Hi there, my cosmic stars and Happy Sunday!

Today I decided to do something a little different that I find to be very exciting, and takes less of a toll on my mental health, and that is reading.

A few Birthdays ago, I was gifted a book called “The Lazarus Files: A cold Case Investigation” written by Matthew McGough.

The author in this books examines the murder of Sherri Rasmussen who was found brutally murdered inside the townhouse she shared with her husband, John Reutten.

*Note: I am currently still reading the book, so maybe when I finish it I will write about it. For now I will just mention the case briefly, lightly since I am just writing about a book right now. That way for me it’s kind of low pressure.*

Who was Sherri Rasmussen?

Sherri Rae Rasmussen was born on February 7, 1957, in Walla Walla, Washington, to parents Nels and Loretta Rasmussen. She was primarily raised in Arizona.

Another reason I feel connect with this book is because Sherri was a nursing major, and in today’s decade, that is what I am pursuing. Sherri was an exceptionally bright student having graduated from high school early and entered La Sierra University at only 16-years old.

Sherri then went on to graduate from Loma Linda University with a degree in nursing.

She was driven by a passion for critical care, she advanced quickly in her field. Eventually became the head nurse of the coronary care and observation unit at UCLA.

By the time Sherri entered her late 20s, she had lectured internationally on critical care nursing and was appointed as the director of nursing at Glendale Adventist Medical center. She was highly respected as a leader among her healthcare peers.

June, 1984:

In June 1984, Sherri met John Ruetten, a mechanical engineering graduate from UCLA. The two developed a very strong connection and eventually married, on November 23, 1985.

Sherri and John were living together in a condominium in the Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.

Stalking and Death:

While Sherri was just about to open and embrace a new chapter in her life, she was eventually stalked and killed by a woman named Stephanie Lazarus. Lazarus apparently had romantic affairs with John in the past.

Before her death, Sherri was subjected to highly disturbing pattern of targeted harassment by LAPD patrol officer, Stephanie Lazarus

The very first place Stephanie first targeted Sherri was at her workplace, Glendale Adventist Medical Center. She dressed in her police uniform and confronted Sherri, and openly threatening her, stating “If I can’t have John, no one else will.”

One morning after John had left for work, Stephanie somehow gained entry in Sherri & John’s home, sitting on the couch. Just you know, totally (not) normal.

Sherri demanded that Stephanie leave and the two got into an intense verbal altercation. Sherri had no clue how Stephanie had entered her home.

Sherri began to be concerned about her safety. So he confided in her father, Nels that she was being stalked on the street, noting that she had seen Stephanie following her, Stephanie also wore disguises to blend in.

The Murder of Sherri Rasmussen: February 24, 1986:

On the morning of February 24, 1986, Sherri called in sick to her job as a nursing director due to having a sore throat.

Sherri was 6 feet tall and physically fit, she fought desperately for her life. According to forensic evidence, it was pinpointed that the struggle had spanned in multiple rooms in the condominium.

The fight began upstairs and eventually moved down to the living room. Stephanie had bludgeoned Sherri with a heavy porcelain vase from the home and smashed it over Sherri’s head incapacitating her. At the scene shards of the vase were found scattered across the living room floor.

Their were ligature marks left on Sherri’s wrist indicating that Stephanie attempted to tie Sherri up. Stephanie had also bit Sherri deeply on her left forearm. This tidbit was used to trace the saliva on Sherri’s arm that would solve this case 23 years later.

Sherri’s Death:

The violent struggle ended in the living room with Sherri being shot three times. In order to muffle the sound of the gunshots, Stephanie took a thick quilted blanket from the home, pressed it over Sherri’s chest, and fired three close-range shots through the fabric.

Sherri was shot in her torso, with the bullet tearing through her heart, lungs, and spine.

I am going to stop this first part here. The next part I will discuss the aftermath, Stephanie Lazarus, her arrest, and sentencing.

Thank you guys for reading! Hope you enjoyed ❤ L.W.