1997 Nevada Nightmare: The Sherise Iverson Murder

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This episode pulls back the curtain on a horrifying crime that sent shockwaves through Nevada in 1997 - the brutal murder of seven-year-old Sheris Iverson by high school student Jeremy Strohmeier. We recount the chilling series of events leading up to the crime, the gut-wrenching trial, and the role of David Cash Jr., Strohmeier's friend, who despite being present at the scene, claimed ignorance and inaction. Brace yourself as we dissect the disturbing tactics of defense lawyer Leslie Abramson and unearth some unsettling revelations that surfaced during the trial.

However, the story doesn't end there. We take you through the labyrinth of Strohmeier's appeals, his shocking allegations against Abramson, and his life in continued incarceration. Not one to shy away from controversy, we also confront the public outrage sparked by David Cash Jr's nonchalance and seeming lack of remorse. This episode is a stark reminder of the darkness that can hide in plain sight, and the devastation one monstrous act can wreak on countless lives.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:05):
In the early morning of May 25, 1997, two males,
jeremy Strohmeier and DavidCash-JR, were at the Primadonna
Resort and Casino at Prim Nevadanear the California state line.
The two young men had arrivedat the gambling establishment
accompanied by Cash's fatherfrom their homes in Long Beach.
Strohmeier was a student atWilson High School in Long Beach
.
At around 4 am, strohmeierbegan repeatedly making

(00:27):
apparently playful contact withseven-year old Sheris Iverson,
who was roaming the casino alone.
The young girl's father wasgambling and drinking.
Her father left Sheris in thecare of her 14-year-old brother,
harold, in the casino's arcade.
This resulted in Sheris runningaround unmonitored.
The girl had been returned toher father several times through
the day, having been foundalone by security.

(00:47):
Eventually, strohmeier followedSheris into a women's restroom.
While in the restroom the twobegan throwing wet paper wads at
one another.
Sheris then reportedly tossed ayellow plastic wet floor sign
at Strohmeier.
At around this timeStrohmeier's friend David Cash
entered the restroom andwitnessed Strohmeier forcibly
taking Iverson into a stall.
When Cash looked in from theadjacent stall, he saw

(01:08):
Strohmeier holding his left handover Iverson's mouth and
fondling her with his right.
After this, cash left therestroom and was followed 20
minutes later by Strohmeier, whoconfessed to him that he had
killed the girl.
Three days later, strohmeier wastaken into custody at his home.
Two classmates in Long Beachhad identified him after
security tape footage capturedby cameras at the casino was
released by Nevada police andplayed on the television news.

(01:31):
Strohmeier was charged withfirst-degree murder,
first-degree kidnapping andsexual assault of a minor.
When questioned by police,strohmeier stated that he
molested Iverson and strangledher to stifle her screams.
Before leaving, strohmeiernoticed Iverson was still alive
and twisted her head in anattempt to break her neck.
After hearing a loud poppingsound, he rested her body in a
sitting position on the toiletwith her feet in the bowl.

(01:53):
Strohmeier's attorneys latertried to have the confession
suppressed because he was notgiven legal counsel.
However, the police claimedthat Strohmeier waived his right
to have an attorney presentduring questioning.
Strohmeier's defense attorneywas Leslie Abramson, who
represented many high-profileclients, including the Menendez
brothers.
Strohmeier claimed he was highon alcohol and drugs at the time
and did not remember committingthe crimes.

(02:14):
It was even suggested thatperhaps the witness, david Cash,
had in fact been the one tomurder Sharis.
As Strohmeier claimed to haveno recollection of his actions
and the witness was the one toactually tell him what he had
seen him doing in the bathroomthat night.
Abramson also noted thatStrohmeier's biological father
is in prison and his biologicalmother is in a mental hospital.
Strohmeier's trial was scheduledto begin in September 1998.

