305: He Thought He Got Away With It: The Truth About Hulu’s ‘Trophy Wife: Murder on Safari’

Summary

Serialously with Annie Elise – Episode 305: "He Thought He Got Away With It: The Truth About Hulu’s ‘Trophy Wife: Murder on Safari’"

---

Introduction

In Episode 305 of Serialously with Annie Elise, host Annie Elise delves deep into the chilling true-crime case highlighted in Hulu’s docu-series "Trophy Wife: Murder on Safari." This bonus episode, released on August 6, 2025, revisits the tragic and complex story of Larry and Bianca Rudolph, exploring the intricacies of their seemingly perfect life, the suspicious circumstances surrounding Bianca's death, and the subsequent unraveling of Larry's facade.

---

Background: The Rudolph Family

Larry and Bianca Rudolph appeared to embody the American dream. Larry, a successful dentist, had built a thriving dental practice, Three Rivers Dental in Pennsylvania, which expanded to five branches by 2016, boasting an estimated worth of $10 million. The couple, married in 1982 after meeting at the University of Pittsburgh, were portrayed as loving parents to their two children, Anna and Julian.

Julian Rudolph reflected on his parents' relationship, stating, “Our father was telling us, I'm innocent. This is a terrible accident.” (Julian Rudolph, [27:21])

While Larry was celebrated by his patients for his generosity and dedication, employee reviews painted a contrasting picture of a strict and scrutinizing employer. Despite these discrepancies, the public image remained untarnished, amassing over 100,000 patient reviews praising Larry’s kindness.

---

Life on Safari: The 2016 Zambia Trip

Larry and Bianca shared a passion for big-game hunting, embarking on numerous international hunts that involved significant financial investments. In September 2016, they planned a critical trip to Zambia with the primary goal of allowing Bianca to fulfill her long-held ambition to hunt a leopard—a feat she had yet to achieve.

The couple arrived in Zambia on September 27, 2016, equipped with two guns: a Remington 375 rifle and a 12-gauge Browning shotgun. Their stay was at a familiar one-bedroom cabin near the Cafew River, a location marked by a previous alleged crocodile attack on Larry in 2006.

Annie Elise sets the scene vividly: “You’re on a luxury safari with your wife of 30 years. You’re hunting leopards, of all things... But then out of nowhere, boom. Your wife is dead from a shotgun blast.” (Annie Elise, [01:29])

---

The Mysterious Death of Bianca Rudolph

On the morning of October 11, 2016, as Larry and Bianca prepared to return home, employees from the cabin heard a loud gunshot. They discovered Bianca dead from a single gunshot wound to the heart, with Larry found beside her, distraught and exclaiming, “My wife has just taken her life” (Witness Account, [02:22]).

However, inconsistencies quickly surfaced:

• Inconsistent Alibis: Larry initially claimed he was taking a shower during the incident, yet he was found with dry clothes and shoes, conflicting with the expectation that he would have been soaked if genuinely in the shower area after a gunshot.

• Rapid Cremation Plans: Bianca was a devout Catholic opposed to cremation, yet Larry sought immediate cremation, a move suspicious given the legal requirement in Zambia to obtain a forensic report before such an act. This haste raised red flags with Zambian authorities.

• Delayed Family Notification: Larry did not inform his children about Bianca's death for a week, creating further suspicion about his motives and honesty.

---

Unraveling the Investigation

FBI Involvement: Recognizing the irregularities, the Zambian consular chief informed the FBI, who took swift action to preserve evidence. Key findings included:

• Unusual Gunshot Wounds: The wound on Bianca's heart showed no signs of gas burn or tissue expansion typical of close-proximity gunfire, suggesting the shot may have originated from 6 to 8 feet away—a distance not consistent with a suicide scenario.

• Witness Statements: A bartender overheard Larry telling his mistress, Laurie, “I killed my wife for you,” directly implicating him in the murder (Bartender's Testimony, [21:22]).

• Life Insurance Fraud: Larry had rapidly filed multiple life insurance claims totaling nearly $5 million, despite his substantial wealth, pointing towards a financial motive.

---

Trial and Conviction

The trial, held in July 2022, was a culmination of mounting evidence against Larry and Laurie Milian, his long-term mistress. Notably:

• Larry's Defense: Opting to testify, Larry attempted to portray the death as an accident caused by Bianca while handling the gun. However, his detailed account backfired as jurors perceived his self-defense narrative as manipulative.

