Entertainment Tonight
The murder of Rebecca Schaeffer triggered sweeping changes across Hollywood in 1989, after it was discovered how the 21-year-old ‘My Sister Sam’ actress found herself face to face with a stalker-turned-killer in her final moments. ET looks back at the infamous true crime story and the shocking details revealed during the trial of Robert Bardo, sharing never-before-seen interviews and uncovering rare footage captured inside the courtroom. Before Marcia Clark became a household name from O.J. Simpson’s legal saga, Los Angeles County’s former Deputy District Attorney was the prosecutor assigned to oversee justice for Schaeffer’s murder. As she explained to ET, the ensuing police investigation revealed how Bardo obtained Schaeffer’s unlisted address through the DMV, a service that quickly became restricted thanks in part to the lobbying efforts of her sitcom co-star, Pam Dawber. In the wake of Schaeffer’s death, California passed the first anti-stalking legislation that’s now present in all 50 states. In 2016, YouTube singer Christina Grimmie’s murder by an obsessed fan drew multiple parallels to the aftermath of Schaeffer’s death, with both of their stories raising awareness of the dangers that come with living in the public eye.
More from Entertainment Tonight:
Exclusives from #EntertainmentTonight :
9:43 I was pretty young, I liked the Sister Sam show, I remember watching the reports and getting so mad at this %$#$%@# person. She sees this spooky nutbag hanging around the street “A long time!” showing her picture asking where to find her, and this brain trust doesn’t even think of reporting him to police.
This dude has crazy eyes 👀
35 years ago. Rest in peace Rebecca. I hope her mother Danna is with her now.
Sad💔
Why did I think that it was Bernadette Peters in the thumb nail
It was so sad that such a beautiful girl like that was murdered by this psychopath. They should had had a law passed then to leave celebrities alone.
35 years ago ❤
She was working her way up to be an A-list household name, but her life ended tragedy after an obsessive fan killed her over a scene that he didn’t like. After her murder, Schaeffer’s legacy lives on…. Its one story that woke up a law on stalking.
Where’s my comment? I said nothing wrong.😡
Its heartbreaking 😢
I remember this. It should have been a law before Rebecca was gone that no one can get your address from the DMV. That never should have happened! Giving out personal info like that, no one thought, gee, maybe we shouldn’t give out addresses, what could go wrong? So sad. He should have been put under the prison 35 years ago, he has just been living his pathetic life and doesn’t care one bit about what he did that day.
It was an UNlisted address to boot! which meant they NEVER should have given it out..the private investigator gave it to him…they should have been charged with neglect/incompetency.
R.I.P. Rebecca 😢❤. I still hate when young stars like her, Selena, Christina Grimmie, and of course John Lennon (from The Beatles) get their own lives taken always by their obessed, evil fans. R.I.P. Rebecca, Selena, Christina, and John
I agree
I have never heard of story til ET tv top 15 Hollywood murders on this channel back then and her name was the list and its soo sad how young she was
Such a beautiful young lady I hope he’s living a rough life in prison RIP Rebecca this is so sad
I am glad he received life without the possibility of parole. RIP Angel ❤. So sad. I remember this as though this was yesterday.
Creepy men ruin everything
My parents told me about this story. This is why parents are afraid for their daughters.
Rip i heard about her story . So sad .
She would’ve gone to incredible heights with her career. Also for sure she would’ve easily won the role of portraying the daughter of Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part III.
I was a baby