A multimillionaire Pennsylvania dentist and big game hunter was convicted Monday of murder and mail fraud after shooting his wife on an African safari nearly six years ago.
After a three-week trial in Denver federal court, a jury convicted Lawrence “Larry” Rudolph, 67, of the shooting death of his wife Bianca Rudolph, 34 Rudolph) and guilty.
He was also convicted of mail fraud for cashing out $4.8 million in life insurance benefits following his wife’s death in October 2016 — which he said was an accident and his own fault.
The jury sided with prosecutors who said Rudolph killed his wife in cold blood as part of a premeditated plan to take over life insurance payouts and start a new life with his 20-year-old lover.
They say Rudolph shot and killed his wife while hunting in Zambia on October 11, 2016, and years later, during an argument with another woman, Lori Milliron, someone was overheard shouting: “I am You killed my goddamn wife!” at dinner.
Lawrence “Larry” Rudolph pictured in front of a dead animal
A Pennsylvania dentist faces a maximum life sentence or the death penalty after his wife was killed on an African safari.
The wealthy dentist maintained his innocence during his trial, claiming that Bianca Rudolph accidentally shot himself in the chest while grabbing a shotgun in the bathroom. He said his wife was in a hurry to pack because she was in a hurry to get home from the trip.
However, prosecutors said her gunshot wound could not have been self-inflicted. They gave evidence that a shot in her heart was fired from two to three-and-a-half feet away.
Prosecutors said Rudolph planned to murder his wife because she demanded more decision-making power over the couple’s finances and for him to fire Millillon.