  Host’s Insight: “Larry was Larry's downfall.” (Host 1, [26:09])

• Laurie's Counsel: Laurie maintained her innocence but was caught lying about key aspects of her relationship with Larry, leading to her conviction for accessory after the fact and obstruction of justice.

Verdicts:

• Larry Rudolph: Found guilty of murdering Bianca and defrauding life insurance companies, sentenced to life in prison.

• Laurie Milian: Convicted of accessory to murder, obstruction of justice, and perjury, receiving a 17-year sentence.

---

Impact on the Rudolph Children

The tragic case deeply affected Larry and Bianca’s children:

• Julian Rudolph: Initially staunchly supportive of his father, Julian later expressed doubts upon reviewing the trial evidence, stating, “I can't stand by that original statement because that was before we saw the evidence in the trial.” (Julian Rudolph, [28:24])

• Anna Rudolph: While maintaining a public silence post-trial, Anna continued to manage her father’s dental practice, indicating possible lingering ties with Larry despite the revelations.

Both children contested the Department of Justice’s claim over the life insurance money, insisting it rightfully belonged to them as Bianca had designated.

---

Aftermath and Additional Revelations

The Hulu docu-series shed light on further disturbing elements of Larry's character and behavior:

• Prior Incidents: After the 2006 alleged crocodile attack, there was an alleged assassination attempt on a dental partner confronting Larry over his deceitful activities.

• Pattern of Infidelity: Extensive evidence revealed Larry's long-term affair with Laurie Milian, spanning over two decades, marked by lavish vacations and undisclosed financial support.

• Ongoing Deception: Despite incarceration, Larry continued to receive disability checks related to his thumb injury, highlighting his consistent pursuit of financial gain through deception.

Annie Elise's Closing Remarks: “At least in this case, loser Larry and his chomped-off thumb are, like, in jail for the rest of his sorry life. And as for dirtbag Laurie, she's gonna be behind bars for some serious time, too. And Bianca's family finally got some justice for her.” (Annie Elise, [30:13])

---

Conclusion

This episode of Serialously masterfully unpacks the layers of deception, greed, and manipulation that led to Bianca Rudolph's untimely death. Through meticulous examination of the case, Annie Elise not only revisits the Hulu series but also provides additional insights and updates, offering listeners a comprehensive understanding of this tragic true-crime story. The Rudolph case serves as a stark reminder of how carefully constructed facades can crumble, revealing the dark truths beneath.

For those intrigued by this case, the episode encourages tuning into the Hulu docu-series "Trophy Wife: Murder on Safari" for an even deeper exploration.

---

Notable Quotes:

• Julia Rudolph: “I can't stand by that original statement because that was before we saw the evidence in the trial.” (Julian Rudolph, [28:24])

• Bartender: “I killed my wife for you.” (Bartender, [21:22])

• Annie Elise: “Don’t be a scumbag. I don't even know, like, what's going on at these dental conventions.” (Annie Elise, [31:29])

• Julian Rudolph: “It's a matter of right and wrong. My mother put us as the beneficiaries on those insurance policies...” (Julian Rudolph, [29:14])

---

Final Thoughts from Annie Elise:

Annie Elise wraps up the episode with a mix of relief and closure, affirming that justice has been served for Bianca Rudolph while criticizing Larry's continued pursuit of financial deceit even behind bars. She emphasizes the importance of staying informed and encourages listeners to engage with the podcast for more true-crime insights.

---

Stay Connected:

To follow more intriguing true-crime stories and analyses, subscribe to Serialously with Annie Elise on your preferred podcast platform. Join a community of curious minds eager to uncover the details behind the headlines.

Transcript

[Host 1]

This episode of Serial Less Ly is.

[Sponsor]

Brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses, monetary magicians. These are all things that people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds. Because Progressive offers discounts for paying in full, owning a home and more. Plus, you can count on their great customer service to help you when you need it. So your dollar goes a long way. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save on car insurance, Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations.

[Annie Elise]

Hey everybody. Welcome back to an all new episode of Serial Less Li with me, Annie Elise. Today's episode is a little bit different than what we normally do. As you can see, we're releasing it on a day that's not a Monday or Thursday, which are our typical days.

[Host 1]

And that's because it's a bonus episode.

[Annie Elise]

And the reason I wanted to put this episode out there is it's one that we covered quite a few years ago. But I recently was like perusing Hulu trying to figure out what new documentaries were out, different docu series. And there was one that came up and it immediately looked familiar. I was like, wait, I've covered this case and I'm noticing it starting to.

