Robert John Bardo, the man convicted of the 1989 murder of actress Rebecca Schaeffer, was repeatedly stabbed by another inmate at Mule Creek State Prison. The incident occurred on Friday morning, leaving the 37-year-old Bardo with 11 stab and puncture wounds, according to state prison officials.
Authorities reported that the assault took place around 6:20 a.m. in the prison yard as inmates were heading to breakfast. Following the attack, Bardo was airlifted to UC Davis Medical Center in stable condition for medical treatment. He has since been returned to the prison facility.
Sgt. Chris Weathersbee of Mule Creek State Prison stated that while Bardo is a high-profile inmate, investigators are not immediately concluding that his notoriety was the motive behind the stabbing. “We have a number of high-notoriety cases, so we cannot jump to the conclusion as to whether his notoriety was a factor in the attack,” Weathersbee commented.
Prison officials confirmed that two inmate-manufactured weapons were recovered from the scene of the assault. The alleged attacker has been identified as a 49-year-old inmate who is currently serving an 82-years-to-life sentence for second-degree murder.
Bardo himself is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the murder of Rebecca Schaeffer. He was housed in a maximum-security unit designed for inmates with specific vulnerabilities, including those with high-profile cases, former gang members, and individuals convicted of sex offenses.
The tragic murder of Rebecca Schaeffer, a rising star known for her role in the sitcom “My Sister Sam,” profoundly impacted public perception of stalking. Schaeffer had been stalked by Bardo for years leading up to her death. In 1989, Bardo, then 19 years old, became obsessed with Schaeffer, sending her letters and attempting to visit her. He infamously obtained her home address through a private investigator who illegally accessed her records from the state Department of Motor Vehicles. On July 18, 1989, Bardo confronted Schaeffer at her doorstep and fatally shot her. The horrific crime spurred the implementation of anti-stalking laws in California and across the United States, aiming to protect individuals from similar acts of violence and harassment. Bardo was sentenced in 1991, ensuring he would spend his life in prison for his crime.
