Current:Home > StocksGirlfriend of wealthy dentist Lawrence Rudolph, who killed his wife on a safari, gets 17 year prison term-LoTradeCoin
Girlfriend of wealthy dentist Lawrence Rudolph, who killed his wife on a safari, gets 17 year prison term
View Date:2024-12-23 19:27:40
Denver — The girlfriend of a dentist convicted of murdering his wife on an African safari was sentenced Friday to 17 years in prison for being an accessory to the crime, in a hearing where relatives of the slain woman told her she had destroyed their family.
Ana Rudolph, daughter of 57-year-old victim Bianca Rudolph, said Lori Milliron, 65, had "plotted to eliminate" her mother.
"Lori, you have taken my parents," Rudolph said directly to Milliron, but "despite everything you have done you will never take my soul. This might be difficult to understand ... because you don't have one."
Milliron was convicted last year of perjury, being an accessory to a murder after the fact and obstructing a grand jury in a case that's garnered national attention. She was charged alongside Lawrence "Larry" Rudolph, a U.S. dentist who was convicted last year of fatally shooting his wife while on a 2016 hunting trip in Zambia. His sentencing, originally set for last week, has been postponed.
Rudolph ran a multimillion dollar dental empire in Pittsburgh. He and Bianca Rudolph were both skilled big game hunters. Milliron was his office manager.
John Dill, an attorney for Milliron, said the prison sentence was longer than what is typically dolled out for such charges, calling it "excessive" and vowing to appeal. Dill argued that the convictions were merely based on Milliron's perjury charges and do not implicate her in the execution of the crime.
Standing in front of the judge on Friday, Milliron insisted she was innocent of the crimes but said she was "sympathetic" to the Rudolph family.
Judge William J. Martínez argued that the long sentence was deserved because evidence pointed to Milliron "encouraging" the crime.
Martínez added that Milliron seemed "unrepentant," in part because he judged her emotionally unmoved when she was shown graphic images and listened to wrenching testimony during the trial.
After Bianca Rudolph's death in 2016, Lawrence Rudolph claimed his wife accidentally shot herself while packing to leave Zambia for the United States. At the time, Zambian police ruled her death as an accident.
Later, Rudolph collected millions in accidental death insurance payments.
After an FBI investigation, however, authorities charged Rudolph in 2021 with her murder.
Rudolph maintains that his wife of 34 years accidentally killed herself, but prosecutors countered that evidence showed that that was impossible because the wound to her heart came from a shot fired from 2 to 3.5 feet away.
veryGood! (533)
Related
- Wind-whipped wildfire near Reno prompts evacuations but rain begins falling as crews arrive
- Halle Bailey Seemingly Calls Out Ex DDG Over Parenting Baby Halo
- Dexter Quisenberry: AI DataMind Soars because of SWA Token, Ushering in a New Era of Intelligent Investing
- Ten of thousands left without power as winter storm rolls over New Mexico
- Insurance magnate pleads guilty as government describes $2B scheme
- Kate Spade x M&M's: Shop This Iconic Holiday Collection & Save Up to 40% on Bags, Shoes & More
- Kate Spade x M&M's: Shop This Iconic Holiday Collection & Save Up to 40% on Bags, Shoes & More
- A green giant: This year’s 74-foot Rockefeller Christmas tree is en route from Massachusetts
- 32 things we learned in NFL Week 10: Who will challenge for NFC throne?
- Freshman Democrat Val Hoyle wins reelection to US House in Oregon’s 4th Congressional District
Ranking
- Vikings' Camryn Bynum celebrates game-winning interception with Raygun dance
- Kirk Herbstreit's dog, Ben, dies: Tributes for college football analyst's beloved friend
- Every Time Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande Channeled Their Wicked Characters in Real Life
- In Portland, Oregon, political outsider Keith Wilson elected mayor after homelessness-focused race
- Inter Miami's MLS playoff failure sets stage for Messi's last act, Alexi Lalas says
- Liam Payne Death Investigation: 3 People of Interest Detained in Connection to Case
- Average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the US rises for 6th straight week
- Best Holiday Gifts for Women: Shop Beauty, Jewelry, Athleisure, & More
Recommendation
-
Voters in California city reject measure allowing noncitizens to vote in local races
-
Zach Bryan Hints at the “Trouble” He Caused in New Song Dropped After Dave Portnoy Diss Track
-
Volunteer poll workers drown on a flood-washed highway in rural Missouri on Election Day
-
SEC tiebreaker chaos scenario: Potential seven-team logjam atop standings
-
Contained, extinguished and mopping up: Here’s what some common wildfire terms mean
-
Crews battling 2 wildfires in New Jersey
-
YouTuber known for drag race videos crashes speeding BMW and dies
-
Five NFL teams that could surge in second half of season: Will Jets, 49ers rise?