Page 4 - Forceful Drowning News Today

Murder. >> guilty. the jury had decided that ryan widmer did, indeed, murder his wife, sarah. >> mr. widmer, is there anything you wish to say? >> the accused, now the convicted, would kiss his wedding ring and then address the court for the first time. he hadnt taken the stand, as was his right. >> i loved my wife. i did not hurt her. i was never given a chance. the day after she passes away, they charge me with murder, i didnt even -- if i had an answer, i would give the answer to what happene...

>> is there risk for you about these women getting involved with ryan widmer? >> its easy to get sucked into that. but i think you have to understand what ryan was going through. hes never been able to really grieve for sarah. you cant do that when youre under the gun, charged with her murder. they contacted him, and it was companionship. >> it was time to wrap up trial number three. the prosecutor saying it was a sudden violent murder. >> anybody whos been in a relationship knows that sometimes...

The side of the tub, had she tried to brace herself as she was pushed into the water? >> from my experience those look like prints that are going down in a downward motion. >> how do you fight back? do you try to keep your head out of the water? do you put your hands against the back of the tub, or do you put your hands on the bottom of the tub and try to lift out of the water? or do you grasp at somebody and lose your only hold on life? >> a stark image, the husband pushing his wifes head under...

Hemorrhage in her neck can be the result of cpr. >> as the coroner saw it, the significant bruising on sarahs neck was caused by ryans forceful drowning of her. >> do you have manner of sarah? >> yes, the manner of death was homicide. >> that took prosecutors into the realm of speculation. what had happened in the bedroom that night if sarah hadnt drowned by herself in the bathtub? this forensic pathologist had one scenario explaining a damp head but dry body. >> her head was pushed over the edg...

He said, i hope not, because i wouldnt want you to be where sarahs at. >> but she said she thought the jury, like the first one, would have convicted ryan. and when they didnt, she contacted the authorities after seeing pictures of sarahs mother. >> i saw the sadness and the pain and the hurt in her moms face, and im a mom, and i couldnt do that to them anymore. they needed to know the truth. coming up -- >> she came downstairs crying and shes like, he did it. she was scared, actually. chef wa...

>> the prosecutions message for the jury was blunt. there had been a violent confrontation in the widmer house that night. >> ryan widmer purposefully killed sarah stewart widmer and murdered her by drowning. >> the prosecutors began with the first moments of the case, ryans call to 911. >> my wife, she fell asleep in the bathtub. i just came up here, and she was laying facedown in the bathtub. >> on the stand, the emergency dispatcher testified that the voice on the phone that night was giving ...

>> finally, a woman came in and then we said is she gone? and she said yes. and he just dropped down to his knees and was just bawling and sobbing into the chair. >> reporter: sarah widmer, 24 years old, the bride of less than four months, was dead. her husband ryan told the emergency services people he thought she had fallen asleep in the bathtub and drowned. but those emts doing cpr trying everything they could to save her didnt understand one crucial observation they made at the home that nig...

Would call her as soon as she bought it sometimes, telling her did you really need it. whyd you buy it or something? he thought she was spending too much money. >> he was very concerned about her shopping habits? >> correct. there were stresses, things going on in their family. >> but even the prosecutors had to acknowledge this didnt necessarily add up to a clear motive for murder, but they believed there were things happening in the little house that nobody but sarah or ryan knew about. >> any...

That perhaps even a medical examiner could never satisfactorily explain but that it wasnt murder? >> coming up, the case goes to court and out comes the evidence. >> it would be virtually impossible for somebody to fall asleep and not wake up. >> and later, ryan widmer speaks out. >> so you think they wanted to make a case? >> why would they arrest me a day after if they didnt want to make a case? >> when the bathtub mystery continues.

Expect. when you are a cop more than a decade you become familiar with the signs of the drowning like the froth about the victims nose and mouth. >> your mind starts running immediately about possibilities. they initially tell me i have a 24-year-old drowning victim that died in the tub. im thinking that we will find evidence of something. you know, were going to find some drugs or evidence of an overdose or something. as he pulled up the victim was already loaded in the back of the back of the ...