Man sentenced to 25 years in killing

Kim Smith

Friday, April 19, 2002 | 9:28 a.m.

In June 1999 Dana Rae Rasmussen prepared a "To do" list. One of the final items on it read "Take care of Michael, he needs love and understanding."

A few days later, Rasmussen, 44, was found strangled to death in her car, and Michael McCollum was in jail, charged in her death.

On Thursday, McCollum was sentenced to 10 to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the Rasmussen case. District Judge Valorie Vega recommended he be housed in a mental health wing at whatever prison he is sent to.

McCollum and Rasmussen, who both suffered from schizophrenia, had lived together about 10 years and police believe McCollum killed her because she was planning to move out.

Deputy Public Defender Will Ewing has another view.

"Had it not been for his mental illness this never would have happened," Ewing said after the hearing. "That's what makes this so tragic."

Rasmussen's list and its irony were just a couple of the things Rasmussen's relatives shared with Vega before she pronounced sentence.

Olga Rasmussen, one of Rasmussen's sisters, spoke about the list during her tear-filled testimony.

"You deprived the world of one of the few people who genuinely loved and cared about you," Olga Rasmussen said.

Andrea Rohrbach, Dana Rasmussen's niece, said her aunt had the power to make everyone in her life feel special. She dreamed of one day having children, but McCollum stole that dream away, Rohrbach said.

"Her murder was cold and calculated and all she ever did was love you," Rohrbach said. "My aunt was the kind of person who would've forgiven you this. I'm not sure I ever will."