A Florida doctor is now facing serious criminal charges after a surgical procedure allegedly took a shocking and deadly turn.
Dr. Thomas Shaknovsky has been charged with second-degree manslaughter following the death of 70-year-old William Bryan, who died during what was supposed to be a routine operation in August 2024.
According to authorities, the procedure was meant to remove Bryan’s spleen. Instead, investigators say the doctor removed his liver—causing catastrophic blood loss that led to his death on the operating table.
The charges come after a Walton County Grand Jury found probable cause that what happened in that operating room crossed the line into criminal conduct.
William’s wife, Beverly Bryan, had previously claimed the tragic mistake cost her husband his life. The couple had been visiting Florida from Alabama when William sought medical help for severe abdominal pain just days before the surgery.
What followed, according to officials, was a fatal error no family ever expects.
“This case is about following the facts wherever they lead,” Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson said, adding that authorities are committed to seeing the case through the legal process.
The investigation involved multiple agencies, including local law enforcement, state attorneys, and medical authorities, all working to determine exactly what went wrong.
Meanwhile, the hospital where the surgery took place says it is conducting its own internal review, emphasizing that patient safety remains its top priority.
Dr. Shaknovsky was taken into custody Monday in Miramar Beach and transported to the Walton County Jail.