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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →The 48 Hours episode “The Depraved Heart Murder” follows the death of 25-year-old Sarah Harris and the prosecution of her boyfriend, oral surgeon James Ryan. CBS reported on his 2024 conviction and sentence; a Maryland appellate court affirmed the convictions in 2025, and a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case was pending as of October 8, 2026.
What happened to Sarah Harris?
Harris was found unresponsive at the home she shared with Ryan on January 26, 2022. CBS reported that Ryan initially told first responders he believed she had overdosed. He said she had used propofol and described earlier drug use. Authorities reported finding syringe wrappers, tourniquets, saline bags and drug vials at the home. These details are part of CBS’s account of the investigation, not each a separate finding by the appellate court. CBS’s case report
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Harris’s mother, Tina Harris, suspected Ryan, according to CBS. That suspicion is her account and should be distinguished from the evidence considered by the jury and the court’s later summary of the trial record.
CBS reported that Sarah met Ryan when he removed her wisdom teeth in summer 2020, later worked at his practice and began dating him in 2021. The Maryland appellate opinion summarizes that Ryan supplied her with drugs obtained from his practice during their relationship. The jury later found him guilty of drug offenses as well as murder and manslaughter. CBS’s episode reporting · Appellate Court of Maryland opinion
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What does “depraved heart murder” mean?
CBS describes depraved-heart murder as a form of second-degree murder involving reckless disregard for human life, without requiring proof that the defendant wanted the victim to die. That is a plain-language explanation from CBS and the prosecutor it interviewed, not a complete statement of Maryland law.
Maryland Assistant State’s Attorney James Dietrich illustrated the concept to CBS this way: “If I … take a gun and just randomly shoot it into a crowd, I may not necessarily want or care that anybody dies. But…that is such a grossly reckless act that someone’s likely to die.” The example explains the prosecution’s theory; it is not a quotation from the appellate opinion.
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What did the jury decide, and what happened on appeal?
The Appellate Court of Maryland’s opinion says a jury convicted Ryan after a ten-day trial in August 2023. It summarizes the evidence as showing that Ryan supplied Harris with ketamine, propofol, diazepam and midazolam, and that she died of an overdose. The convictions included involuntary manslaughter, second-degree murder and multiple drug offenses. The appellate court affirmed them on September 3, 2025. Read the opinion
The opinion is designated unreported and states that it is not precedent, although it may be cited for persuasive value under the Maryland rule cited in the opinion. Its account is a summary of the record and appellate decision, not a replacement for a trial transcript.
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What did Ryan say at sentencing?
CBS reported that Ryan was sentenced to 45 years in January 2024. At sentencing, he said: “While I did not administer the drugs to Sarah, and I’m not exactly sure when she got them, those drugs were absolutely my responsibility,” and added, “And I should have made sure that she never had access to them…I should have never thought I could control her addiction …” These are Ryan’s remarks as reported by CBS; they do not replace the jury’s verdict or establish every factual detail independently. CBS’s report
Is the case still before the U.S. Supreme Court?
As of October 8, 2026, Ryan’s petition for a writ of certiorari was pending on the U.S. Supreme Court docket. He filed it on March 13, 2026; Maryland waived its right to respond on September 22, 2026; and the petition was distributed for the Court’s October 9, 2026 conference. The docket showed no disposition at that time. A petition asks the Court to review a case—it does not mean review has been granted. U.S. Supreme Court docket
How to watch the 48 Hours episode
CBS lists “The Depraved Heart Murder” as Season 37, Episode 6, a 41-minute, TV-14 episode reported by Nikki Battiste. It originally aired October 5, 2024. CBS’s listing says U.S. streaming requires a Paramount+ subscription; availability and terms can change. Official CBS episode listing
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