The Murder That Shook Hollywood

Upon reading the letters a young man wrote to his actress daughter, the psychologist father of Rebecca Schaeffer thought, "Just another strange kid who wanted someone to pay attention to him." Unbeknownst to him, the 21-year-old actress would be murdered in 1989 by that young man, an obsessed fan, Robert Bardo. While you might not have heard of this case, it inspired anti-stalking legislation in California at a time when many people thought stalkers were simply lovesick fans and nothing more.

Harmless, Lovesick Fans

The L.A. Times reports that Bardo had a fixation on the actress for over four years. He recorded episodes of the show "My Sister Sam" and wrote letters that quoted lyrics by John Lennon (who was also murdered by a fan who was stalking him). Unfortunately, Schaeffer once sent Bardo a personalized response, even though her friends discouraged it, fearing misinterpretation.

From Arizona to Los Angeles

Emboldened by her response and driven by his obsession, Bardo took a Greyhound bus to Los Angeles. He went to the Warner Brothers® lot and insisted on seeing the actress — teddy bear and flowers in hand. The security guard drove him back to his hotel, thinking he was just one of many harmless fans who showed up every week wanting to meet celebrities.

However, the 19-year-old Bardo continued to focus his fixation on Schaeffer, studying stalkers and realizing he could hire a private investigator to lead him directly to the actress' home address. After paying $250 to a private investigator, who obtained the actress' address from the DMV, Bardo returned to Los Angeles, this time with a .357 magnum his brother bought for him.

Shockwave Through Hollywood

According to History.com, on the morning of the murder, Bardo arrived at Schaeffer's apartment, where he asked for an autograph. She told him to "take care" and then asked him to leave. He complied but unfortunately returned later, this time with a gun held behind his back. When the actress answered the door, he shot her through the heart and fled the scene.

Bardo was arrested the following day on a highway, allegedly trying to kill himself, in Tucson, Arizona. He was later convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

The murder case, prosecuted by Marcia Clark, who would later become well-known for prosecuting O.J. Simpson, led the Screen Actors Guild to petition the state of California to change its privacy laws.

"This sent a shockwave through Hollywood," David Robb, a veteran Hollywood journalist, told TODAY. "It was pretty clear (Bardo) was mentally disturbed. It raised the very real issue that the privacy and safety of celebrities (were) at risk, even in their homes."

Awareness Around Stalking

Unfortunately, celebrity stalking remains a significant problem even today. However, more than 30 years later, there is a legacy left by Rebecca Schaeffer's murder. Her case strengthened laws in California and nationwide that protect the private information of celebrities, other public figures, and the general public. The case also inspired the LAPD to launch its threat assessment unit while also driving the rapid growth of the private threat assessment industry.

Even with the invention of the internet and the almost unlimited access to public information, these stalking laws are still widely used. "Thank goodness these laws were put in place before the explosion of the internet," Clark said. "Even more than the laws, public awareness matters."

References Why Actress Rebecca Schaeffers 1989 Murder Was Hollywoods Wake Up Call | Rebecca Schaeffer Hollywood Murder That Changed America | Sitcom Actress Murdered; Death Prompts Anti-Stalking Legislation