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James Michael Ryan faces 55 years in prison for murdering 25-year-old Sarah Harris, who was a former patient of Ryan's, before becoming his employee and girlfriend.
Dr. James Ryan was charged with second-degree depraved heart murder, involuntary manslaughter, distribution of ketamine and diazepam and possession with the intent to distribute midazolam. He prescribed lethal doses of ketamine and propofol to Sarah Harris, a former patient turned employee, turned girlfriend.
After a two-week trial presided over by Judge Cheryl McCally, the jury deliberated for less than three hours before returning a guilty verdict on all counts.
Dr. Ryan was arrested outside of his practice on Observation Drive in Germantown on March 22, 2022 in connection to Harris' overdose on Jan. 26, 2022. She was found dead in the Clarksburg home she rented with Ryan.
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 Montgomery County Police, before moving in together in the summer of 2021. That's when police said 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, providing drugs from his office. 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 also 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 faces 55 years in prison when he is sentenced; a sentencing date has not yet been set.
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