Written by: Associated Press
2 min readLos AngelesMay 15, 2012 01:00 AM IST
First published on: May 15, 2012 at 01:00 AM IST
A former Los Angeles police detective was sentenced to 27 years to life in prison for murdering the wife of her former lover 26 years ago.
Stephanie Lazarus,52,was found guilty in March of killing Sherri Rasmussen,a nurse who was bludgeoned and shot to death in the condo she shared with her husband of three months,John Ruetten.
Rasmussens mother,sister and widower spoke during the sentencing hearing about their pain and described the victim as a warm,caring and loving person.
Ruetten told the judge he still grieves. The fact that Sherris death occurred because she met and married me,brings me to my knees, he said.
Superior Court Judge Robert Perry gave Lazarus a term of 25 years to life for first-degree murder and an additional two years for personal use of a firearm.
Her defence attorney said an appeal has been filed. There was never a presumption of innocence, said Lazaruss brother Steve. The media got to listen to DNA and guilt for 2 1/2 years before Stephanie had her trial.
The case hinged on DNA from a bite mark prosecutors say was left by Lazarus on Rasmussens arm. Lazarus was not a suspect in 1986 because detectives then believed two robbers who had attacked another woman in the area were to blame for Rasmussens death.
No suspects were found and the case went cold until May 2009,when undercover officers followed Lazarus and obtained a sample of her saliva to compare with DNA left at the original crime scene. The idea that saliva from a bite mark could be her undoing was inconceivable in 1986 when DNA wasnt used as a forensic tool.
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