about who was protected and who wasn't. All that and more coming up.

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[Carter Roy]

Sherry Rasmussen always stood out, though. She was a middle child, the second of three girls she Never had to beg for her parents attention. From the day she was born on February 7, 1957, her father Nels adored her. Nels was a self made man who started as a logger in the forests of Washington. Later in life he switched gears and became a successful dentist. His wife Loretta worked full time as his office manager and receptionist. Their thriving careers meant their daughters could grow up in comfort at their home in Tucson, Arizona. All three girls were bright and capable with sunny personalities, But Sherry was arguably the smartest of them all. So much so that she ended up skipping two grades and graduating high school in 1973 at the age of 16. Her father wanted her to become a doctor, but Sherry was drawn to nursing instead. She thought she could do the most good that way. Plus, Sherry already knew she wanted to have a family of her own one day and it seemed like nursing would be more flexible. And so she followed in her older sister's footsteps and enrolled in the nursing program at Loma Linda University in California.

[Vanessa Richardson]

It didn't surprise anyone when Sherry breezed through the program. In 1977, the 20 year old earned her nursing license and went to work at the UCLA Medical Center. The next year she enrolled in a master's program with a focus on cardiac care. With a full time job and a schedule packed with classes, she never had much time for romance. Though she occasionally went on dates, Sherry prioritized her studies and by 1980 it paid off.

[Carter Roy]

Sherry was 23 years old, an ICU nurse with expert knowledge of the heart and one of the brightest stars at the hospital where she worked. In no time she got a promotion and became one of the youngest head nurses at the UCLA Medical Center. Most people probably would have had a hard time being in charge of their much older colleagues. But Sherry managed to get along with just about everyone. And her ability to work under pressure quickly earned her co workers respect.

[Vanessa Richardson]

One afternoon, a woman in Sherry's unit passed away. Afterwards, the patient's husband showed up in the waiting room with a gun. Overcome by grief, he threatened to kill the doctors who'd been taking care of his wife. Without hesitating, Sherry went out to the lobby and gave the man a hug. In a matter of minutes, she talked him down and persuaded him to give her the gun.

[Carter Roy]

That was the kind of woman Sherry was, and her bravery was rewarded. In 1983, she was nominated as the nurse of the year at UCLA. The next year, at age 27, she became a director of critical care at a smaller hospital called Glendale Adventist. Sherry's life was on track to Become what she always wanted it to be. She had a job she liked, a massive office and her own personal assistant. Deep down, that wasn't what she really yearned for, though.

[Vanessa Richardson]

Sherry had always wanted a steady relationship. But now that she had more time to pursue it, she wasn't so sure where to begin. Luckily, a fellow nurse named Anita had a reputation as a matchmaker. And she had the perfect man in mind for Sherry. In May of 1984, she invited Sherry to a party. She wanted to set her up with a friend named John Ruton.

[Carter Roy]

John was smitten with Sherry right away. He was 25, two years younger than Sherry, and was blown away by her passion. While he had a solid job at a computer company, he wasn't the kind of person to have a detailed five year plan. Like Sherry, he was awed by her ambition, her skills as a nurse and her success. So from the beginning, he pursued her with everything he had. And in time, Sherry found herself won over by his easy charm and love for the outdoors. They were serious after their first few dates and only grew closer as time went on. About a year after they met in 1985, the couple officially got engaged. Ever practical, Sherry wasn't interested in a huge flashy ring. Instead, John spent his savings to get her a BMW. In truth, the car wasn't her usual style. But Sherry loved it because it had come from John. It seemed like he was totally devoted to her. But John had a skeleton in his closet named Stephanie Lazarus.

[Vanessa Richardson]

If you asked John, he would have said that Stephanie wasn't really his ex. She'd been more like a friend with benefits. But Stephanie didn't see it that way. She believed the two of them were soulmates. And while she knew they weren't exclusive, she didn't know that in John's mind, the two of them had already broken up. After all, their official relationship status had been murky practically from the beginning. They'd met seven years earlier, back in 1978 at UCLA, when John was a sophomore and Stephanie was a freshman. Stephanie was an extrovert with a biting sense of humor. She was also the kind of person who went after what she wanted. And from the day she met John on the college basketball court, she wanted him. Even though Stephanie made it clear that she was interested, John kept his distance. But eventually she wore him down.

