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Ryan Widmer is the subject of NBC’s Dateline season 19, episode 59, The Bathtub Mystery, which aired on May 6, 2011. Despite the episode being over a decade old, the man is still remembered by people for the way he was tried and convicted.
Ryan Widmer has been accused of killing his wife, Sarah Steward Widmer. In 2008, Sarah drowned in the bathtub at their home in Ohio, just a few months after tying the knot with her husband.
Ryan then became the prime suspect in the case and was convicted after three trials. However, the case was not as simple and straightforward, and got wide public attention due to its portrayal on Dateline: The Bathtub Mystery.
Ryan Widmer was accused of killing his wife Sarah
Ryan Widmer and Sarah Steward Widmer seemed like a happy young couple. Ryan worked in sports marketing, and Sarah was a dental hygienist. They married in April 2008 and lived in Hamilton Township, Ohio. Their life seemed perfect, until four months later, when tragedy struck them.
On August 11, 2008, Sarah drowned in their bathtub. The events that followed became one of the most talked-about legal cases in Ohio. That night, Ryan called 911, saying, “My wife fell asleep in the bathtub, and I think she's dead.” When Emergency responders arrived at the scene, they found Sarah unresponsive.
However, the investigators felt that something was off. Sarah’s body was not very wet, and the bathroom showed no signs of splashing that should have been caused by drowning. This raised suspicion about Sarah’s death being a homicide, and Ryan became the prime suspect, as seen in Dateline: The Bathtub Mystery.
An autopsy confirmed Sarah had drowned, but the question of how it happened remained unanswered. Some experts thought Sarah might have had an undiagnosed medical condition.
She had experienced headaches, sleepiness, and strange visual issues in the past. However, the prosecutors believed Ryan Widmer forced Sarah underwater during an argument, leading to her death.
Ryan Widmer faced three trials before being convicted
In 2009, Ryan Widmer faced his first trial. Prosecutors argued that Sarah’s death could not have been caused by a medical condition, and her husband must have killed her. The jury agreed, and Ryan was convicted of murder.
However, the verdict caused public outrage. Many people believed the evidence against Ryan was too weak. The conviction was overturned after it was revealed some jurors had broken court rules.
The case went to trial again in 2010. This time, the jury could not agree on a verdict after 30 hours of deliberation. Meanwhile, Ryan’s family struggled with mounting legal costs, spending over $250,000 to defend him.
By 2011, Ryan’s case was back in court for a third trial. This time, prosecutors introduced a new witness, Jennifer Crew. She claimed Ryan had confessed to killing his wife to her during a phone call in 2009.
Crew said Ryan admitted to punching Sarah during an argument, causing her to fall and hit her head. However, her testimony did not match earlier evidence. For example, Crew said Sarah was punched in the chest, but the autopsy found no bruising there.
Despite doubts about her credibility, the jury convicted Ryan and sentenced him to 15 years to life in prison. Ryan never testified in any of his trials. However, he described his version of what transpired on the fateful evening in his personal notes for his lawyers.
Ryan claimed before Sarah died, they ate leftovers and watched TV. Before going upstairs, Sarah kissed him and said she loved him. Ryan said she went to take a bath while he checked the house’s doors.
He denied harming her and maintained that her death was a tragic accident. The case raised several questions as some people believed Ryan was innocent. Others thought the evidence was enough to prove him guilty. Ryan Widmer still remains in prison and his first chance for parole is in 2025.
Dateline: The Bathtub Mystery can be watched on Peacock.
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