DEDHAM, Mass. (Court TV) — A Massachusetts doctor accused of murdering his wife was found guilty of the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter by a jury.
Dr. Ingolf Tuerk testifies in his murder trial Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Court TV)
Dr. Ingolf Tuerk, 63, admitted that he strangled Kathleen McLean, 45, to death in their Dover home in May 2020 and dumped her body in a nearby pond when he testified in his own defense.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 16 at 2pm.
Tuerk’s defense had argued that McLean died during a drunken fight between the two over their relationship. The couple had recently dropped efforts to divorce each other, according to testimony, and were attempting to reconcile after a tumultuous period that included McLean reporting Tuerk to police for physical abuse and Tuerk’s suspicions that McLean was cheating on him.
Tuerk was a urologist at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Boston until he was terminated over accusations of fraudulent billing to Medicaid, reported The Associated Press. McLean ran Birch Tree Energy and Healing, an alternative healing service.
DAILY TRIAL UPDATES
DAY 9 – 4/10/25
- The jury reached a verdict, finding Tuerk guilty of a lesser-included charge of voluntary manslaughter.
DAY 8 – 4/9/25
- Defense again requested a charge of involuntary manslaughter.
- On cross-examination, defendant Dr. Ingolf Tuerk said he spent his life saving lives, and he was in shock after killing Katie McLean. He emphasized that it was ‘a traumatic event’ and he was ‘shameful’ and full of guilt.
- Prosecution and defense delivered closing arguments.
DAY 7 – 4/8/25
- John Hoffman, Harry’s second divorce attorney took the stand.
- Sent letter to Katie informing her of representation.
- Emails with updates from Tuerk during Covid:
- Concerned about returning from Germany and Covid exposure.
- Requested motion to return home due to hardship.
- Mentioned staying in a camper in Florida.
- Continued requests to move back into his house.
- Expressed desperation about having nowhere to go.
- Confirmed new deed signed, making Katie co-owner.
- Noted that Katie and Harry signed a post-nuptial agreement.
- Discussed attorney retainer, negotiations, and payment details.
- Katie hired her attorney once aware of Harry’s divorce representation.
- Katie’s priority was to stay in the house for the children.
- House was contentious during divorce negotiations.
- Attorney emailed Katie’s attorney regarding Tuerk’s wish to reconcile.
- New deed provided equal ownership for both parties.
- Confirmed that upon divorce completion, Katie would receive half of the house.
- Stated no grounds for alimony given the short duration of the marriage (5 weeks).
- Dr. Elizabeth Laposota, retired forensic pathologist, was a witness.
- Former Chief Medical Examiner in Rhode Island for 12 years.
- Reviewed medical examiner’s file, police reports, and medical records.
- Cause of death: Asphyxia due to strangulation.
- Body found floating face down in a pond, last seen 12 hours earlier. Hemorrhaging observed in the back of the neck.
- No injuries to the back of the head.
- Evidence of manual strangulation, with a thumb mark from the assailant.
- Opinion: Only one hand used for strangulation; bruising in the back of the head occurred from being face down in the water.
- Dr. Laposota has performed thousands of autopsies.
- To obstruct the jugular vein, 2-3 pounds of pressure is needed; to obstruct the carotid artery, 10-20 pounds.
- Compression on the neck causes asphyxia.
- No scratches, fingernail marks, or defensive wounds on the victim’s neck.
- Opinion: Death was caused by a single, forceful, one-handed application of pressure to the neck.
- Dr. Ingolf “Harry” Tuerk, Defendant
- Received education in E Germany, then went into the Air Force.
- Entered med school in E. Berlin, then specialized in urology.
- Pioneer surgeon in robotic surgery.
- Met Katie Nov. 2017 on a dating website.
- In April 2018, Katie moved into the house, and they lived together for 2 years.
- In November 2019, Katie and Tuerk got married in Las Vegas at a drive-thru chapel.
- Three weeks later, Tuerk met with a divorce attorney. It became clear that the relationship wasn’t going where he wanted it to.
- While Tuerk was sleeping, Katie looked in his phone and found the divorce communication. Then she got a restraining order against Tuerk.
- May 7, 2020, had indirect contact with Katie via Curt during this time. Curt became a go between Tuerk and Katie.
- Katie asked Tuerk to come back home, said she “loved” him.
- May 10, went back to the house after the restraining order was vacated.
- Katie asked to put her name on the deed; she signed a post-nup agreement.
- May 14: The day was beautiful. Worked in the yard. Katie started making martinis during a break. Both started drinking.
- Had dinner as a family, then we played a board game with the kids.
- Tuerk told Katie, an old friend of his sent him a text. Katie was always jealous of her. Katie got extremely angry.
- Katie took Tuerk’s phone and looked at the texts. She screamed at Tuerk.
- Says he begged her to stop. She said “F— you” and hit him with a glass.
- Describing the killing, Tuerk said:
- “I snapped. I grabbed her… on the neck.”. “She fell, we fell on the floor together. She want not responsive,” “please Katie wake up.”
