A Pennsylvania dentist has been sentenced to life in prison and ordered to pay millions of dollars in fines for the murder of his wife during an African safari in 2016.
The convicted killer, Larry Rudolph, was handed the sentence in a Denver federal courthouse after being found guilty last year of fatally shooting his wife, Bianca Rudolph, in Zambia where the couple had gone on a hunting trip.
Rudolph’s motive for the murder was to cash in on his wife’s insurance and start a new life with his longtime mistress, Lori Milliron, according to prosecutors.
“Even Judas would be afraid to be in your company,” remarked the victim’s brother Vincent Finizio to Rudolph before the judge sentenced him.
Prosecutors revealed that Rudolph staged the crime scene to make it appear as if his wife had accidentally shot herself while packing on October 11, 2016.
“This result shows that no matter how much money, prestige, or power you have, you will be held accountable for your crimes,” stated US Attorney for the District of Colorado, Cole Finegan.
Rudolph was also found guilty of mail fraud connected to the substantial insurance payouts he received following his wife’s death. He was given a 20-year sentence to run alongside the life sentence for this conviction.
The court ruled that he must pay nearly $5 million in restitution and another $2 million in fines. Additionally, he was ordered to forfeit two homes, his cars (including an Aston Martin DB-11 and Bentley Bentayga), and other assets purchased with the insurance money.
The defense argued that the total value of all the assets was nearly $9 million.
Rudolph maintains his innocence and hopes to be granted freedom following an appeal.
He claimed his wife shot herself while hurrying to pack for the trip home, but prosecutors argued that the gunshot wound could not have been self-inflicted.
Rudolph’s lawyers also asserted that their client had no motive to kill his wife for Milliron, as the married couple had been in an open relationship for over a decade. They also stated that he did not require the life insurance money.
His girlfriend, Milliron, who was the manager of Rudolph’s Pittsburgh-area dental franchise, was sentenced to 17 years in prison in June after being found guilty of being an accessory.