[Carter Roy]

After a year or so, they were doing everything together. They went to sports games, attended parties, took road trips. John even introduced her to his family. And yet John never described her as his girlfriend. Still, that wasn't enough. To discourage Stephanie.

[Vanessa Richardson]

The summer after John graduated in 1981, Stephanie came over to his apartment and shared her feelings with him. That night, John slept with her for the first time. It was a decision he later regretted, but apparently not enough to stop doing it. Over the next three years, he and Stephanie met up every few weeks and occasionally had sex. Despite that, John never saw himself getting serious with her. Stephanie must have sensed that he wasn't going to commit, which is probably why she didn't push him to put a label on things. Besides, by 1983, 24 year old Stephanie had other things on her mind.

[Carter Roy]

Once upon a time she dreamed of becoming a lawyer. But a year after graduating college, she changed her mind. Looking for a job with shorter hours, she applied to the Los Angeles Police Department instead. At the time, female officers were rare. Stephanie knew she faced an uphill battle, but she felt more than prepared. She had a strong personality and wasn't afraid to be assertive around men. She was also extremely athletic, more than capable of meeting the department's fitness standards. By the end of the year, she'd completed most of her training and was on the verge of becoming a full time officer. Her work life was going just as planned, but her situationship remained as uncertain as ever. She and John still kept in touch and sometimes slept together. On that December, he even invited her to his computer company's Christmas party. But a few months later, John met Sherry Rasmussen.

[Vanessa Richardson]

According to John, he stopped sleeping with Stephanie once he and Sherry got serious. But Stephanie told friends that she and John were still going out and she was pissed that he was dating Sherry. In Stephanie's mind, John was two timing her even then. She never gave him an ultimatum and he never explicitly ended things between them.

[Carter Roy]

A year later, In May of 1985, John and Sherry got engaged. Stephanie heard about it a week later, on June 4th. That day she wrote in her diary, I found out that John is getting married. I was very depressed. This is very bad. Sometime after midnight, she woke up her roommates, a man named Mike, and sobbed by his bedside. She said things between her and John were officially over. Mike stayed up to comfort Stephanie and by the end of their conversation, she seemed to be doing a little bit better. Stephanie put on a brave face, but deep down she was devastated. Despite how he'd treated her for years, John Reuten was her ideal man. She believed the two of them were meant to be together. And Stephanie Lazarus wasn't the type of woman to back down so easily. She decided to fight for John to get him back by any means necessary, even if that meant playing dirty.

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[Carter Roy]

By the end of June 1985, 26 year old John Reuten had been engaged to 28 year old Sherri Rasmussen for about a month. Meanwhile, John's ex girlfriend Stephanie Lazarus was still heartbroken about losing him. One night that month she called John in tears and begged him to come over. She said they needed to talk about their relationship and so John went over without telling his fiance. When he arrived, Stephanie was a wreck. She told him she was head over heels in love and wanted him to choose her over Sherry. This was her final chance to tell him how she really felt.

[Vanessa Richardson]

John wasn't sure what to say. He'd always known that Stephanie liked him and wanted a committed relationship, but over the past seven years he thought she'd come to understand they were never going to be anything More than friends with benefits. He broke the news to her as gently as he could, telling her that he'd chosen to be with Sherry. But no matter what he said, Stephanie couldn't accept it. She continued telling him she loved him and begged him to have sex with her one final time. John convinced himself that sleeping with her was the only way to calm her down. When they were finished, he left Stephanie's apartment and went home. A few weeks later, he moved into Sherry's condo in Van Nuys. He never mentioned his last night with his ex.

[Carter Roy]

Meanwhile, Stephanie did her best to move on. In July, she went out on dates with several other guys. But she couldn't get John out of her head. Eventually, she decided she would do whatever it took to get him back, including sabotaging his relationship with Sherry. One afternoon, either in July or August, she showed up at Sherry's hospital unannounced. She deliberately dressed provocatively in a tank top and the shortest shirt she owned and marched towards Sherry's office, ready to make a scene. Sherry vaguely remembered hearing about Stephanie from John. She was surprised to see her at the hospital, but welcomed her inside. The next five minutes were the most humiliating of her life. Stephanie didn't hold back. She told Sherry that she and John were still seeing each other and still sleeping together. She warned Sherry that if she couldn't have him, no one else could either. She finished by saying that when Sherry's marriage with John inevitably failed, she would be waiting to pick up the pieces.

