The Lazarus Files
Matthew McGough
A book-length account for readers who want more detail.
1986 · Los Angeles, California
Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus
The story behind The Lazarus Files
Sherri Rasmussen was killed in her Los Angeles home in 1986. Investigators initially treated the attack as a burglary, but preserved DNA evidence eventually pointed to police detective Stephanie Lazarus, a former girlfriend of Rasmussen’s husband. Lazarus was arrested more than two decades after the crime and convicted of murder.
EXPLORE THE CASE
The Story
When1986
WhereLos Angeles, California
In this collection42 resources
Start here.
Choose a book, screen story or audio episode from this case’s collection.
Dateline NBC — Internal Affairs
NBC · 2011 catalog, Episode 12 · Listed air date 2011-02-11
Explore this screen title and its source details before choosing a service.
Dateline NBC — Detective Story
Apple Podcasts
An audio option for exploring this case while listening.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon buttons marked “paid link” may earn us a commission. Affiliate disclosure
Where are they now?
No reviewed items have been added to this section yet.
Nicknames & media names
No reviewed items have been added to this section yet.
EXPLORE THE CASE
Blogs & Essays
Read our articles here and explore outside perspectives, credited to their writers and publications. See this case in the Journal →
From the journal
No reviewed items have been added to this section yet.
Blogs & essays
1 itemsAbout these sources
Outside essays and reading guides reflect their authors’ perspectives. Compare claims with reported and primary sources.
Jim Fisher True Crime
The Stephanie Lazarus Murder Case
A crime writer examines the investigation linking Stephanie Lazarus to Sherri Rasmussen’s murder.
Outside CommentaryAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
EXPLORE THE CASE
Books
CONTINUE YOUR READING
Search this case on Amazon · paid linkSearch results may include unrelated titles. Check the author, edition, and case connection before purchasing.
Explore Reading & Streaming Options · Our case guides are free.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon buttons marked “paid link” may earn us a commission. Affiliate disclosure
Books
1 itemsMatthew McGough
The Lazarus Files
A nonfiction account of this case. See the linked edition for publication details and available formats.
BookAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
View on Amazon · paid linkExplore this book
Hardcover · Check current price and availability on Amazon.
EXPLORE THE CASE
Movies & TV
Movies
No reviewed items have been added to this section yet.
TV & documentaries
6 itemsAbout these sources
Episodes, documentaries and title listings. Season and episode numbers follow the linked catalog and can differ by service. Air dates are separate from crime dates. Playback availability varies by service and region.
IMDb · TV episode
Dateline NBC — The Smoking Gun (2018)
IMDb episode reference connected to the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Listed release: 2018. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
Screen TitleTitle Details · Not Playback
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Search Amazon · paid linkCredits & title details on IMDb
Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.
IMDb · TV episode
48 Hours — One of Their Own (2010)
IMDb episode reference connected to the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Listed release: 2010. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
Screen TitleTitle Details · Not Playback
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Search Amazon · paid linkCredits & title details on IMDb
Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.
IMDb · TV episode
48 Hours — One of Their Own (2012)
IMDb episode reference connected to the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Listed release: 2012. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
Screen TitleTitle Details · Not Playback
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Search Amazon · paid linkCredits & title details on IMDb
Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.
IMDb · TV episode
People Magazine Investigates — Once Bitten (2017)
IMDb episode reference connected to the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Listed release: 2017. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
Screen TitleTitle Details · Not Playback
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Search Amazon · paid linkCredits & title details on IMDb
Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.
NBC · 2011 catalog, Episode 12 · Listed air date 2011-02-11
Dateline NBC — Internal Affairs
Includes coverage of Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus.
Screen TitleAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Search Amazon · paid linkEpisode details on TVmaze
Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.
Episode data: TVmaze · CC BY-SA 4.0
Oxygen True Crime · Season 9, Episode 17 · Listed air date 2012-09-30
Snapped — Stephanie Lazarus
Includes coverage of Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus.
Screen TitleAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Search Amazon · paid linkEpisode details on TVmaze
Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.
Episode data: TVmaze · CC BY-SA 4.0
EXPLORE THE CASE
Audiobooks
Listen to a book connected to this story. Each edition below is matched to its author and audiobook source.
Audiobook
The Lazarus Files
Narrated by Matthew McGough
Check the current price, edition and membership terms on Amazon.
Edition checked 2026-10-12
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon buttons marked “paid link” may earn us a commission. Affiliate disclosure
EXPLORE THE CASE
Fiction Work
Fiction Work
Browse all →Scripted stories and fictional inspirations. Scenes, characters, and dialogue can differ from the record.
No verified fictional adaptation or inspiration has been identified in this collection. Nonfiction coverage is listed in the other media sections.
EXPLORE THE CASE
Podcasts
Podcasts
14 itemsAbout these sources
Audio episodes and oral histories. Personal recollections are attributed perspectives; some services require sign-in.
Apple Podcasts
Dateline NBC — Detective Story
Direct episode page for this case or its screen adaptation. Open it for listening options and the publisher’s episode notes.
PodcastAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Morbid
The Murder of Sherri Rasmussen
Podcast coverage of the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Released November 28, 2022. About 73 minutes.
PodcastAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Casefile True Crime
Case 42: Sherri Rasmussen
Podcast coverage of the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Released January 14, 2017. About 65 minutes.
PodcastAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Women and Crime
Sherri Rasmussen
Podcast coverage of the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Released July 12, 2022. About 47 minutes.
PodcastAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Murder With My Husband
60. Sherri Rasmussen – The Twisted Triangle
Podcast coverage of the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Released May 17, 2021. About 32 minutes.
PodcastAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Crimes of the Centuries
A Newlywed Murdered: The Sherri Rasmussen Case
Podcast coverage of the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Released February 9, 2026. About 55 minutes.
PodcastAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Show 8 more podcasts
Moms and Mysteries: A True Crime Podcast
The Murder of Sherri Rasmussen: A Killer in Uniform
Podcast coverage of the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Released September 5, 2017. About 58 minutes.
PodcastAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Criminally Listed Presents: Into the Killing
Sherri Rasmussen
Podcast coverage of the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Released July 4, 2021. About 22 minutes.
PodcastAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Unseen
The Bite Mark Mistress Murder | The Case of Sherri Rasmussen | UNSEEN
Podcast coverage of the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Released September 22, 2025. About 32 minutes.
PodcastAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
True Crime Brewery
His Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: The Murder of Sherri Rasmussen
Podcast coverage of the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Released August 18, 2020. About 98 minutes.
PodcastAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Crack House Chronicles
Ep. 324 The Murder of Sherri Rasmussen
Podcast coverage of the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Released July 27, 2026. About 44 minutes.
PodcastAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
RedHanded
Episode 156: Stephanie Lazarus: The Detective Who Almost Got Away with Murder
Podcast coverage of the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Released July 16, 2020. About 66 minutes.
PodcastAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
10 to Life
His Jealous Ex Kept Showing Up…Then The Newlywed Bride Was Found Dead | Sherri Rasmussen
Podcast coverage of the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Released June 16, 2026. About 69 minutes.
PodcastAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
GRIMM: A True Crime Podcast
Baby Break v2, Episode 2: The Murder of Sherri Rasmussen Part 2
Podcast coverage of the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Released August 5, 2026. About 58 minutes.
PodcastAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
EXPLORE THE CASE
Social Media
BRING YOUR PERSPECTIVE
Where would you start?
Choose your reading route, then share a question with your community.
Your choice stays on this page. No vote is submitted or counted.
Talk about sources and storytelling with care for the people affected. A documentary, a book and a court record serve different purposes.
EXPLORE THE CASE
News & Reading
More Reading & Audio
4 sourcesExplore book records, previews, library audiobooks and selected documents. Access labels distinguish free material from library loans and paid subscriptions.
OverDrive · Library Access
The Lazarus Files — Ebook
Matthew McGough. Related reading for Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus. Check participating libraries for this edition. Borrowing requires an eligible library card; availability and waits vary.
Check Library Access ↗Last Checked: · Access may changeReport a Link (Email)
Google Books · Catalog / Availability
The Lazarus Files
Related book record. Google may offer selected pages or another edition; full-book access is not confirmed.
View Catalog & Access Options ↗Last Checked: · Access may changeReport a Link (Email)
Google Books · Catalog / Availability
The Lazarus Files
Matthew McGough. Related reading for Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus. Book information and any pages made available by Google Books; this is not a promise of full-text access.
View Catalog & Access Options ↗Last Checked: · Access may changeReport a Link (Email)
Everand · Subscription Access
The Lazarus Files — Ebook
Matthew McGough. Related reading for Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus. Check the current subscription terms and available sample; trial offers are not permanent free access.
View Subscription Options ↗Last Checked: · Access may changeReport a Link (Email)
Reading Access Notes
Search reviewed 2026-09-16. Sources searched: Google Books, Internet Archive, Open Library, Library of Congress, Smithsonian Magazine, The Atavist Magazine, Google Books (case/title search), Scribd, Everand, OverDrive and hoopla (combined title search). Search indexing is incomplete; this is not an exhaustive list of the web. Access can change by edition, country and library membership. Library loans may require sign-in or a wait. Everand titles may need a paid subscription; a trial is not permanent free access. Scribd documents are third-party uploads, with uploader details noted where checked. We link to source pages and write our own descriptions rather than reproducing copyrighted books.
A separate Texas Monthly search was blocked by the publisher’s automated-access rules and could not be verified.
News & reporting
2 itemsLos Angeles Times
Newspaper & magazine reporting
Linked reporting or commentary. Read the source date for its historical context; access may require a subscription.
JournalismAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
CBS / 48 Hours · 2010
One of Their Own
Archival reporting on Sherri Rasmussen’s case. Predates trial.
JournalismAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Newspaper clippings
1 itemsFeatured newspaper clipping
Read our original summary below. The archive link opens the newspaper’s own clipping viewer.
The Signal · 2012-03-09 · Page 4
Lazarus convicted in Rasmussen’s murder
The verdict report explains the DNA evidence and the long delay in identifying Sherri Rasmussen’s killer.
