A wealthy American dentist has been convicted of murdering his wife and sentenced to life in prison.
Larry Rudolph was accused of killing his wife, Bianca Rudolph, in 2016 while they were on a hunting trip in Zambia. Authorities said he fatally shot her with a 12-gauge shotgun blast to the chest. He was found guilty in August 2022.
According to PEOPLE, Rudolph initially told investigators that his wife of 34 years must have shot herself while packing her gun away. However, FBI officials concluded that Bianca was shot from 6.5 to 8 feet and said that it was not likely she pulled the shotgun’s trigger based on a reconstruction of the incident.
Prosecutors said Rudolph murdered Bianca to collect millions of dollars in life insurance and continue his relationship with his girlfriend, Lori Milliron. He also reportedly filed fraudulent claims on nine life insurance policies to obtain about $4.9 million.
The Rudolphs were planning on leaving their hunting camp in Kafue National Park on the morning of Oct. 11, 2016. Rudolph testified that the shotgun that the two got for a leopard hunt went off accidentally. He also claimed he was in the bathroom when he heard the gunshot and then discovered Bianca on the floor bleeding, the Associated Press reported.
However, federal prosecutors said that Rudolph admitted to shooting his ex-wife while dining with his girlfriend upon hearing in 2020 that the FBI was probing into the death of Bianca.
He was sentenced to life in prison. In addition to Rudolph’s life sentence, he has been ordered to pay $4,877,744 in restitution, a fine of $2 million and return all assets obtained as a result of the crime.
“The defendant, in this case, thought he could murder his wife overseas and get away with it. He was wrong and will now be held accountable for his actions thanks to the relentless pursuit of justice by the dedicated men and women of the FBI, DOJ, and the family of Bianca Rudolph, who never lost faith in the judicial system,” FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek said in a statement.
“This result shows that no matter how much money, prestige, or power you have, you will be held accountable for your crimes,” U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan said in a statement following Rudolph’s sentencing. “The fact that justice arrived today is no accident. It was part of a dedicated effort by public servants committed to the cause of justice. We are grateful to the attorneys, staff, and investigators who made today’s result possible.”
On the other hand, in a statement to PEOPLE Tuesday morning, attorney David Oscar Markus, who represents Rudolph, Margot Moss, and Lauren Doyle, wrote: “Larry is innocent. He did not murder his wife. We are looking forward to the appeal in this matter, in which we have a number of very promising issues.”
Markus also said Rudolph had no financial motive for killing his wife because his dental practice near Pittsburgh is worth $10 million.
Rudolph’s girlfriend, Milliron, was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for being an accessory to the murder, among other charges.
“We are disappointed in the jury’s verdict, but that is our system. Lori Milliron is innocent of the charges, and we will continue to fight to exonerate her,” John Dill, Milliron’s attorney, said in a statement to PEOPLE.
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