(02:37):
Strohmeier was originallyfacing a possible death sentence
for the murder, but hoursbefore his trial was to start,
abramson entered a plea bargainon his behalf.
On September 8, 1998,strohmeier pleaded guilty to
four charges First-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping,
sexual assault on a minor withsubstantial bodily harm and
sexual assault on a minor.
On October 14, 1998, he wassentenced to four life terms,

(03:01):
one for each crime he pleadedguilty to, to be served
consecutively withoutpossibility of parole.
Strohmeier was initiallyincarcerated at Ealy State
Prison, a maximum securityprison located north of Ealy
Nevada, where most prisoners inNevada who are serving life
without parole are imprisonedfor at least the early portion
of their sentences.
He was placed in administrativesegregation, meaning that he

(03:22):
was not placed in the generalinmate population, but rather in
his own cell in a specialsecured section.
Strohmeier was reportedlytransferred to the Lovelock
Correctional Center in Lovelock,nevada, where he is classified
as medium custody.
Strohmeier, as of January 2023,is in high-desert state prison,
which is a low medium custody.
Jeremy Strohmeier subsequentlyappealed his conviction In 2000,

(03:43):
.
He was unsuccessfully defendedby Camila Bate.
Strohmeier recanted hisconfession and accused Abramson
of lying to him and bullying himinto pleading guilty in order
to cover up her misunderstandingof Nevada law.
Strohmeier's new attorneys alsosuggested that Abramson wanted
him to plead guilty becauseStrohmeier's parents could not
afford to pay her additionalfees if the case went to trial.
Abramson denied all theallegations.

(04:04):
Ultimately, his appeal wasrejected.
In 2001, the Nevada SupremeCourt rejected an appeal by
Strohmeier to withdraw hisguilty plea In January 2006,.
Strohmeier lost a federal courtbid to review his case.
On May 31, 2018, a request forparole was made based on 2012
and 2016 Supreme Court decisionsthat juveniles should have a

(04:25):
chance at parole.
His request was denied in July2018.
Strohmeier's adoptive parentsfiled a $1 million lawsuit
against Los Angeles County andits adoption workers in October
1999.
They claimed that socialworkers deliberately withheld
crucial information that wouldhave stopped them from adopting
him as an infant.
Specifically, they claimed theywere never told that

(04:45):
Strohmeier's biological motherhad severe mental problems,
including that she suffered fromchronic schizophrenia and had
been hospitalized more than 60times prior to Stromeyer's birth
.
The Stromeyers, however,continued to support their son.
The suit was dismissed in 2002on the basis that it was barred
by the statute of limitations,and the dismissal was affirmed
on appeal.

(05:05):
Cheris Iverson's mother demandedthat David Cash Jr also be
charged as an accessory tomurder, but authorities stated
there was insufficient evidenceconnecting him to the actual
crime and Cash was neverprosecuted for any offense
related to the murder.
In the weeks followingStromeyer's arrest, cash told
the Los Angeles Times that hedid not dwell on the murder of
Cheris Iverson.
I'm not going to get upset oversomebody else's life.

(05:27):
I just worry about myself first.
I'm not going to lose sleepover somebody else's problems.
He also told the newspaper thatthe publicity surrounding the
case had made it easier for himto score with women.
Cash also told the Long BeachPress Telegram I'm no idiot,
I'll get my money out of this.
Cash would be labeled the badSamaritan and become the target
of a campaign by students whoattempted to get him kicked out

(05:48):
of UC Berkeley for not stoppingthe crime.
Two local Los Angeles radiohosts, tim Conway Jr and Doug
Stekler, subsequently held arally to have Cash expelled from
the University of California atBerkeley, but university
officials stated that they hadno basis to remove him since he
was not convicted of any crime.
Cash has never expressedremorse over Iverson's death.
In a radio interview, he statedthat it was a very tragic event

(06:11):
.
The simple fact remains I don'tknow this little girl.
I don't know people in Panamaor Africa who are killed every
day, so I can't feel remorse forthem.
The only person I know isJeremy Strohmeier, but still
insisted that he did nothingwrong.