[Host 1]

Kind of pick up traction and go.

[Annie Elise]

Viral and a lot of people have questions about it.

[Host 1]

So I figured for those of you.

[Annie Elise]

Who either have seen the docu series and documentary and like want to get more information on it, or if you are looking for just a little extra bonus case, that's perfect too.

[Host 1]

So I figured we might as well.

[Annie Elise]

Just talk about it today. And let me just start by saying this, okay? I want you to close your eyes. Not if you're driving, only if you're somewhere safe. And I want you to picture this. You're on a luxury safari with your wife of 30 years. You're hunting leopards, of all things. You're really just living the high life. But then out of nowhere, boom. Your wife is dead from a shotgun blast. Tragic accident maybe. Until you realize that this so called grieving husband has had a mistress for 15 years back at home. He's also taken out millions of dollars in life insurance policies and he even has a history of very sketchy animal attacks. Now, like I said, I've covered this one before, but now there's a whole lot more to dig into. And there's that three part Hulu series called Trophy Wife Murder on Safari. So buckle up guys, because this is one that's got like crocodiles, cremation Conspiracies, a dentist with a God complex, and so much more. So we're going to be talking all about Larry and Bianca Rudolph. Now, Bianca was a truly beautiful woman. She had this long, curly hair, kind of reddish, brownish, these big blue eyes. And while we don't know much about her early years, we do know that she eventually went on to pursue education at the University of Pittsburgh. And that is where she met another student named Larry Rudolph. And he was studying to become a dentist.

[Host 1]

They quickly fell in love and got married in 1982, when right after he finished dental school, all was right in their world, and they raised two children, Anna and Julian, and were just living a fantastic love story.

[Annie Elise]

Their son Julian, has said that his dad, Larry, was, quote, a good father, generous, charismatic, while Bianca, he says, was an amazing mother, even his best friend. And Julian also said that his father worked quite a bit, actually. His direct quote, was, worked a lot. In order to allow Bianca to stay at home with Julian and his sister.

[Host 1]

