Convicted of murder: Dentist millionaire killed wife on safari - and collected life insurance
Created: 08/03/2022, 15:48
By: Anna Lorenz
Multimillionaire dentist Lawrence R. deliberately shot and killed his wife to get her life insurance policy.
The federal court in Colorado came to this conclusion.
DENVER – It sounds like an Agatha Christie novel, but the reality is terrifying: 67-year-old dentist Lawrence R. deliberately shot and killed his wife Bianca on October 11, 2016 while on a hunting trip in Zambia.
His motive: millions of dollars in life insurance and the relationship with his lover.
Rudolph claimed to the last that the fatal shot, fired with a 12-gauge shotgun, was an accident.
But the cooperation of various investigators has now convicted the murderer.
Dentist Millionaire Murders Wife: Cheating Scheme Should Earn Nearly $5M
The
United States Attorney's Office
for the District of Colorado announced on Tuesday, August 2, 2022 that a federal jury found R. guilty of the murder of his wife Bianca († 56 years old) and fraud by multiple life insurance companies.
According to the jury, his lover, 64-year-old Lori M., was also guilty of aiding and abetting murder, obstruction of justice and two counts of perjury.
The verdict is expected to fall on February 1st, 2023 for the dentist and on February 8th, 2023 for his lover.
The jury was convinced that the wife did not accidentally shoot herself in the heart with a shotgun, as her husband had claimed.
According to an investigative report by
Rolling Stone
, the dentist told Zambian police that he "found his wife bleeding in her bathroom".
Lawrence "Larry" Rudolph with a hunted deer.
© Screenshot Facebook
Rather, the defendant had a long-term plan to kill his wife in order, as the
United States Attorney's Office
further reports, "to collect a total of $4,877,744.93 from nine life insurance policies with seven different life insurance companies, one of which was in Colorado resident” to get paid.
Dentist Millionaire Murders Wife: 'I Killed My F**cking Wife For You'
During the 14-day trial, led by Judge William J. Martinez, his connection with his lover Lori M. also came more into focus.
The prosecution was able to prove that the 64-year-old made incorrect and misleading statements about her relationship with the millionaire dentist.
For example, she said cash payments she received from R. were due to his generosity, according to the
United States Attorney's Office
;
in fact, the money was due to the fact that she was the dentist's mistress.
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She also testified that R. had told her that he found the FBI's investigation against him irritating because he was "probably innocent".
However, the trial revealed that the dentist had already revealed to her in spring 2020 that he had murdered his wife because of her.
According to
Rolling Stone
, he even publicly yelled "I killed my f**king wife for you!" during an argument during an argument.
Murder solved: "Justice for a victim who had no other voice"
"The murder of Bianca R. was a case that was neither easy to investigate nor to prosecute, but it was the right thing to do to get justice for the victim, his family and friends," FBI Special Agent Michael Schneider, who said led investigations by the FBI Denver.
"Lawrence R. thought he could murder his wife abroad and get away with it."
According to prosecutor Cole Finegan, it is thanks not only to the diligence of the jury, but also in particular to the efforts of the FBI that this plan failed.
The agency "literally traveled the world interviewing witnesses and gathering evidence," according to the indictment.
"Your commitment was exemplary and we are very grateful to you".
In general, the trial was an "extraordinary example" of how US prosecutors and authorities had joined forces to "uncover truth and seek justice for a victim who had no other voice."
(askl)
