Part Four: The Aftermath & Action

         

          I was going to make this a five-part series, but realized four would do, so here's the                   conclusion of Rebecca Schaffer's murder by an obsessed fan, John Bardo.

Bardo was initially infatuated with pop stars Debbie Gibson and Tiffany. However, his obsession shifted tragically after he watched Rebecca Schaeffer's intimate scene in "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills." Dr. Kris Mohandie, a clinical police and forensic psychologist, described Bardo's disturbing thoughts: "'How dare she? She's supposed to stay innocent for me.' He decided, 'I’m going to punish you and permanently possess you by taking your life.'"

Even more disturbing was Bardo's revelation that he drew inspiration from a 1982 article in People magazine about Arthur Jackson, who attempted to kill actress Theresa Saldana. Jackson received a 12-year prison sentence, the maximum at the time.

During Bardo's trial, his lawyer argued mental illness, supported by testimony from his siblings about his troubled mental health history, including dropping out of high school for treatment. Bardo's mental health history prevented him from legally acquiring a firearm, leading him to persuade his brother to obtain one for him.

Marcia Clark, then-deputy district attorney (later famous in the O.J. Simpson trial), countered that Bardo's actions stemmed from obsession, not insanity. In 1991, he was convicted of first-degree murder and received a life sentence without parole, which he continues to serve at Avenal State Prison in California.

In 2007, Bardo was seriously injured when stabbed 11 times by another inmate at Mule Creek State Prison.

Rebecca's tragic death had a lasting impact: in 1990, California passed the first anti-stalking law in the U.S., making it a felony to cause fear for safety, applicable nationwide by 2019.

And on April 12, 2024, the 35th anniversary of her death, ABC aired "Your Biggest Fan" on 20/20, examining John Bardo's motives and the subsequent legislation protecting celebrities and others from stalking.

Remembering Rebecca

Rebecca Schaeffer, a promising young actress on the brink of stardom, tragically met her untimely death on July 18, 1989, when she was fatally shot by Robert John Bardo, a disturbed fan who had been obsessively stalking her for years. The impact of her death reverberated not only through Hollywood but also sparked legislative changes regarding stalking and privacy protections.

Schaeffer initially moved in with Dawber, her co-star of "My Sister Sam," and her husband Mark Harmon for a few months upon arriving in Los Angeles after landing the role as her sister.

"We just naturally fell into a sisterly bond," Dawber recounted to 20/20. "I had lost my own sister when she was 22 and I was 25, so having another young woman in the house felt comforting and familiar. It was a positive experience for both of us." Dawber, an experienced actress, was delighted to witness Rebecca's burgeoning career.

"I was thrilled to see her embracing the Hollywood life," Dawber shared.

After her stay with Dawber and Harmon, Schaeffer moved to an apartment in the hills above the Sunset Strip. However, she soon grew concerned about the isolation and opted to relocate to her residence on Sweetzer Avenue.

After her death, those who knew Rebecca remembered her not just for her talent but for her kind and gentle spirit. Jenny O'Hara, her co-star from "My Sister Sam," reminisced about Rebecca's genuine nature: "She was so natural, she was herself. There was nothing phony about her; there was nothing put on about her. She was amazing."

Rebecca's agent, Jonathan Howard, mourned the loss of not just a client but a dear friend: "What the world really lost was an angel. I lost a friend. ... Hollywood lost a rising star, and the world lost an angel."

Her close friend and director Brad Silberling, who was deeply affected by her death, recalled the last message Rebecca left him before her audition for "The Godfather Part III": "The morning she died, he discovered a sweet message she had left on his answering machine. It was the last time he ever heard her voice."

Rebecca's parents, Danna and Benson Schaeffer, were devastated by the loss of their only child and threw themselves into advocating for stricter gun control and anti-stalking laws. Danna Schaeffer, reflecting on the phone call that changed her life forever, recalled, "I still remember how sunny my voice sounded when he picked up the phone... Then he said, and these words are inscribed in my brain, 'Mrs. Schaeffer, I have terrible news. This morning Rebecca was shot and killed.'"

The impact of Rebecca's death was profound, not just on a personal level for her loved ones but also on a societal level. Her tragic murder highlighted the dangers of celebrity obsession and led to significant legal reforms. California passed the first anti-stalking law in the aftermath of her death, and Congress later enacted the Driver's Privacy Protection Act to restrict access to personal information like home addresses.

Brad Silberling, reflecting on the broader implications of Rebecca's murder, said, "We weren't aware of the ripples going out right after Rebecca died... But it was an earthquake."