[Vanessa Richardson]

Sherry was stunned. She told Stephanie that she and John, quote, wouldn't be needing her services and threw her out of the office. A few minutes later, she left work early in tears. That night, Sherry confronted John. He confessed that he'd gone to see Stephanie a few weeks earlier and admitted that they slept together. He begged Sherry to forgive him and swore that he'd cut off all contact with Stephanie. For Sherry, the first priority was getting Stephanie out of their lives. She wanted John to tell Stephanie that things were over for good. But he convinced Sherry that would only make the situation worse. He thought ignoring Stephanie was the best course of action. There was no need to have a discussion or tell her off. He wanted to act like nothing had ever happened. Unfortunately, that proved impossible. A couple of days after visiting Sherry at the hospital, Stephanie wrote a two page letter to John's mom. In it, she confessed her love for John and said she was heartbroken about his engagement. She at the same time, she seemed to accept the truth. She finished the note by saying that one day she hoped to meet someone who cared about her as much as she cared about John.

[Carter Roy]

Meanwhile, Sherry tried her best to forgive John. She didn't tell her parents much about their relationship, but they could tell the couple was having problems. She was more open with her friends, even telling one that she wasn't sure whether she wanted to marry John anymore. But as the months passed and the wedding date grew nearer, she decided to see things through. On November 23, 1985, the couple married at the First Congregational Church in Pasadena. They honeymooned at a Sandals resort in Jamaica. Before they left, they installed a new security system at their condo. They set the four digit passcode to be their wedding anniversary.

[Vanessa Richardson]

While they celebrated the beginning of this exciting new chapter, Stephanie Lazarus was still trying her hardest to forget John. When she wasn't on patrol with the lapd, she was arranging dates and trying to stay busy any way she could. But no one she went out with could compete with her ex. In her personal diary, she debated placing a personal ad in a local newspaper looking for a partner. On December 20, she even sketched out a draft of what the ad might say. She wrote, 25 year old UCLA grad, very athletic, loves to travel, seeks tall, athletic male, 25 to 31 years old, who likes to travel and has a good sense of humor. Though her requirements were pretty general, every word of them applied to the man she was trying so hard to forget. And by the end of the year, Stephanie couldn't take it anymore. Since John wouldn't see her anymore, she decided to force her way back into his life.

[Carter Roy]

One afternoon, probably in late December, she showed up at John and Sherry's condo uninvited. Stephanie's excuse for coming by was to drop off a pair of skis. She asked John to wax them for her. It's not clear if he'd done that kind of thing in the past, but Stephanie acted like it was normal. While John and Stephanie talked, Cheri went into another room. Later, Sherry told her parents that Stephanie seemed to relish dragging out the visit and stayed way longer than she should have until eventually Sherry put her foot down and told Stephanie it was time to go.

[Vanessa Richardson]

After Stephanie left, Sherry was livid. She wanted John to man up and tell Stephanie she wasn't welcome at their home. But John insisted that was the wrong way to go about things. He thought Stephanie was itching for an argument and said making a big deal out of her visit would give her exactly the kind of reaction she was hoping for. JN said a better solution was to wax her skis like nothing was wrong, to show that they weren't threatened by her presence. This non confrontational approach hadn't gotten Stephanie to back off in the seven years she'd been pursuing John. But this time he was sure she would get the message. The one thing Sherry got Jon to agree to was about returning the skis. She insisted he should make Stephanie come get them her herself. For obvious reasons, she didn't want him to be alone with her. So about a week after her previous visit, Stephanie dropped by again. After she got her skis, they quickly ushered her out the door. Sherry hoped that was the last time she had to see Stephanie. Not just because of the difficult feelings she brought up, but because Sherry and John had their own issues to deal with.

[Carter Roy]

Early in 1986, the couple booked a ski trip to a resort in Northern California. But they never ended up hitting the slopes because on the way there they got into an argument about money. When it came to their spending habits, John and Sherry couldn't have been more different. Sherry was incredibly practical, a compulsive saver who scrutinized every purchase she made. John, on the other hand, was reckless with his cash, spending it practically as soon as he got it. He recently bought a new car and on the trip to the resort, Sheri realized just how much he was spending every month to pay it off. That was in addition to her new BMW, a gift that she appreciated, but one she'd never asked for. It wasn't that they were going broke or anything. Both John and Sherry had well paying jobs. Even so, Sheri felt they were wasting money.

