BALTIMORE (WJZ) – A Maryland dentist is accused of contributing to the death of a woman who was his former patient, one-time employee and lover, authorities said.
James Ryan, an oral surgeon with a practice on Observation Drive in Germantown, was arrested Tuesday and charged with second-degree murder in with the death of 25-year-old Sarah Harris, Montgomery County Police said.
Harris was a former patient of Ryan’s who began working at his practice as a surgical technician in October 2021, police said.
Harris and Ryan began a romantic relationship around January 2021 while Harris was employed at Ryan’s practice, according to authorities.
Police say the two of them lived together in Ryan’s Clarksburg home. Their relationship continued until Harris died from a fatal overdose on January 26, authorities said.
Police allege that Ryan was providing controlled substances, including Propofol, Ketamine, Diasepam, and midazolam, to Harris prior to her death.
He is being held in the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit without bond, according to authorities.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan launched the network in 2017 and provides grant funding and strategic support through his office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services to network member sites to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal organizations through interagency collaboration and data sharing.