Rebecca Schaeffer's legacy endures as a reminder of the dangers of unchecked obsession and the importance of protecting privacy and safety. Her memory lives on through the advocacy work of her parents and the lasting impact she had on Hollywood and beyond.

Part Three: The Investigation

        

        This is the continuing story of how Rebecca Schaeffer, a beautiful, young and talented 21-        year-old actress was shot and killed right outside her door by a crazed, obsessive fan on             July 18, 1989.

Although John Bardo confessed to the crime, investigators still needed a motive and what led him to kill the "love of his life."

Authorities arrested Bardo the day after he was seen on a Tucson, AZ highway trying to kill himself as he screamed that he had killed Rebecca Schaeffer. He was held on one-million-dollar bail pending trial.

In a chilling twist, just a stone's throw from the tragic scene of Rebecca Schaeffer's murder, police unearthed a discarded yellow shirt, a gun holster, and a worn copy of "The Catcher in the Rye" – eerie clues in a haunting puzzle.

This is a brief summary of the book: J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye" immerses us in the troubled mind of Holden Caulfield, a rebellious teenager cast adrift in New York City after being expelled from yet another prep school. Over a few chaotic days, Holden grapples with the jarring transition to adulthood, railing against the perceived hypocrisy and superficiality of the world around him.

Bardo was 19 and investigators were able to piece together scenes from "The Catcher in the Rye" and how they correlated with his state of mind and possible motive to kill Schaeffer.

A cryptic call from a Tennessee Highway Patrol officer added another layer to the chilling narrative. The officer revealed that Bardo's own sister received a bone-chilling confession from her brother on that fateful morning, placing him mere moments from Schaeffer's doorstep.

Shortly before Bardo boarded a Greyhound Bus headed for L.A., he wrote a letter to his older sister in Knoxville, Tennessee.

In the letter, he wrote:

“I have an obsession with the unattainable. I have to eliminate [what] I cannot attain.”

He, however, did not specifically mention Rebecca Schaeffer.

Bardo's defense painted a portrait of a troubled mind, his attorney arguing that mental illness rendered him incapable of such a calculated act. Bardo's brother, Edward, added a poignant detail to the narrative – a past marred by a stint in a psychiatric hospital.

The pieces of a dark puzzle were slowly falling into place, unveiling a disturbing tapestry of obsession, madness, and a life tragically cut short.

Within the confines of a jail cell, a chilling confession unfolded as forensic psychiatrist Dr. Park Dietz sat face-to-face with Bardo, the troubled young shooter. "There was something very special about Rebecca," Bardo confided, "and I just couldn't let go of her." A dark obsession that echoed the haunting words of Mark David Chapman, John Lennon's killer, with whom Bardo found a twisted kinship. Both men, tragically, clutched copies of "The Catcher in the Rye" as they carried out their horrific acts.

Going back to what was in his confession letter, he thought Hollywood was corrupting young Rebecca and he was disappointed that she would succumb to the evils of Hollywood, especially given her love scene in a movie.

Bardo's chilling revelations continued, revealing that U2's haunting song "Exit" became a macabre inspiration for his crime. In a dramatic twist during the trial, Bardo's attorney, Galindo, played the very song that allegedly ignited the young man's murderous intent. As the music filled the courtroom, Bardo was overcome, singing along, tapping his feet, and bobbing his head to the rhythm – a chilling display of the darkness that consumed him.

In a dramatic turn of events, Dr. Park Dietz, the forensic psychiatrist, delivered a chilling testimony. While acknowledging Bardo's lifelong struggle with schizophrenia, Dietz concluded that it did not absolve him of legal responsibility for his actions.

Stay tuned to the conclusion ...

Part Two: The Murder

 

In the summer of 1987, he'd traveled to California carrying a teddy bear and flowers. He tried to see Rebecca at the Warner Bros. studio. Still, he had been turned away by the security guard, according to Rhonda Saunders, formerly with the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office. After "My Sister Sam," Schaeffer had scored a big part in a movie called "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills." The movie contained a love scene that Schaeffer appeared in -- a break from her character in "My Sister Sam" -- and it flicked some sort of evil switch inside Bardo.

"All those rageful feelings. ... 'How dare she? She's mine. ... She's supposed to stay innocent for me.' That gets ... converted into a plan of cold-blooded revenge," said Dr. Kris Mohandie, a clinical police and forensic psychologist. "I’m going to punish you and permanently possess you by taking your life." In July 1989, he walked into a gun store in Tucson and tried to purchase a firearm but was turned away.