[Vanessa Richardson]

Things got so heated that by the time they finally arrived at the resort, they were no longer speaking to each other. They stopped by their room just long enough for Sherry to use the restroom, then immediately turned around and drove the five hours home. Sherry told John she was going to the bank the next day. She wanted them to have separate savings accounts.

[Carter Roy]

So far, marriage was proving to be a lot more difficult than Sheri expected. For someone who is used to excelling in every aspect of her life, it must have been hard to accept the friction with her new husband. And although she shared some of her troubles with her family and friends, she never told anyone about John's infidelity. Just saying it out loud was probably tough. Unfortunately, over the next few months, their issues would only multiply until eventually Sherry's happily ever after became a living nightmare.

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[Carter Roy]

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[Vanessa Richardson]

If you're drawn to true crime stories about disappearances, there's a new Crime House show for you to check out. It's the new Crime House original series, the Final Hours, hosted by Sarah Turney and Courtney Nicole. Sarah is an advocate for missing and murdered victims whose own sister disappeared in 2001. And Courtney is a true crime storyteller and investigator who witnessed firsthand how crime can change a family forever. Together, they bring lived experience to every case, looking not only at what happened, but what led up to it. Each episode examines the moments just before a person disappears, the routines, the timelines, and the small details that that often get overlooked. Because every disappearance has a moment where everything still feels normal. A text that doesn't raise concern, a routine that goes unchanged, a door that closes just like it always has. Until it doesn't. The final hours puts those moments under a microscope. Because when it comes to justice, there's no such thing as overanalyzing. Listen to and follow the final hours on Apple Podcast, podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you listen. New episodes every Monday.

[Carter Roy]

By the middle of January 1986, 28 year old Sherry Rasmussen had been married for two months and it already seemed like she and her husband, 26 year old John Ruton, had blown Past their honeymoon period. John's spending habits were a major hurdle for Sherry. But the bigger problem was John's ex. A 25 year old LAPD officer named Stephanie Lazarus. For the past few months, Stephanie had been doing everything she could to sabotage John's relationship. And in mid January, she struck again.

[Vanessa Richardson]

This time she showed up at the couple's condo in her police uniform. At 10am on a week weekday. Sherry nearly jumped out of her skin when she walked into the living room to find Stephanie standing there. There had been no phone call, no knock at the door, no warning at all. Sherry didn't even understand how Stephanie got inside. Their townhouse was protected by an electronic gate. When Sherry asked what she was doing, Stephanie said she'd come to see John. Besides being totally out of line, this explanation also didn't. It didn't make sense to Sherry. John was at work just like he always was at 10am on a weekday. Sherry normally would have been too. She just randomly happened to be home that day. Sherry wondered what Stephanie would have done if no one had been there. Terrified and confused, she told Stephanie that John didn't ever want to see her again. Stephanie just glared at her and left without saying a word.

[Carter Roy]

That night, Sherry called her parents and told them what had happened. She also mentioned that apparently this wasn't the first time Stephanie had gotten inside their house without a key. Sherry wanted to report the incident, but she believed the LAPD wouldn't take her seriously since Stephanie was one of their own. And telling the police would only escalate the situation, which might not be the best idea. Unfortunately, the harassment only intensified over the next few weeks. Sherry told friends she thought she was being followed whenever she went to the gym. Stephanie just happened to be at the same one. As she dropped off her clothes at the dry cleaners, Stephanie's police car would be idling right out front. One Friday night, she and John went out to dinner and noticed someone watching them from across the restaurant. Sherry felt like she was going crazy. As her 29th birthday approached, she and John decided to get away from Los Angeles for a while.

[Vanessa Richardson]

In early February, they took a trip to see her parents in Arizona. At dinner, Sherry took her father aside and told him she was having a big problem in her personal life. She couldn't tell him what it was, but she said she was going to call him if she couldn't solve it in the next two weeks. When her dad pressed her for details, she wouldn't budge. All Sherry said was that she wanted to give him a heads up that something Major was going on. She promised to tell him more the next time they met. Sherry and John flew back home on February 9th. Cheri's parents dropped them off at the airport. That was the last time they saw their daughter alive.

