In the summer of 1989, 21-year-old Hollywood actress and model Rebecca Schaeffer was at the height of her career. She starred in the hit TV show My Sister Sam and had just landed a role in The Godfather: Part III. But on July 18th, Rebecca’s life was tragically cut short.
Rebecca was in her West Hollywood apartment when the doorbell rang. She was greeted by Robert John Bardo, a 19-year-old deranged fan who had been stalking her for months. Robert pulled out a gun and shot Rebecca in the chest, killing her instantly in the doorway of her home.
Robert had become obsessed with Rebecca after seeing her on TV and had sent her multiple letters and gifts over a 3-year period. He even went to the set of My Sister Sam with a teddy bear and a bouquet of roses in an effort to meet Rebecca in person but was turned away by security.
Robert became enraged after Rebecca appeared in a sex scene in a film, describing her as no different than “all the other bitches” in Hollywood. He asked his brother to buy him a gun and hired a private detective who retrieved Rebecca’s address from the Department of Motor Vehicles.
It was later revealed that Robert was inspired to kill Rebecca by The Catcher in the Rye, a cult classic novel written by J.D. Salinger. Its protagonist Holden Caulfield had become a symbol of teenage angst and rebellion.
In the novel, Holden fails out of school, is apathetic toward the future, spends time in psychiatric facilities, and is overly judgemental of others. He finds most people to be “phony” and is unable to connect with them.
Robert was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. He dropped out of high school and was institutionalized many times in his youth. He resonated with Holden’s character and even brought a copy of the book with him to the murder scene, tossing it onto the roof as he fled.
Mark David Chapman was also carrying a copy of The Catcher in the Rye when he murdered John Lennon in 1980, someone he viewed as “phony.”
Similarly, Robert found Rebecca to be “phony” based on how she treated him, her so-called “fan”, and the fact that she appeared in a sex scene. Before he killed her, Robert sent Mark letters asking what life in prison was like.
The murder of Rebecca Schaeffer led to outrage over privacy concerns, and gun control, and exposed the dangers that come with being a celebrity. After her death, U.S. Congress enacted the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act which prohibits state Departments of Motor Vehicles from disclosing home addresses, and the first anti-stalking state laws were put into place.
Robert was convicted of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole and is currently incarcerated in California.