The quest for freedom by Robert Dean Rustad, the man infamously dubbed the 'Del Mar Rapist', hit a brick wall as parole was denied once more. San Diego County District Attorney, Summer Stephan, announced that Rustad, now 49, was deemed unfit for release by parole officials at a hearing earlier today. His predatory past, which includes the sexual assault of seven women in Del Mar during the 1990s, continues to cast a long shadow over his fate.
According to the District Attorney's Office, the parole board saw Rustad as "still not being truthful about his true motivation for these crimes," a perspective echoed by the presence of two of his victims at the emotional hearing. Despite Rustad's claims that he sought a "girlfriend-type relationship," his record speaks of a more sinister, sadistic drive that, as DA Stephan put it, "continues to make him a serious threat to society." The defendant, who was between 19 and 22 when he committed these crimes, was sentenced in 1997 to 326 years to life, but consideration for early parole came under the state’s Youth parole law.
This decision comes three years ahead of schedule, as Rustad had been previously denied release in 2020, with the next hearing set five years from then. However, his Petition to Advance the hearing was unexpectedly granted. Throughout his incarceration, Rustad's narrative of his motives has been called into question, revealing a disconnect that today's parole officials perhaps found too great to overlook.
The DA's Lifer Hearing Unit, led by Deputy DA John Cross, plays a critical role in such hearings, aiming to represent victims and safeguard communities from potential danger. The unit processed a whopping 664 lifer parole hearings last year in San Diego County alone. Out of those, 96 inmates were granted parole, with the vast majority – 568 – resulting in denials, postponements, or stipulations to a denial of parole, according to the District Attorney's Office.
This latest turn ensures that Rustad will remain behind bars, with the shadow of his actions still looming over the lives he violently disrupted. The parole board's decision, rooted in a commitment to justice and community safety, means Rustad won't be eligible for another parole consideration for the next three years. It's a stark reminder of the lasting consequences of crimes that left an indelible mark on the coastal community of Del Mar.
