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Maryland dentist indicted on murder charges by grand jury

Police say oral surgeon Dr. James Ryan used his access to sedation drugs, like ketamine and Propofol, to give his girlfriend enough to overdose and die.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — Editor's Note: The video above originally aired on March 23. 

A 48-year-old man charged in the death of his 25-year-old girlfriend was indicted by a grand jury Thursday. Dr. James Ryan is charged with second-degree murder for prescribing lethal doses of Ketamine and Propofol to Sarah Harris. 

The dentist was arrested outside of his practice on Observation Drive in Germantown on March 22 in connection to Harris' overdose on Jan. 26. Harris was a former patient of Ryan and later became a surgical technician in October 2020. The two became romantically involved around January 2020, according to police. The couple moved in together in the summer of 2021, which is when police say Harris' family began to notice an unhealthy change in her appearance. 

Police obtained text messages between Harris and Ryan that showed Harris asking for drugs from Ryan, who agreed, allegedly providing drugs from his office, according to police. Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones said some of the drugs used would "have no so-called medical use in the world of oral surgery."  

Police said the text messages provided evidence that Ryan gave Harris advice on how to make the drugs more potent and mentions bringing home medical instruments such as saline, fluids, needles and IV poles in order to “aid in the administration of drugs or the recovery from the effects," according to police. One text revealed that Ryan had given Ketamine to Harris while she was asleep. 

Police believe that Harris may have previously overdosed in December 2021. Harris required CPR to be resuscitated but police say investigators have not located a corresponding Montgomery Co. Rescue Service call for service.

Ryan's lawyers have argued the prosecution has a weak case against Ryan and no concrete proof that he actually gave Harris the drugs that led to her overdose. Ryan surrendered his Drug Enforcement Agency license and his lawyers asked that he be released to seek treatment for his own addiction and mental health issues.

But a judge denied Ryan bond on March 23. 

"Thank you Jesus for this victory," Harris' mother, Tina Harris, told WUSA9 after the bail review hearing. 

According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, motions and a trial date will be scheduled next week. State prosecutors said with all the charges against the doctor, he's facing 78 years in prison. 

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