Larry opened up a dental practice called Three Rivers Dental in Pennsylvania. And his dental practice, quickly becoming successful, started out opening up multiple branches. Well, in 2012, Larry and Bianca moved to Arizona. So Larry traveled back and forth from Pennsylvania to Arizona for work, but by then, he had other doctors working for him in the practice that could do most of the work. So he would kind of just go back and forth checking in. And by 2016, they had five branches and were worth an estimated $10 million. Everybody loved Dr. Rudolph. Well, the patients loved Dr. Rudolph, at least, because patient reviews painted a picture of a kind, genuine dentist who went above and beyond for his patients. However, employee reviews were a little bit different. Many employees said that their days were long with no breaks and constantly were being reprimanded and scrutinized. But nonetheless, clients or prospective clients aren't really looking at how employees feel or employee reviews when finding a dentist. They're cruising on Yelp. They're not going on Glassdoor. They're mostly looking at the patient reviews, which by all accounts, looked great and had amassed over 100,000 patients. But when he wasn't working, the two of them spent lots of time hunting for big game, which big game means animals that are larger than rabbits and squirrels. You know, think like tigers, lions, elephants, things like that. And the two of them visited many countries and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on these hunting trips. And it was something that was very important to the two of them. So with Larry and Bianca's shared love for hunting, the two of them decided to take a hunting trip. From September 27, 2016 to October 11, 2016 to Zambia. Zambia was a place that they had gone many times prior. But this trip was different and this one was important. The sole focus of this trip was to let Bianca have the opportunity to hunt a leopard, which was a very big goal of hers. So Larry wasn't planning on hunting this trip, so he didn't get the license to hunt. Instead, his goal was to support Bianca and her efforts. So they headed to Zambia on September 27th with two guns in tow. The two guns were a Remington 375 rifle and a 12 gauge Browning shotgun. They stayed in a one bedroom cabin near the Cafew river. And it was a place they had stayed at before and not only just stayed at, but also had an alleged crocodile attack at now let's quickly talk about this attack and then we'll come back to this trip. So in 2006, Larry went to stay at the cabins in Cafio. Now, allegedly he decided to go fishing alone at sunrise. But he says that what happened next was something that made his career much harder for him and really life changing. Larry says that he was bringing a fish in that he had caught, but when he reached for it, a crocodile grabbed him and pulled him in. He said that the crocodile bit his thumb and but that he was able to get to a rock and then fire his gun for help. But the medic said that Larry appeared quite calm for a crocodile attack and that his pants were just damp, which is odd considering he said that he was pulled all the way in by this crocodile. He had a few scrapes and cuts, but also nothing major. However, once he was back in the U.S. he reached out to an attorney about getting disability payments. He ended up making about $30,000 per month on disability, but was still working, making other money with his dental practice. Despite that legally he was not supposed to be working if he was collecting this disability. He collected around $3.5 million of insurance money as well, claiming that it destroyed his career. Now clearly it didn't considering that he was still working. But many people who know him also don't think that he was actually attacked by a crocodile. They think that he actually ripped his own thumb by himself to in an effort to get money, which to me seems like the first sign of a very financially greedy person willing to risk it all for money. So now let's go back to this 2016 trip to Zambia. The trip seemingly was going well. Witness said that Larry was very attentive to Bianca's needs throughout the entire trip. One night apparently they even danced to Simply the Best by Tina Turner while they were outside just looking at each other, glowing and in love. They looked like a happy and in love couple on that trip. Bianca never was able to shoot that leopard as she had hoped for. However, she did get a zebra, so apparently a little bit of a win. She was asked if she wanted to extend her trip, but she said no because her nephew was getting married four days after they were due back. She's a very close knit Italian family and would never miss an event like that. But what she didn't know was that she would never make it back for that wedding, regardless of if she wanted to stay or not. On the morning of the 11th, Larry and Bianca were packing up to head home when employees from the cabins heard a loud gunshot. When they rushed over to see what was going on, Larry was lying over Bianca's body, a witness said. He was yelling, my wife has just taken her life over and over again. Bianca was lying by a dresser and someone immediately went to get a medical kit. There was a hole in her black T shirt and her bra. The bullet had hit the left side of her heart. In a flash, her life was over and it was too late to save her at this point. So Larry yelled, what am I going to tell my kids? And even tried to throw himself into the river at one point, but was stopped by an employee. So was this a display of dramatics or a genuinely distraught husband and father? What happened next is a very, very strange series of events, to put it mildly. As investigations continued, stories were just not adding up. Initially, Larry had told the tour guide who ran into the cabin and that he was taking a shower when this all went down. However, he had full clothes on, including shoes, and he wasn't wet at all. Which seems very odd that within 30 seconds, snap of your fingers, he could dry off, get dressed, throw on his shoes, and be hovering over his wife's lifeless body. And Larry told another guide that he was in the bathroom with quote, unquote, the shits. I mean gross if you're going to lie at least, like live outside is not so gross. So, but two different stories. So which one was it? They're two very different scenarios. But coincidentally or not so coincidentally, both scenarios were removing him from the actual scene of her death. In fact, that same guide, Mark, says that he and Larry were discussing theories on whether Bianca's death may have been accidental while they were on the way to alert police of her death. Whereas, remember, his initial outcry was that she did this intentionally. Because now Larry's claim was that she was packing the gun and that's when she shot herself. Some of the theories included her long acrylic nails, and could they have accidentally hit the trigger while packing the gun? Or that maybe the zipper got stuck and she possibly slammed the butt of the gun down and it was a misfire. In any event, 11 hours after Bianca died, Larry was already calling the U.S. embassy to figure out how he could cremate her body. He was wanting her cremated as soon as he possibly could. However, Bianca was actually very against being cremated. She was a practicing Catholic, and she believed that it was not right to have a cremation. She even had discussed that with her friends. But of course, Larry didn't care about that. He said it was apparently too difficult to take her body back to the States. So was it really too difficult, or was it that he was trying to destroy evidence and avoid an autopsy being performed? Because remember those pictures of the big animals that they had shot and killed? He never had any problem getting those back to the United States. Yet this time, it was too difficult to take his wife home. The consular chief on the other end of the phone was beginning to get increasingly bad vibes over this. In Zambia, a body cannot be cremated before the funeral home receives the report from the forensic pathologist. Typically, this takes a few days or sometimes even longer. However, quickly after all of this, the funeral home alerted the chief, saying that they would be cremating her the very next day. The chief, taking all of the timing into account, realized this was so incredibly fast and that there had to be something more going on here. So he tipped off the FBI, and thank goodness he did. So not only did he tip off the FBI, but he and two other people decided to go to the funeral home to take photos and preserve evidence for any potential crimes that could have been committed. The chief had actually been a longtime Marine and knew from past experience that that something here just was not lining up. The first thing that he noticed was that the gunshot was directly on the heart. Another thing was that there was no evidence of gas burn or tissue expansion. Now, those typically happen when a gun is directly on the body when fired. In other words, when you're taking your own life or something happens in very close proximity, you're going to see that happen. There was also another wound from the weighting of the gun. So all of that led him to believe that the gun was not