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Robert John Bardo

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Robert John Bardo
Mugshot of Bardo
Born (1970-01-02) January 2, 1970 (age 54)
Edwards Air Force Base, California, U.S.
Criminal statusIncarcerated at Avenal State Prison
Conviction(s)First-degree murder of Rebecca Schaeffer
Criminal penaltyLife imprisonment without parole

Robert John Bardo (born January 2, 1970) is an American man serving life imprisonment without parole after being convicted for the July 18, 1989, murder of American actress and model Rebecca Schaeffer, whom he had stalked for three years.[1]

Early life

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Robert John Bardo is the youngest of seven children. His mother was Japanese, and his father Philip was a non-commissioned officer in the United States Air Force. The family moved frequently and eventually settled in Tucson, Arizona, in 1983. Bardo reportedly had a troubled childhood, being abused by one of his siblings and placed in foster care after he had threatened to commit suicide.[2] Bardo's family had a history of mental illness, and he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.[3]

At the age of 15, Bardo was institutionalized for a month to treat emotional problems. He dropped out of Pueblo Magnet High School in the ninth grade and began working as a janitor at Jack in the Box.[4] In the eighteen months prior to Schaeffer's murder, Bardo had been arrested three times on charges that included domestic violence and disorderly conduct. Bardo's neighbors also said that he had exhibited unexplained strange and threatening behavior toward them.[5]

Murder

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Prior to developing an obsession with Schaeffer, Bardo had stalked child peace activist Samantha Smith. These attempts had ultimately failed to establish any contact with Smith. Smith's return home from the Soviet Union had inspired Bardo to travel to Maine to meet her, but a run-in with state police over a traffic offense had caused him such concern that he was drawing attention to himself that he was sufficiently discouraged to return home. Bardo had crafted future plans to stalk Smith until her death in a 1985 plane crash.[6] Bardo claimed he turned his attention towards pop stars Tiffany and Debbie Gibson, but neither obsession had percolated into stalking as he later admitted he could not find a feasible way to carry out his plans in New York City.[7]

After writing numerous letters to Schaeffer, Bardo attempted to gain access to the set of the CBS television series My Sister Sam, in which Schaeffer played a starring role. He was denied entrance by security, who encouraged him to return home. While Warner Bros. had a policy that executives and actors were to be notified about uninvited advances toward them, security later admitted that because Bardo had made very little fuss about the denied access and left when ordered, the encounter was considered too trivial to report to Schaeffer. Ultimately, Bardo obtained her home address via a detective agency, which in turn tracked it via California Department of Motor Vehicles records. On July 18, 1989, Bardo confronted Schaeffer at her home, angry that she had appeared in a sex scene in the film Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills; in his eyes, she had "lost her innocence" and become "another Hollywood whore".[1]

After having been turned away by Schaeffer, Bardo stopped at a diner for breakfast, only to return to the apartment about an hour later, again ringing the doorbell. When Schaeffer opened the door, Bardo shot her in the chest. Bardo was later spotted in Tucson wandering around aimlessly in traffic, leading to his arrest.[8]

Following his capture, Bardo was housed in a sensitive needs unit (SNU) for inmates such as gang members, notorious prisoners and those convicted of sex crimes. During his trial, he claimed the U2 song "Exit" was an influence in the murder, and the song was played in the courtroom as evidence (with Bardo lip-synching the lyrics).[9][10]

Bardo's attorneys conceded that he had murdered Schaeffer, but they argued that he was mentally ill. Renowned forensic psychiatrist Park Dietz, testifying for the defense, said that Bardo had schizophrenia and that his illness directly led to his having committed the murder. Bardo was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.[11]

Bardo carried a red paperback copy of The Catcher in the Rye when he murdered Schaeffer, which he tossed onto the roof of a building as he fled.[12] He insisted that it was coincidental and that he was not emulating Mark David Chapman, who had also carried a copy of the novel with him when he shot and killed John Lennon on December 8, 1980.[13] Chapman later claimed in interviews that he had received letters from Bardo before the murder of Schaeffer, in which Bardo inquired about life in prison.[14][dead link]

