A poison specialist and former doctor at the famed Mayo Clinic has been accused of fatally poisoning his wife amid marital difficulties, allegedly attempting to have her body immediately cremated while he planned to collect on a $500,000 life insurance policy, according to a complaint. penal.
Dr. Connor Bowman, 30, of Rochester, Minnesota, was charged with second-degree murder in the death of his wife, Betty Bowman, 32, a pharmacist who also worked at the world-renowned hospital, the Rochester Post Bulletin.
Betty was admitted to Mayo Clinic St. Mary’s Hospital on August 16 with gastrointestinal upset and dehydration, symptoms similar to food poisoning.
His condition worsened, with heart problems, fluid buildup in his lungs and the removal of part of his colon, before he died of organ failure four days later, the outlet said.
Dr. Connor Bowman was charged with second-degree murder for allegedly fatally poisoning his wife, Betty Bowman. Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office
Connor tried to persuade the Southeastern Medical Examiner’s Office not to perform an autopsy and pushed to have his wife cremated immediately, claiming her death was “natural,” according to a criminal complaint.
He also said his wife “didn’t want to be a corpse” and asked about the timeline for toxicology testing, CBS News reported.
Connor said in his wife’s obituary that she suffered from a rare disease, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, or HLH, in which the immune system attacks the body’s organs. The obituary said Betty died “following the sudden onset of an autoimmune and infectious disease.”
But she was never diagnosed with the disease, and the medical examiner’s office notified Rochester police on Aug. 21 that Betty’s death was suspicious, the Post Bulletin reported.
Bowman was taken to Mayo Clinic St. Mary’s Hospital on August 16 and died of organ failure four days later. LinkedIn / Betty Bowman
One of Betty’s friends told investigators that their marriage was headed for divorce due to infidelity and other problems, and that the couple had separate bank accounts because of Connor’s debts, according to the complaint cited by CBS News.
Connor told the friend he was going to collect $500,000 in life insurance, the affidavit states.
Investigators interviewed a man who had been texting Betty shortly before her death, according to the outlet.
The night before she was hospitalized, the man told police that Betty texted him that she was home drinking with Connor. The next morning, she texted him that he was feeling sick and that she thought the smoothie was to blame.
Connor attempted to persuade the Southeastern Medical Examiner’s Office not to perform an autopsy and to cremate the body immediately. LinkedIn / Connor Bowman
Police obtained a warrant to seize Connor’s laptop at the University of Kansas, where he worked as a poison specialist, and discovered that he had searched for information about colchicine, a medication used to treat gout that was found in his system after that he got sick.
They also noted Internet searches related to hiding information from police, as well as where to get sodium nitrate, a medication used to restrict oxygen in the blood, the Post Bulletin reported.
Connor searched and found the lethal dose of colchicine by converting his wife’s weight to kilograms and multiplying it by 0.8; 0.8 mg/kg was considered the lethal amount, KSTP reported, citing the complaint.
He did not suffer from gout, a condition that causes severe joint pain, authorities said. However, toxicology reports showed that she was present in his system the day after his hospitalization.
Connor stated in his wife’s obituary that she died “following the sudden onset of an autoimmune and infectious disease.” Macken Funeral Home
Connor also reportedly checked Betty’s electronic health records and at one point was included on her care team, allowing him to access her medical records without having to enter his credentials.
He allegedly searched whether Internet browsing histories can be used in court, whether law enforcement can track package deliveries, and used the query “delete Amazon data police,” CBS News reported.
Connor was arrested Friday after the death was ruled a homicide. He was charged with second-degree murder and held on $2 million bail after appearing before a judge in Olmsted County District Court.
One of Betty’s friends told investigators that Connor said he was going to collect $500,000 in life insurance after his wife died. Macken Funeral Home
Police found a receipt for a $450,000 bank deposit in his home.
“We are aware of the recent arrest of a former Mayo Clinic resident unrelated to his responsibilities at Mayo Clinic,” the hospital said in a statement.
“Resident training at Mayo Clinic ended earlier this month.”
The couple married in 2021 in Independence, Missouri, according to their obituary.
“Her kindness and intelligence were noticed and valued by friends and strangers alike,” the obituary says about Betty.
“She is a very nice person who is pleasant to be around and a very good worker to work with,” Jason Herold, who worked with Betty at the Mayo Clinic, told the Post Bulletin.
“They told us they were natural causes. “How is that possible?” she added.
Categories: Trending
Source: vtt.edu.vn