[Carter Roy]

On February 24, 1986, Sherry woke up just after 7am like usual, John rolled out of bed next to her and shuffled to the shower. Normally, Sherry would have been right behind him, but when he finished getting dressed, he found her still snuggled under the covers. She told him she wasn't feeling well and thinking about calling in sick to the hospital. John kissed her forehead, told her he'd call later to check in, then left for work. He was out the door at around 7:20 when he left. He walked right past their new burglar alarm. He and Sherry had settled on a routine. They only used it when both of them were out of the house or while they were sleeping. So John left it off, hopped in his car and pulled out of the garage. Before he left, he made sure to watch the door come down. Then he cruised through the electric gate that separated their condo complex from the street. On his way to work, he stopped at the dry cleaners, finally making it to the office about 10 minutes before 8.

[Vanessa Richardson]

About half an hour later, a retired couple who lived across from John and Cherry took their morning walk down to a nearby golf course. When they got back an hour later, they noticed that John and Cherry's garage door was open and both of their cars were gone. Meanwhile, John waited until around 10am to check on his wife, and he called her several times but never got an answer. Even stranger, he couldn't leave a message. That meant Sherry hadn't turned on the answering machine before heading out, a rare mistake on her part. Still, John figured she must have decided to go into work after all. So he rang her assistant instead. The assistant said Sherry was scheduled to teach a class that day. She hadn't seen Sherry yet, but that might have been because she drove straight to class without stopping at the office.

[Carter Roy]

John wasn't the only one trying to reach Sherry that morning. Her younger sister Teresa also called the hospital. The assistant told her that Sherry had called in sick. And after Teresa rang the house, she was somehow able to leave a message on the answering machine. Meanwhile, the retired couple across from John and Sherry started wondering what was going on. Going on with their neighbors. At noon, a pair of men in work clothes knocked on their door. They only spoke Spanish, so the couple couldn't understand what the men said, but they handed over a brown purse with Sherry's wallet inside. The couple figured Sherry had somehow lost it outside and the men were trying to return it. They agreed to take the purse and planned on giving it back later in the day. Back at work, John called Sherry at the hospital one more time and didn't get an answer. He didn't think anything was wrong, just that she was too busy to get back to him. So at 5pm he headed home, stopping to do a couple of errands along the way.

[Vanessa Richardson]

At six o' clock he finally made it back to the condo and immediately he could tell something was off. The garage door was open and Sherry's BMW was nowhere to be found. When he got out of his car, he noticed the driveway was covered in shards of glass. Searching for a way to make sense of it all, he imagined Sherry had clipped her tail light when she backed out, then gone to a mechanic to get it fixed. But that didn't explain why the burglar alarm wasn't on, or why the door at the top of the stairs was wide open. Now on guard, John crept into the entryway. That's when he saw Sherry sprawled on her back in the middle of the living room. A broken shelf and a busted vase littered the floor next to a pile of electronics.

[Carter Roy]

John rushed to his wife's side and gently shook her. As her head slumped to the side, he gasped. Her face was covered in bruises. Blood smeared her forehead and sealed her right eye shut. Her left eye stared back at him, wide open and glassy. With tears running down his face, John jumped to his feet and ran to the phone. Sherry Rasmussen was dead. Thanks so much for listening. I'm Carter Roy and this is Murder True Crime Stories. Come back next time for part two on the murder of Sherry Rasmussen 40 years later. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. Here at Crime House, we want to thank each and every one of you for your support. If you like what you heard today, reach out on social media, rimehouse on TikTok and Instagram. Don't forget to rate, review and follow True Crime Stories wherever you get your podcasts. Your feedback truly makes a difference and to enhance your Murder True Crime Stories listening experience. Subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. You'll get every episode early and ad free. We'll be back on Thursday. True Crime Stories is hosted by me, Carter Roy with special guests Vanessa Richardson and is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. This episode was brought to life by the Murder True Crime Stories team. Max Cutler, Ron Shapiro, Alex Benedon, Natalie Pertzofsky, Lori Marinelli, Sarah Camp, Tara Wells, Sheila Patterson, and Russell Nash. Thank you for listening.

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[Vanessa Richardson]

Hi, it's Vanessa. If you're drawn to true crime stories about disappearances, check out the new Crime House original the Final Hours, hosted by Sarah Turney and Courtney Nicole. Listen to and follow the Final Hours on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes drop every Monday.