A prominent former Mayo Clinic doctor accused of murdering his wife by poisoning her drink after their open relationship failed has been indicted by a Minnesota grand jury on an upgraded charge of first-degree premeditated murder.
Dr. Connor Bowman, 30, was charged in October with second-degree murder for allegedly killing his wife, Betty Bowman, 32, a pharmacist who also worked at the world-renowned hospital, amid domestic difficulties.
Friends told police the couple was in an open relationship but Bowman developed an emotional relationship with another woman — prompting his wife to threaten divorce, the Post Bulletin reported.
The poison expert was accused of trying to have her body cremated quickly and planning to cash out a $500,000 life insurance policy after she went to St. Mary at the Mayo Clinic with abdominal pain on August 16 and died four days later.
On Thursday, Olmstead District Attorney Mark Ostrem announced that a grand jury indicted Bowman on one count of first-degree premeditated murder and an additional count of second-degree murder with intent.
“The Grand Jury indictment is considered a new charge and the original complaint is superseded by the indictment,” according to a statement from Ostrem’s office.
Connor Brown, 30, has been indicted on an upgraded charge of first-degree premeditated murder in the poisoning death of his pharmacist wife. Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office Betty Bowman was admitted to St. Mary at the Mayo Clinic on August 16 and died of organ failure four days later. LinkedIn / Connor Bowman
If convicted of the new charges, Bowman faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole, officials said.
“Betty Bowman suddenly fell ill, was reported to the hospital’s emergency department and on August 20, 2023, she died,” the statement said. “Following a thorough investigation, law enforcement determined that Ms. Bowman died of poisoning.”
Betty had gastrointestinal upset and dehydration, symptoms similar to food poisoning, when she was admitted to the hospital.
His condition worsened – with heart problems, a build-up of fluid in his lungs and the removal of part of his colon – before he died of organ failure.
Bowman died of colchicine toxicity, according to the medical examiner, and her death was ruled a homicide. Facebook / Betty Bowman
Bowman tried to persuade the medical examiner’s office not to perform an autopsy and insisted that his wife be cremated immediately, claiming her death was “natural,” according to the criminal complaint.
He said in Betty’s obituary that she had hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, or HLH, a rare disease in which the immune system attacks the body’s organs.
The obit said his wife died “of a sudden onset of an autoimmune and infectious disease,” but she was never diagnosed with the disease and the medical examiner’s office told Rochester police that her death was suspicious.
One of Betty’s friends told police that her marriage was falling apart because of infidelity and other issues, and that the couple had separate bank accounts because of her debts.
The night before she was admitted to the hospital, a man who had texted Betty told police he texted her that she was at home drinking with her husband.
Friends told police that the couple was in an open relationship but that Bowman developed an emotional connection with another woman, according to reports. Facebook / Betty Bowman Connor and Betty on their wedding day. Facebook / Betty Bowman
The next morning, she texts him that she’s feeling sick and thinks the smoothie is to blame.
Investigators used a warrant to search Bowman’s laptop at the University of Kansas, where he worked as a poison expert, and found he had searched for material about colchicine, a drug used to treat gout that was later found in his system.
He allegedly found the lethal dose of colchicine by converting his wife’s weight to kilograms and multiplying it by 0.8 — with 0.8 mg/kg considered the lethal amount.
Bowman also allegedly sought information on how to obtain sodium nitrate, a drug used to block oxygen in the blood.
He reportedly reviewed Betty’s e-health records and at one point was even placed on her care team, which allowed him to view her medical records without having to provide her credentials.
Betty initially suffered from gastrointestinal distress and dehydration, symptoms similar to food poisoning, when she was admitted to the hospital. Facebook / Betty Bowman
Bowman is also accused of conducting online searches related to hiding information from law enforcement and whether internet browsing history can be used in court.
Friends said the doctor did not act like a grieving husband usually does in the days after his wife’s death, according to Law and Crime.
Bowman appeared “poised and calm,” and even went out for drinks where he “seemed happy or at least nonchalant” about her death, the outlet reported, citing the warrant.
One of Betty’s boyfriends told investigators that he told her on Aug. 16 that he thought the alcoholic drink was making him sick because it was mixed in a large smoothie, the document reportedly states.
The medical examiner determined that Betty died of colchicine toxicity and ruled her death a homicide, according to the criminal complaint.
His family told NBC News that he was a dedicated pharmacist who worked in the operating room pharmacy at the Mayo Clinic and was loved by his colleagues.
Bowman is scheduled to be arraigned on January 16. Facebook / Betty Bowman
“He was always there, a reliable pillar of strength and a listening ear in good times and bad times,” the family said in a statement to the outlet. “He showed us the true meaning of selfless, unconditional, and boundless love.”
A GoFundMe page raising money for Betty’s mother, Nancy Sponsel, said: “As new evidence emerged, we realized Betty may not have been taken from us by natural causes.” She did not mention her husband.
“I want to sincerely thank everyone for their generous support on the GoFundMe page,” Sponsel wrote on Oct. 27. “The contributions are overwhelming and I feel very lucky to have so many great people out there.
“This has exceeded more than I could have imagined. I want to thank everyone again for your generosity. Betty was an amazing person and we will miss her very much,” he added.
Bowman, who is being held at the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center on $2 million bail, is scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 16.
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