Bardo's initial attempt to purchase a firearm at a local gun store was thwarted by the owner's vigilance. Sensing something amiss, the owner probed Bardo with questions, leading him to reveal his history of mental illness. Recognizing the legal implications, the owner refused to sell Bardo the gun, citing his status as a prohibited possessor.

Undeterred, Bardo manipulated his brother, Edward, into buying the gun for him. Edward, unaware of his brother's sinister intentions and believing the gun was for target practice, agreed to the purchase. However, he imposed a condition: Robert could only use the weapon in his presence. This naive act of trust would have devastating consequences.

With the gun in his possession, Bardo's next step was to obtain Rebecca Schaeffer's address. He hired a private investigator, who illicitly procured it from the state Department of Motor Vehicles. Armed with this information and fueled by his obsession, Bardo boarded a Greyhound bus from Tucson to Los Angeles, carrying a bag containing a chilling collection of items: the autograph Schaeffer had sent him, her photograph, and a copy of "The Catcher in the Rye," a book infamously associated with the murder of John Lennon.

On the morning of July 18, 1989, as Rebecca awaited the delivery of a script for "The Godfather Part III," Bardo arrived at her doorstep. Her faulty intercom system forced her to answer the door in person. Holding up the autographed photo, Bardo briefly conversed with Rebecca before politely excusing herself, mentioning an upcoming interview.

However, Bardo's obsession wouldn't be deterred. He went to a nearby diner, stewing in his twisted thoughts, before returning to Rebecca's apartment. When she opened the door again, her irritation evident, Bardo uttered a chilling phrase: "I forgot to give you something."

Clutching a letter he had written, Bardo presented it to Rebecca, a seemingly harmless gesture masking his sinister intent. As Rebecca began to read the letter, unaware of the impending doom, Bardo's hand reached for the cold steel of a .357 Magnum revolver concealed beneath his clothes.

With a swift and calculated motion, he raised the weapon and fired a single shot, piercing Rebecca's heart. Her last words were, "Why? Why?"Her life, filled with promise and talent, was instantly snuffed out.

Bardo, his twisted mission accomplished, fled the scene, leaving behind a lifeless body and a community in shock.

The news of Rebecca's senseless murder sent shockwaves through Hollywood and the nation. Friends and colleagues were stunned and heartbroken, grappling with the horrifying reality that such a tragedy could befall someone so young and promising. The question on everyone's lips was, "How could this happen? How could someone simply walk up to another person's house and take their life?"

Rebecca's death marked a turning point in the public's understanding of stalking and the urgent need for greater protection for its victims.

Her death became a chilling reminder of the vulnerability of celebrities and the insidious nature of stalking.

As the sun beat down on the bustling streets of Los Angeles, a frantic air and ground search unfolded near Rebecca Schaeffer's apartment. Police helicopters buzzed overhead, their spotlights sweeping the landscape. At the same time, officers on the ground combed the area for any clues that could lead them to the person responsible for the young actress's senseless murder.

Unbeknownst to them, Robert John Bardo was already miles away, fleeing the scene of his heinous crime. He boarded a Greyhound bus back to Tucson, Arizona, seeking refuge in the familiar surroundings of his hometown. But the guilt and paranoia gnawed at him, manifesting in a bizarre episode on the freeway.

A day after the murder, witnesses reported seeing Bardo running erratically alongside the highway, his face contorted in anguish. He screamed the chilling confession, "I killed Rebecca Schaeffer," his words echoing in the ears of those who heard them. This disturbing display of remorse and madness further solidified Bardo's connection to the crime, setting the stage for a swift apprehension and a high-profile trial that would grip the nation.

As the manhunt for Rebecca Schaeffer's killer intensified in Los Angeles, a pivotal moment occurred in Tucson, Arizona. Robert John Bardo, disheveled and seemingly unrested, was apprehended by Officer Paul Hallums. A quick search revealed a damning piece of evidence: a photograph of Rebecca Schaeffer tucked into Bardo's shirt pocket. The pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.

Meanwhile, back in Rebecca's hometown of Portland, Oregon, a somber funeral was held. Friends, family, and fans gathered to mourn the young starlet's death, overflowing the synagogue and spilling onto the street. The outpouring of grief was a testament to Rebecca's impact on those who knew her.

In a poignant interview, Rebecca's father, Dr. Benson Schaeffer, reflected on the devastating loss, saying, "I was still in a state of... personally, in a state of unreality. The world just seemed physically wrong."

Stay tuned for Part 3 ...

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