Historical reporting; read in the context of its publication date.
Newspaper ReportingAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Read the original at Newspapers.com. Access and subscription requirements are set by the archive.
Open full clipping at Newspapers.comKeep following the newspaper trail.
Search original reporting, follow the trial, and compare how newspapers covered the case over time.
Explore more on Newspapers.comNewspapers.com controls access to its archive. A subscription may be required; existing subscribers can sign in.
Internet Archive
3 itemsAbout these sources
Library records and preserved media. A catalog listing does not guarantee full reading or playback.
Internet Archive · TV News Archive
Dateline NBC : KNTV : February 11, 2011 9:00pm-11:00pm PST
The archive indexes this broadcast under Sherri Rasmussen. It may contain several stories; use any available captions or previews to locate the relevant segment. Full playback may be restricted.
Archive ResourceAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Internet Archive · TV News Archive
Dateline : MSNBCW : June 9, 2019 2:00am-3:00am PDT
The archive indexes this broadcast under Sherri Rasmussen. It may contain several stories; use any available captions or previews to locate the relevant segment. Full playback may be restricted.
Archive ResourceAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Internet Archive · TV News Archive
20/20 : KGO : October 4, 2024 9:01pm-11:00pm PDT
The archive indexes this broadcast under Sherri Rasmussen. It may contain several stories; use any available captions or previews to locate the relevant segment. Full playback may be restricted.
Archive ResourceAccess Varies · Check Source
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
EXPLORE THE CASE
Court & Files
Court records & documents
2 itemsAbout these sources
Documents are labeled by type and scope. Allegations in filings are not findings of guilt. This collection is not the complete case file.
Court opinionArchive copy
Lazarus v. Core — federal habeas decision
A federal appellate memorandum addressing the delay before Stephanie Lazarus was charged with Sherri Rasmussen’s murder.
- Court / agency
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- Document date
- September 5, 2023
- Case / citation
- 21-55483
- Hosted by
- Justia
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Related civil caseArchive copy
Rasmussen v. Lazarus — wrongful-death litigation
A civil appeal concerning the time limit for the Rasmussen family’s wrongful-death lawsuit against Lazarus. This is separate from the murder prosecution.
- Court / agency
- California Courts of Appeal
- Document date
- January 8, 2018
- Case / citation
- B277635
- Hosted by
- Justia
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
EXPLORE THE CASE
Positive Outcome
Positive Outcome
0 itemsAbout these sources
Documented laws, advocacy and reforms. Listing a change does not claim it is effective or universally supported.
No case-specific reform has been verified for this collection yet.
Social Media
12 itemsAbout these sources
Case-specific posts, videos and communities. Community opinions are separate from verified reporting. Platforms may require sign-in.
Unseen
Killer Realizes She’s Been Caught 23 Years Later | The Case of Sherri Rasmussen
Video from Unseen covering the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Length: 28:42.
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
EXPLORE WITH US
Cold Case SOLVED After 26 Years: The True Story of Sherri Rasmussen | True Crime Solved Mystery
Video from EXPLORE WITH US covering the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Length: 17:00.
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
The Lore Lodge
The (Almost) Successful Coverup Of The Sherri Rasmussen Murder
Video from The Lore Lodge covering the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Length: 1:10:39.
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Megyn Kelly
Fatal Attraction: The Body in Unit 205 — Ep. 1 | MK Confidential on the Murder of Sherri Rasmussen
Video from Megyn Kelly covering the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Length: 32:23.
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
True Crime Brewery
His Crazy Ex Girlfriend: The Murder of Sherri Rasmussen
Video from True Crime Brewery covering the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Length: 1:35:49.
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Megyn Kelly
Fatal Attraction: Nineteen Years in a Freezer — Ep. 2 | MK Confidential on Sherri Rasmussen
Video from Megyn Kelly covering the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Length: 32:35.
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Show 6 more social media
Megyn Kelly
The Deadly Secrets Behind Sherri Rasmussen's Murder
Video from Megyn Kelly covering the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Length: 6:00.
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
ABC News
Examining notorious Los Angeles murder case of Sherri Rasmussen | 20/20 PART 1
Video from ABC News covering the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Length: 9:45.
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Criminal Underworld
Killer Cop: How DNA Exposed the Shocking Murder of Sherri Rasmussen
Video from Criminal Underworld covering the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Length: 18:48.
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Casefile
The deadly secrets behind Sherri’s murder
Video from Casefile covering the Sherri Rasmussen & Stephanie Lazarus case. Length: 1:03:38.
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
TikTok · Creator channel
Crack House Chronicles — TikTok channel
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “Ep. 324 The Murder of Sherri Rasmussen.” This creator channel covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. The platform may ask you to sign in.
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)
Facebook · Creator channel
Crack House Chronicles — Facebook page
Linked by this creator in the episode notes for “Ep. 324 The Murder of Sherri Rasmussen.” This creator channel covers multiple cases. The matching case episode is linked below. The platform may ask you to sign in.
Link Check PendingReport a Link (Email)