- “I was just sitting there and crying… I panicked” “I wanted to kill myself” I decided I needed to put her somewhere else” “I drove to the pond”
- “I put her in the water” “I came across the rocks”
- Went back to the house to get his phone.
- Then went to the hotel and texted goodbye to some friends. Curt and few other friends. That’s when he sent that “devil” text.
- Tuerk said he tried to take his own life when he went back to the hotel. He didn’t remember being taken to the hospital.
- WATCH: Tuerk Describes Moments After Wife’s Death: ‘I Wanted To Kill Myself’
DAY 6 – 4/7/25
- Forensic scientist Matthew Sheehan testified about blood found at Tuerk’s hotel room and processing the house. Sheehan noted blood and broken glass in the bedroom and blood in a Jeep.
- The state rests.
- The defense’s first witness, Richard Covitz, briefly testified that he let Tuerk move in with him in Boston during the COVID pandemic before he moved to Florida.
DAY 5 – 4/2/25
- Dr. Michelle Matthews, the medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Katie McLean, testifies that her cause of death was “strangulation.” Dr. Matthews detailed McLean’s injuries to the jury.
- Lt. John Fanning testified about finding McLean’s body in the pond.
DAY 4 – 4/1/25
- WATCH: Surgeon Strangles Wife Trial: Day 4 Recap
- Anthony Vorres, Residence Inn General Manager, took reservation call from Harry on May 6, allowing a key for Katie.
- Hotel surveillance footage was reviewed, showing entries by Harry and Katie on May 8.
- Patient Safety Specialist Ailish Wilkie served as intermediary between Harry and police when he was brought to Norwood Hospital.
- Described Harry’s demeanor as appropriate and quiet during his hospital visit.
- Claimed she wouldn’t have allowed police questioning if Harry had not consented.
- Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Jeffrey Kotkowski, who led the investigation into Katie’s disappearance starting May 15, 2020, conducted interviews and obtained search warrants for the hotel and home on May 16.
- Revealed details from police interview with Harry in the hospital on May 16, outlining Harry’s past and current circumstances.Key Points from Harry’s Police Interview:
- Stated he needed to stay away from home due to criminal charges and a restraining order from Katie.
- Described his relationship with Katie, referencing discussions of marriage and divorce.
- Expressed uncertainty about events leading to Katie’s disappearance, including memory lapses.
- Admitted to drinking and a physical altercation, stating he “choked her” during a fight.
- Ultimately directed police to a pond, confessing he believed Katie was there, expressing remorse while crying.
- Revealed details from police interview with Harry in the hospital on May 16, outlining Harry’s past and current circumstances.Key Points from Harry’s Police Interview:
DAY 3 – 3/31/25
- Curt Pfannenstieh, a neighbor of Tuerk and McLean, returned to the stand. His sexts with McLean were detailed on cross-examation.
- Officers who searched for McLean and found Tuerk unresponsive in a hotel room took the stand.
- Steven Rocca, McLean’s ex-husband, testified helping search for McLean after receiving a text from her friend about Tuerk’s “devil text message.”
DAY 2- 3/28/25
- Jury visited the crime scene in the morning with no audio or video available from court. Judge explained the “view” which included a motel, the Tuerk home, and the pond where the victim was found.
- Curt Pfannenstieh, a neighbor of Tuerk and McLean, returned to the stand.
- WATCH: Neighbor Cross-Examined About Racy Texts With Ingolf Tuerk’s Wife
- Received Tuerk text referring to McLean as the devil.
- Witness communicated more with McLean than with Tuerk.
- He lived alone with his kids and had done Reiki with McLean once.
- Shared time with McLean, Tuerk, Pettigrew and her husband.
- Tuerk expressed to Curt that he regretted marrying McLean.
- Discussed McLean texting Curt about her sex life and shared flirtatious messages
- Defense inquired about texts revealing McLean’s struggles with her marriage and mentioning infidelity
- Highlighted instances of McLean sending pictures to Curt and questions around their communication while Tuerk was absent.
- Noted McLean’s text about wanting an annulment shortly after marriage.
- Mentioned Tuerk requesting Curt’s support during COVID and a restraining order situation.
- Concluded with Curt playfully texting McLean about feeling “horny.”
DAY 1- 3/27/25
- The prosecution began their opening statement by reading a text message Tuerk sent a friend, calling his wife a “vindictive devil” who “played us all.” Tuerk was taken to a hospital after authorities found him with injuries during a welfare call. Prosecutors argue Tuerk strangled McLean to death during an argument and sank her body in a pond.
- The defense argues Tuerk grabbed McLean after she smashed a glass over his head, admitting that sinking her body was a “bad move.”
- Vannessa Pettigrew, a friend of McLean, testified about the couple’s relationship timeline. Pettigrew met McLean in 2015, and later became colleagues at the same hospital as Tuerk (referred to as Harry).
- WATCH: Friend Details Relationship Between Ingolf Tuerk & Katie McLean
- Pettigrew testified that she received concerning text messages from Curt Pfannenstiehl and went looking for McLean.
- On cross-examination, the defense focused on instances of McLean monitoring Tuerk’s activities, including tracking him through a phone app and her concerns about him dating others during their separation.
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