directly on Bianca and that this was a shot from close proximity, but not intentionally done on her own. From his experience, he believed that she was shot from about 6 to 8ft away, which wouldn't make sense if she had shot herself. So when Larry found out that the chief and others went to take photos and investigate, he went absolutely ballistic and actually called the chief. He was freaking out, saying that this was an invasion of privacy and he wouldn't stop talking about the Privacy Act. Now, for someone who is so worried and so confused about what happened to his wife, he sure was freaking out over the wrong thing here. The investigation would be to give him answers, but clearly he didn't need the answers from them. He probably knew the answers, and he didn't want them to find out the answers. So during that discussion with the chief, the chief asked Larry if he would like him to notify their children. And what Larry said next was very bizarre. He said no, and that he would notify them. But. But he also noted that the children were from a previous marriage. But here's the thing. Those two kids were he and Bianca's kids. So what on earth could be the reason for him to lie about that? Did ink that if the investigators talked to his children, they would potentially try to pry into his life, and maybe he was potentially hiding more skeletons in his closet. He also told them that he didn't know anything about the gun that took Bianca's life, but the gun was his gun. Again, very strange. Now, hours after that phone call, Anna, their daughter, who had started working at the dental practice, began freaking out at work because neither she nor her brother could get a hold of their mom, Bianca. And this was highly unlike her, especially since she should have already been home by then. Now, Larry didn't tell his children for a week about their mother's death for a week, and he was very vague when he did, in fact, end up telling them. Anna was, of course, very confused about why her mom was cremated when she was Catholic, but she was just told by her father, it's in the will. But was it? Or was she just being told something by her father to shut her up and to satisfy her, as she had been actually told to do so before? Two weeks after everyone was made aware of Bianca's deaths, one of Bianca's closest friends contacted the FBI. This is the same friend that Bianca had discussed not approving of cremation with. This friend told the FBI that Larry and Bianca had a very rough relationship. Allegedly, there was verbal altercations at times, fights about money, threats of divorce, and multiple affairs. And at the time of Bianca's murder, Larry was having an affair with none other than his former hygienist from his office. But this affair was weird, guys. It had been going on for 15 to 20 years. It was known in the office. And Larry knew that Bianca knew, but that she would never leave him due to her religious beliefs. Most of the staff also knew about it, but everyone just put up with it and shut up because they didn't want to risk losing their jobs. Lori Milyron is the name of the lady that Larry was having this affair with. The two of them went on many vacations together as well, spanning around 60 days per year between 2003 and 2008. They went to destinations including Cabo, Africa, Paris, New Zealand, and so many more. It's just absolutely disgusting. Exploiting your wife's religious beliefs and using them against her, knowing she won't leave you, and then prancing around on vacations with your mistress for nearly two decades. Not only is that just cruel, but it's absolutely disgusting. So Laurie had gone to many events with him and many people knew that she was also part of the problem. But Bianca pushed back. It's clear that she was ashamed as she was fighting and trying to say that she was in a happy marriage and that the affair was not happening, just in denial. But doing that only fueled the fire and allowed Larry to continue on his massive path of destruction. Fast forward to the summer of 2015. Larry asked his Hispanic contractor, hey, do you have any cousins or amigos in Mexico that can come up here and make somebody disappear? And guys, that is a direct quote. I am not putting those words in myself. This is what this creep ass said. So the contractor who goes by Amos said he didn't know of anybody. Larry then showed him $25,000 as a commission. Obviously such a weird series of events, but why would he do that? Where did that come from? Who needed to disappear? Well, a former manager of Larry's dental practice can explain that one. Her name is Anna Grimley. She had just moved into town for the new position at the office during the summer of 2015. So Lori came over to Anna's with a bottle of wine to help her set up a dresser. But Anna got a whole lot more from that visit than just a dresser. Allegedly, Lori proceeded to tell her about the affair and explained how Larry had been giving her tons of money. They were supposed to use that money to up and leave together, but that never happened. And allegedly Lori told Anna that that's when she decided to give Larry an ultimatum. She the ultimatum being that he had one year to get rid of Bianca. So then he reaches out to the contractor, asks him if he knows how to make anybody disappear, and he's trying to put his plan in motion. Then in May of 2016, the time is almost up. And it happened to also be the same time when Bianca found another woman's hair in her bed. And that hair was none other than Laurie's. Bianca told Larry's assistant that she was thinking about divorce, finally, after all this time. And she confronted Larry about the divorce and about the affair, but he denied it. So she showed him the emails proving it. He told her he would end things, he would end things with Lori and they would be okay. Two months later, in July, Bianca said that understanding and forgiveness is required for a long term marriage. And that's when they started to plan this Africa trip. So was this trip just one of their regular excursions, or was this trip planned as a ruse to show Bianca they were moving forward in a positive direction with their marriage and. And that he was leaving all of his infidelities and indiscretions behind them? Well, regardless of the reasoning behind the trip together, there was one problem. Things never actually ended with Laurie. In fact, just a day after Bianca's funeral, Larry bought Laurie a ticket to visit him, although he quickly canceled the reservation, probably realizing that he was going to look bad and get caught up and trip himself up. But the very next day, Lori bought a ticket to Vegas and the two of them met there. They spent all of their time watching and tweeting about the 2016 election, having absolutely no idea that the FBI was starting to become very suspicious of the circumstances. Not only were they doing that, but Larry was filing life insurance claims left and right. By spring of 2017, he had filed under nine different policies for life insurance and accidental death claims. He even went so far as to FedEx documents for one of them. Now, unfortunately, there wasn't enough information to not accept the claims and pay them. So that's what the companies did. And the FBI realized that less than six months prior to Bianca's death, they had actually set up a survivor's trust. One more sign that this was premeditated and planned out. In total, Larry collected $4,877,000. In summer of 2017, Larry put some of that money to use by purchasing land for $3.5 million to build a custom home for mistress Lori. The two's relationship continued with them gallivanting around as if nothing ever had happened. Although when out sometimes, Lori apparently would notice certain people looking at them and was always worried that it Was the FBI now behind the scenes? The FBI were conducting insane amounts of testing to prove that Larry was responsible for the death of Bianca. Remember, Bianca was cremated, so they were unable to measure her arms next to the gun to see if that was actually plausible. But they had that same friend who tipped them off help them. They took a photo she had of she and Bianca and used that. They had the friend wear that same dress and took measurements and then compared it with the photo. They were able to get approximate arm sizes by using that. Then they had a study with a bunch of women with the same size arms. They had the women hold the gun a certain way, try to zip up the bag a certain way. And almost all of the things you could possibly think of and most of the things that they asked these women to do, they were unable to do. They even recreated it 100 times. That exact gun bag that Bianca was allegedly loading when the gun went off during that study, they could not find a possible way where Bianca would have been the one discharging the gun. Also, the way Larry claims her death happened was. Would mean that she went directly against all gun safety rules, given that she was an avid hunter, that just would not make sense. They also conducted interviews with all of the witnesses. They found a witness that directly saw him empty the gun the night before at the end of their hunting session. So why would the gun be reloaded if they weren't planning on using it and they were just packing up to go home?

