Rebecca Schaeffer: The Hollywood Murder That Changed Stalking Laws
Published: September 1, 2026
Duration: 59:15
In July 1989, 21-year-old actress Rebecca Schaeffer was on the brink of a major Hollywood career. Best known for the hit sitcom My Sister Sam, she was preparing to audition for a role in The Godfather Part III when there was a knock at the door of her Los Angeles home.
On the other side was Robert John Bardo — an obsessed fan who had been stalking Rebecca for years.
What happened next would send shockwaves through Hollywood, expose frightening gaps in America's privacy laws and ultimately change the way stalking was understood and prosecuted.
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