Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – Big game hunt in Zambia – Dentist allegedly killed wife

Hippos, leopards – and also your own wife in sight? A Pittsburg, Pennsylvania dentist is accused of shooting his wife dead while on a big game hunt in Zambia. The alleged motive: Lawrence Rudolph (67) collected millions of dollars in life insurance money.

According to federal investigators, he requested a $4.8 million payout from several life insurance companies for the death of his wife, Bianca Finizio Rudolph. The Zambian law enforcement agency had classified this as an accident.

They had been told by Rudolph that on October 11, 2016, he had found Bianca on the bedroom floor of their abode. He was in the bathroom when his wife shot herself in the chest with a shotgun at 5:30 a.m. local time. He stated that the gun must have been loaded and sharp from the previous day’s hunt and had discharged when Bianca was trying to put it in the case.

The dentist might have gotten away with the murder if he hadn’t gotten into a rush: on the day of his death he called the US embassy and informed them that his wife’s body was being cremated by a local undertaker. From the circle of friends at home, however, it was later said that Bianca had always refused cremation.

The American Consul in Zambia, a 20-year US Navy veteran, became suspicious of the rush and informed the FBI: He had a bad feeling that everything was happening so quickly. At the abdication in Zambia, he took photos of Bianca’s body and stated: “The wound was right on the heart and did not appear to have been caused by shotgun pellets.” He also found no gas burns, which are typical for a contact wound.

A friend of Bianca’s also raised the alarm in the United States: Rudolph was having an extramarital affair at the time of his wife’s death and often argued with Bianca about money, she told the FBI. You suspect “a wrong game”.

An ex-employee at the dentist told the FBI Rudolph had a mistress for over 15 years. This gave Rudolph an ultimatum of one year to sell his dental practice and leave Bianca.

He is now charged with murder abroad and mail fraud. Rudolph’s attorney argues that his client has no financial motive for killing his wife, given that his dental practice is said to be worth $8 million. In addition, both investigators at the scene of the accident and several investigations by insurance companies have concluded that Bianca’s death was a horrific accident.

“Now, more than five years later, the government is trying to construct a case against this respected and law-abiding dentist,” said attorney David Oscar Markus. «Dr. Rudolph looks forward to his trial where he will prove his innocence.”