[Annie Elise]

And if all of that wasn't enough, there was another witness, a bartender who says that he overheard a conversation between Larry and Laurie.

[Host 1]

And.

[Annie Elise]

And what he heard will absolutely shock you.

[Co-host 1]

He pointed his finger in Lori's face.

[Host 1]

And said, I killed my wife for you. So finally, the FBI had enough information to piece it all together. On December 21, 2021, while en route on a flight to Cabo, the feds hopped aboard. They sat quietly during the whole flight, and after landing, they arrested Larry, yelling, we got him. Later, Lori said that they were betrayed by their own government and that it was a witch hunt, somehow making herself the victim in all of this, as though they are the ones who were betrayed in this entire scenario. I mean, it's just the most narcissistic and absolute soulless response you could have in that moment. Larry was charged with foreign murder and mail fraud of seven life insurers. He pled not guilty. A month later, which would be January, the feds showed up at Lori's house. They wanted to know all about those deposits Larry put in her account and that bar argument, as well as the alleged ultimatum. Laurie said that the payments were because he was generous, not because of their relationship. She also lied about the bar argument. Ultimately, they arrested her and charged her with five counts of lying under oath, one for obstructing justice and another for accessory to murder. She too pled not guilty.

[Annie Elise]

Then the wonder couple, Larry and Laurie, had had a joint trial in July of 2022, and a whole bunch more details were about to come to light. And spoiler alert, they did not make.

[Host 1]

Larry look very good.