Aftermath

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As a consequence of Bardo's actions and his methods of obtaining Schaeffer's address, the U.S. Congress passed the Driver's Privacy Protection Act, which prohibits state Departments of Motor Vehicles from disclosing the home addresses of state residents.[1][15] After the murder, the first anti-stalking state laws were enacted in the US, including California Penal Code 646.9.[16]

The season 2 episode of Law and Order "Star Struck" was partially based on this case.[17]

On July 27, 2007, Bardo was stabbed 11 times on his way to breakfast in the maximum-security unit at Mule Creek State Prison in Amador County, California. Two shivs (inmate-made weapons) were found at the scene. He was treated at the UC Davis Medical Center and returned to prison, officials said. The suspect in the attack was another convict, serving 82 years to life for second-degree murder.[18]

As of 2024, Bardo is serving his life sentence at the Avenal State Prison in Avenal, California.[19]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Ramsland, Katherine. "Stalkers: The Psychological Terrorist". Crime Library. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
  2. ^ Mariotte, Jeff (2010). Criminal Minds: Sociopaths, Serial Killers, and Other Deviants (1 ed.). Wiley. p. 222. ISBN 978-0-470-63625-1.
  3. ^ "Stalker". Most Evil. August 19, 2007. Discovery Channel.
  4. ^ Perline, Irvin H.; Goldschmidt, Jona (2004). The Psychology and Law of Workplace Violence: A Handbook for Mental Health Professionals and Employers. Charles C. Thomas Publisher. p. 273. ISBN 0-398-07432-1.
  5. ^ Braun, Stephen; Jones, Charisse (July 24, 1989). "Murder suspect seemed as determined as victim". The Register-Guard. Eugene, Oregon: Guard Publishing Company. p. 5A. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
  6. ^ Snow, Robert L. (1998). Stopping a Stalker: A Cop's Guide to Making the System Work for You. New York City: Da Capo Press. p. 72. ISBN 0-306-45785-7. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
  7. ^ "Murder Suspect's 'Obsession' Foretold in Studio Visit". Los Angeles Times. August 2, 1989. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  8. ^ Moffatt, Gregory (2000). Blind-sided: Homicide where it is Least Expected. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 94–5. ISBN 978-0-275-96929-5.
  9. ^ "Bardo Mouths Lyrics as Rock Song Is Played". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. October 9, 1991. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  10. ^ Greene, Andy (January 12, 2017). "Flashback: U2 Play 'Exit' on the 1989 Lovetown Tour". Rolling Stone. New York City: Wenner Media LLC. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  11. ^ Stafford, Andrea (October 30, 1991). "Fan Convicted of Murder in Actress' Slaying : Trial: Judge also rules that the obsessed Robert Bardo lay in wait for Rebecca Schaeffer, requiring a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  12. ^ Dawsey, Darrell; Feldman, Paul (July 21, 1989). "Police Directed to Evidence in Actress' Death". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  13. ^ Ball, Sarah (January 27, 2010). "J.D. Salinger's Influence". Newsweek. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  14. ^ Mark David Chapman (December 17, 1992). mark david chapman interview (Video). YouTube. Archived from the original on December 29, 2020.
  15. ^ Finn, Natalie (September 20, 2016). "13 Crimes That Shocked the World & Changed Our Culture Forever". E! Online. New York City: Verizon Media. Retrieved August 18, 2018. The Driver's Protection Privacy Act was subsequently enacted in 1994 because Bardo's investigator was able to obtain Schaeffer's address from the DMV. Bardo then paid a detective agency in Tucson $250 to find Schaeffer's home address in California's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) records. His brother helped him get a Ruger GP100 .357 handgun.
  16. ^ "Law section".
  17. ^ "'Law & Order': A $700 DVD Set & 10 Great 'Ripped From the Headlines' Eps". November 8, 2011. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  18. ^ "Killer of actress stabbed in prison". USA Today. Mclean, Virginia: Gannett Company. Associated Press. July 28, 2007. Retrieved February 25, 2008.
  19. ^ "Inmate Locator". California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
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