An oral surgeon from Clarksburg stands indicted by the Grand Jury on Thursday, May 5, for second-degree murder of his girlfriend Sarah Harris, according to the Montgomery County State Attorney’s Office. He has been held without bond since late March.
A trial date should be set next week. Here are excerpts from a March 22 press conference held by Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones regarding the investigation.
James Ryan, 48, allegedly provided substances to his girlfriend, the 25-year-old Harris, who fatally overdosed in January, according to the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD). On Jan. 26, Harris was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers responded to the 13900 block of Godwit Street in Clarksburg for the overdose where Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service tried life-saving measures.
Harris was Ryan’s former patient. She began working at his practice on Observation Drive in Germantown in Oct. 2020 before the two started dating around Jan. 2021. They lived at Ryan’s home at the time of the murder.
Police said Ryan was giving Harris controlled substances including Propofol, Ketamine, Diasepam, and midazolam. An autopsy revealed her cause of death was Ketamine and Diasepam intoxication.
Ryan was arrested on March 22 at his dental practice following extensive investigation, police said.
According to charging documents, after Harris’ fatal overdose, her older sister accessed her social media accounts and put together a binder of pictures of text messages between Harris and Ryan. The conversations often depicted Harris asking Ryan to obtain drugs and Ryan telling Harris he is bringing her drugs and instructing her on how to use them.
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Oral Surgeon Charged With Woman’s Murder After Fatal Overdose
