Mark Harris, whose daughter’s fatal overdose was abetted by her employer who was also her lover, hopes that those suffering from mental illness or drug abuse will learn from his daughter’s story and seek help.
A jury on Aug, 25 found Dr. James Michael Ryan, 50, of Clarksburg, guilty of second-degree depraved heart murder and involuntary manslaughter for the fatal drug overdose of his girlfriend, Sarah Harris, 25.
Harris died Jan. 26, 2022 in the Clarksburg home she shared with Ryan. She weighed a mere 83 pounds at the time of her death.
Ryan also was found guilty of possession with the intent to distribute midazolam and distribution of ketamine and diazepam.
The oral surgeon faces up to 55 years in prison. His sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
On Monday, Sarah Harris’ family gathered in the lobby of the Montgomery County Circuit Court to talk about the young woman they called a beauty queen. “She was the shining star in all of our lives,” Mark Harris said.
According to a biography she wrote several years prior to her death, she loved traveling, learning languages and the arts. “I know I will succeed in whatever I set out to do,” she wrote in her biography.
Susan Harris’ older sister, Rachel, is credited with helping police arrest Ryan. She went through her sister’s phone and found text messages proving Ryan was her drug dealer and enabler, according to State’s Attorney for Montgomery County John McCarthy.
McCarthy explained that his staff reviews every overdose in Montgomery County as a potential homicide.
Related Post
Dentist Guilty of Depraved Heart Murder, Involuntary Manslaughter