[Co-host 2]

Court documents are shining more light on what was reportedly happening behind closed doors. According to the paperwork, Larry Rudolph called a personal friend and told him he was afraid of divorce because he couldn't afford to live with what he would have left. The paperwork also says Larry reported his net worth of $27 million, according to statements in the documents from Bianca's friend. Bianca told her friend she was afraid of divorcing Larry because she could not take care of herself and was afraid of losing the kids, that she gave Larry an ultimatum about his affair and that she knew Larry might try to kill her during the first hunting trip of 2016, but went anyway to try and save her marriage, according to the documents. Larry argues these statements are hearsay. The paperwork also points to something else odd. Propofol. The court documents show a witness who worked with Larry and his alleged mistress, who was a dental hygienist at his practice, was given unusual and particular instructions for an upcoming special delivery of a vial of Propofol, which is a heavy sedation medication. The witness was told to open the package, put the Propofol in the back office, and give it to Larry. Their dental practice used outside anesthesiologists at the time and did not keep sedation drugs in his office. Larry came in and picked up the drug, saying he needed it in case there was an accident on the upcoming October hunt. Prosecutors say that shows premeditation for murder, even though Bianca ended up dying by gunshot.

[Annie Elise]

Now, despite all of this evidence against him, Larry actually took the stand in his own defense, which is not something that we see happen every day today.

[Co-host 1]

Larry Rudolph told the jury that he did not murder his wife and could not murder his wife. His testimony lasted over two hours. Rudolph going into specific details about the inner workings of his open marriage with his wife, Bianca, as well as his personal accounts of what he allegedly witnessed in that Zambian cabin where the shooting occurred back in October 2016. Rudolph claiming that he was in the bathroom when he heard a gunshot go off and came out to find his wife bleeding on the floor. Now Rudolph is charged with murder and mail fraud in his case because prosecutors think that he killed his wife to get about $5 million in insurance money. Prosecutors also believe that Rudolph wanted to take the money and run off with his girlfriend, Lori Milian, who's being charged with lying to a grand jury and being an accessory. Well, the defense maintains that there was no financial motive because Rudolph is already rich and that Bianca's death happened accidentally with the gun going off while she was packing. Zambian officials and insurance investigators also deemed the death to be accidental. But then it gets sticky, you guys, because prosecutors argue that the gun was fired from at least three and a half feet away.

[Annie Elise]

I almost think it's so interesting when people take the stand in their own defense in a murder trial, because a lot of the time, I mean, not always, but a lot of the time it's because they think that they're smarter than everybody else. They think that they can outsmart the jury, and so often it ends up backfiring, which I gotta say, we love to see.

[Host 1]

What was his downfall? On the stand, you hear one of the jurors say, which I think is the best line, Larry was Larry's downfall. So the test testimony really changed everything and ultimately resulted in. In the conviction. Ultimately, the trial ended with both of them being found guilty. Larry was found guilty of murdering Bianca and of defrauding multiple life insurance companies. Lori was found guilty of being an accessory after the fact to the murder, obstruction of justice, and two counts of perjury before the grand jury.

[Annie Elise]

Lori was sentenced to 17 years in prison. And good old Larry, he got life in prison.

[Host 1]

A statement from FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider said the murder of Bianca Rudolph was not an easy case to investigate and prosecute, but it was the right thing to do to seek justice for this victim, her family and her friends. Lawrence Rudolph thought he could murder his wife overseas and get away with it. His actions raised red flags, and the FBI was ready to step in to investigate this murder of a U.S. citizen by another U.S. citizen in a foreign country.

[Annie Elise]

Now, let's talk about Larry and Bianca's kids again just for a minute here, because at the time of the trial in 2022, both Julian and Anna totally stood behind their father.

[Host 1]

We have seen similar situations, regardless what you believe in the Barry Morphew and Suzanne Morphew case, where their two daughters have sat in Barry's corner with his defense, advocating for his innocence. Many people believe it's because children are so desperate to still have one parent in their life that their mind can't actually even acknowledge the idea of their parent being involved in such a crime. While there are, of course, other circumstances in which children and siblings truly do believe that their parent is innocent.

[Annie Elise]

But in the years since, it seems like they've started to consider that their dad could be guilty. I mean, at least their son Julian has.

[Julian Rudolph]

Our father was telling us, I'm innocent. This is a terrible accident. What you have to understand about the trial is that it was just a horrifying ordeal. The visuals, the sounds, the sights in that courtroom over three weeks, it's tattooed on my mind.

