NOTORIOUS MURDERS > WOMEN WHO KILL

The Murder of Sherri Rae Rasmussen

By Tricia Romano

Something out of Law and Order

Mr. Rasmussen's reports had been dismissed as products of viewing too much crime fiction, but the discovery that led to the new charges against Lazarus would have been perfect for an episode of Law and Order. In February 2009, the Cold Case squad, with time on its hands due to the dwindling number of murders in the area, reopened some additional old cases. Investigators ran DNA tests on all the old evidence, including the bite marks on Rasmussen's body. The DNA testing revealed that the suspect had to be a woman, disposing of the linkage to the other robberies. At the time of the initial investigation, Lazarus had been duly interviewed, but never pursued as a likely suspect.

The LAPD officers working the case were now faced with an uncomfortable prospect. A person who worked literally next door (Lazarus' department and the Cold Case department were situated across the hall from each other) was now their prime suspect.

After a day of following Lazarus around, they nabbed a discarded item with her saliva on it. It proved to be a match.

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1. Introduction
2. Rising in the Force
3. Robbery Gone Awry
4. "If I can't have John, then nobody else will."
5. Something out of Law and Order
6. Announcing the Cracking of the Cold Case
7. Redemption: "I told you so."
8. New Details
9. On the Other Side of the Thin Blue Line