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Massachusetts Doctor Convicted of Manslaughter in Wife’s Death
A physician from Dover, Massachusetts, who was charged with the death of his wife five years ago, was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter on Thursday. The jury delivered the verdict in the case of Dr. Ingolf Tuerk, accused in connection with the 2020 death of Kathleen McLean.
Verdict Reached in Kathleen McLean Death Case
Ingolf Tuerk faced a first-degree murder charge relating to the death of Kathleen McLean. Prosecutors alleged he strangled her and disposed of her body in a pond. However, the jury opted for a lesser charge, convicting him of first-degree voluntary manslaughter.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 16.
Family Expresses Disappointment with Verdict
“Essentially, he’s walking free,” stated Richard McLean, Kathleen’s brother, reacting to the verdict. “It’s a shame that it took five years to reach this point, only to walk away extremely disappointed.”
The McLean family conveyed their belief that justice was not served, asserting that Tuerk evaded a murder conviction.
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Brother Condemns Defendant’s Actions
“It’s like driving down the road and tossing a piece of trash out the window,” Richard McLean commented, expressing his grief and anger. “That’s what he did to my sister. Who deserves such treatment?”
Trial Highlights Conflicting Accounts
Closing arguments were presented on Wednesday, preceding the jury’s deliberation.
Defense Argues Lack of Premeditation
Defense attorney Kevin Reddington contended in his closing statement that the killing was not premeditated, contradicting the prosecution’s claims. He argued that the events of that night were the culmination of McLean’s scheme to seize Tuerk’s financial assets.
“This is all about finances,” Reddington asserted. “And she manipulated him effectively.”
Reddington suggested Tuerk reacted impulsively while intoxicated, acting in self-defense. “I submit to you that he reacted. He was under the influence… He defended himself. And the legal standard requires the prosecution to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he did not act in self-defense.”
“There was no intent to kill,” Reddington added. “The intent was self-preservation.”
Prosecution Highlights Deliberate Actions
Assistant Norfolk District Attorney Lisa Beatty initiated her closing argument by depicting the scene of McLean’s death and Tuerk’s disposal of her body “like garbage.”
She rejected the defense’s portrayal of Tuerk acting in self-defense or in a sudden outburst. “I would argue the opposite. He was composed, he was calm, he was collected.”
Beatty posited that Tuerk was motivated by concerns about losing his wealth and property, and avoiding another divorce.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this was not a crime of passion. It was not self-defense. It was driven by motive to kill,” Beatty stated.
She emphasized McLean’s likely struggle while being strangled and Tuerk’s subsequent actions. After the killing, he did not attempt to revive her or contact emergency services. Instead, prosecutors argued, he weighted her body with rocks and submerged it in a pond.
Defendant Admitted to Actions, Claimed Lack of Premeditation
Prosecutors stated that the 63-year-old urologist confessed his actions to law enforcement. During his testimony on Tuesday, Tuerk acknowledged his actions but maintained they were not premeditated.
Details of Relationship and Events Leading to Death
The couple’s relationship began on an online dating platform, culminating in a Las Vegas marriage. Tuerk testified to being intoxicated during the wedding, claiming limited recollection of the event at a drive-through chapel.
“I don’t truly recall. I only remember interacting with a woman—that’s my only clear memory—and the next morning, I was informed I was married,” he recounted.
They resided in Dover with children from previous marriages. Tuerk had previously been ordered to leave the residence after McLean, 45, obtained a restraining order against him. They later reconciled during the pandemic, and he returned to their shared home.
On a night in spring 2020, following alcohol consumption, Tuerk claimed McLean struck him in the head with a glass. He testified that he strangled her at that point.
“I essentially blacked out,” he stated during his testimony.
Arrest and Initial Statements
Originally from East Germany, Tuerk was apprehended at a Dedham hotel and transported to a medical facility. Police reports indicate he admitted to placing his wife’s body in a pond following an altercation in their bedroom.
Tuerk described to the jury how McLean’s body resurfaced.
“I walked through the yard and attempted to find something that might, to keep her submerged,” he testified.
Trial Duration
The trial commenced on March 27 at Norfolk Superior Court.