Mother Knows Murder Extra: Emmy winner Niecy Nash and daughter Dia La Ren Talk Murder
Summary
Niecy Nash-Betz and her daughter discuss the 1985 murder of Sherry Rasmussen, a nurse killed by her husband's ex-girlfriend, LAPD officer Stephanie Lazarus. The episode details how Lazarus staged the crime as a burglary but was eventually identified through a DNA match from a bite mark on Rasmussen's arm. They explore the decades-long investigation, the victim's father's persistence, and the 2012 trial that resulted in Lazarus's conviction for first-degree murder.
Topics discussed
Sponsor: LinkedIn for small business
Sponsor: Netflix Thanksgiving Eve NFL game
Show intro and format explanation
Host introductions and personal connection to crime
Housekeeping and Crime House Plus promotion
Victim background: Sherry Rasmussen and her marriage
Discovery of the body and initial scene details
Scene analysis: Bite marks and lack of robbery signs
Missing marriage certificate and father's suspicions
The suspect: Stephanie, an LAPD officer and ex-girlfriend
Sponsor: LinkedIn for small business
Sponsor: Netflix Thanksgiving Eve NFL game
Police inaction and internal affairs issues
Case goes cold and Stephanie's life continues
DNA breakthrough and re-examination of evidence
Staged crime scene and identifying the suspect
Surveillance at Costco and DNA collection
Arrest and initial interrogation
Trial: Prosecution's case and defense arguments
Verdict and Sherry's father's reaction
Youthful offender hearing and confession
Parole hearings and inconsistencies in her story
Sherry's father's final video statement
Hosts' final thoughts on the perpetrator
Legacy of Sherry and closing remarks
Outro and subscription call to action
Sponsor: LinkedIn for small business
Sponsor: Coca-Cola
Listen ad-free on Castria