[Host 1]

Do you still believe your dad is innocent?

[Julian Rudolph]

I can't stand by that original statement because that was before we saw the evidence in the trial.

[Host 1]

So do you believe your.

[Anna Rudolph]

Your dad killed your mom?

[Julian Rudolph]

It's incomprehensible to me.

[Annie Elise]

I will say it's not totally clear where their daughter Anna stands at this point because she hasn't made a public statement since the trial. She does still run her dad's dental practice, though, so I don't know if that means that she thinks he's innocent.

[Host 1]

It could.

[Annie Elise]

Either way, one thing that Anna and Julian do have in common is that they are not happy with what happened to all of that insurance money. Remember, Larry cashed in on nearly $5 million in life insur insurance after Bianca's death. But the Department of Justice has said that that money belongs to the life insurance company, since they were technically the victims of insurance fraud. Julian and Anna, however, say that the money should be theirs.

[Julian Rudolph]

It's a matter of right and wrong. My mother put us as the beneficiaries on those insurance policies, so she wanted us to receive those proceeds if something ever happened to her. And the insurance companies themselves have indicated. And we don't want these proceeds, and still the government is hell bent on fighting us in court to give it back to the insurance companies instead of us.

[Annie Elise]

And you might be wondering, okay, well, how about Lori? How has she fared in the three years since she was found guilty? Well, in an interview from just last month, she still insisted on her innocence. Not just for herself, but also for that loser douchebag Larry.

[Anna Rudolph]

The police did an investigation and.

[Host 1]

They.

[Anna Rudolph]

Said it was an accident. Everyone believed it was an accident, so I assumed it was an accident as well. There was no ultimatum. Why would I wait 15 years to.

[Annie Elise]

Give him an ultimatum now, even after all of that? Like I said, this case has now been back in the headlines recently because of that docu series on Hulu that is called Trophy Wife Murder on Safari. And guys, the director of the series has dropped some serious bombshell. It turns out that what happened to Bianca wasn't even the first time that someone close to Larry had a brush with death. Allegedly, sometime after his whole, you know, an alligator bit my thumb off stunt, his dental partner confronted him for secretly working under the table while racking in all that disability money. And as for that partner, well, he was allegedly the victim of an assassination attempt. No charges ever came of it, though, because of lack of evidence. But let's just say a lot of people are side eyeing Larry pretty hard. Oh, and also, by the way, according to the Hulu team, Larry's wandering eye did not stop at Laurie. Not at all. They said that they got thousands, not hundreds, thousands of stories about Larry hooking up with different women. There were, in fact, so many cheating stories that they literally could not fit all of them into the series. The director even said, and this is a direct quote, I don't think I realized that dentists had this much sex all the time. And honestly, same. I mean, do you?

[Host 1]

But don't be a cheater.

[Annie Elise]

Don't be a scumbag. I don't even know, like, what's going on at these dental conventions. Is there, like, something, like, in the fluoride, what the heck is going on? But you know what? That's not even what shocked me the most. The part in this series that completely just floored me was at the very end when we learned that Larry, while he is still in prison to this day, he's still receiving massive disability checks for his thumb injury. So even behind bars, this guy is still cashing in on his lies. I mean, you cannot even make this stuff up. I don't know, guys. It is just ridiculous. But at least in this case, loser Larry and his chomped off thumb are, like, in jail for the rest of his sorry life. And as for dirtbag Lori, she's gonna be behind bars for some serious time, too. And Bianca's family finally got some justice for her. So if you guys want even more details, I feel like I summed it up pretty well for you. But again, you can check out that Hulu docu. And I promise it's not sponsored or in any way. But I know I've mentioned it quite a few times, but I just found it interesting and I thought I would rehash this case with you guys. So thank you for tuning into another case. I feel like I might be doing this more frequently. So if you're not following the podcast yet, take a quick sec. On whatever podcast app you are listening on, it is totally, totally free. Just go to either the podcast icon or maybe the top corner and press Follow where you can follow the show. So if I drop any additional bonus episodes like this, you'll see them in your feed. Or when I drop my regular Monday and Thursday episodes, you won't miss any of those. And it's just a way to, you know, keep track of everything we're doing over here. All right. Other than that, I will talk with you again very, very soon. But thank you for tuning into a bonus case with me over here. And until the next one, be nice. Don't kill people, maybe don't go on safari. And like I always say, just get a divorce.

[Host 1]

All right.

[Annie Elise]

Bye, guys.