The girlfriend of a dentist who was convicted of murdering his wife on an African safari has been recently sentenced to 17 years in prison for her role as an accessory to the crime.
The victim’s relatives confronted Lori Milliron, 65, during the hearing, accusing her of destroying their family.
Ana Rudolph, the daughter of the slain woman, directly addressed Milliron, stating “Lori, you have taken my parents,” 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 of perjury, being an accessory to murder after the fact, and obstructing a grand jury. The case has garnered national attention, and Milliron’s accomplice, Lawrence “Larry” Rudolph, is yet to be sentenced as his hearing was postponed.
John Dill, the attorney representing Milliron, expressed dissatisfaction with the lengthy prison sentence, considering it excessive for the charges she faced. Dill stated his intention to appeal the decision, highlighting that Milliron’s convictions were primarily based on perjury charges and not direct involvement in the execution of the crime.
During the court hearing, Milliron maintained her innocence but expressed sympathy towards the Rudolph family. However, Judge William J. Martínez argued that the severity of the sentence was warranted due to evidence indicating Milliron’s encouragement of the crime. The judge also noted Milliron’s apparent lack of remorse, citing her emotional detachment while being exposed to graphic images and distressing testimonies throughout the trial.
Lawrence Rudolph initially attributed his wife Bianca Rudolph’s death in 2016 to an accidental self-inflicted gunshot while she was preparing to return to the United States from Zambia. Subsequently, Rudolph received substantial insurance payouts related to her accidental death. However, following an FBI investigation, Rudolph was charged with his wife’s murder in 2021.
Rudolph continues to assert that his wife’s death was a tragic accident, but prosecutors argued that the evidence contradicted this claim. They presented evidence indicating that the fatal gunshot wound to Bianca Rudolph’s heart was inconsistent with being self-inflicted, as it appeared to be inflicted from a distance of 2 to 3.5 feet away.
