A married Ohio man is facing murder charges after being accused of not telling his longtime girlfriend—who later died of AIDS—that he was HIV-positive.
According to the Associated Press, Ronald Murdock, 51, of Toledo is also facing charges of felonious assault. On Tuesday a judge set bond at $1.5 million for Murdock, who was indicted last week for the February death of Kimberly Klempner, 51.
The indictment charges that Murdock and Klempner had unprotected sex when he knew he was HIV-positive and that Murdock did not tell her. Under Ohio law, those diagnosed with HIV are required to disclose their status to sexual partners.
Klempner’s son said the two had been in a relationship for about five years.
Josh Klempner told WTVG-TV that his mother told investigators that she learned she was HIV-positive in 2015 but that when she told Murdock, he didn’t seem bothered by it.
“My mother found out about some pills he had. She stayed the night at his house one night and she felt something was up. She did some snooping and ran across a few pill bottles. She did a little research on them and found out that way,” Josh Klempner told the news station.
A police report indicates that Murdock’s wife discovered that the couple were having an affair and told Klempner that Murdock was HIV-positive, but it was too late.
“By the time she found out, and by the time everything was said and done, it was way too late,” her son told AP.
“She would have done anything for that man,” Josh Klempner added. “And for him not to come out in the beginning and tell her what was going on was not right.”
Read more at the New York Post and WTVG-TV.