Rochester, Minnesota – A shocking case has unfolded in Minnesota, where a doctor is accused of fatally poisoning his wife as their marriage was crumbling due to infidelity, according to an arrest affidavit. Dr. Connor Fitzgerald Bowman, 30, now faces a second-degree murder charge in the death of his wife, 32-year-old Betty Bowman.
The disturbing incident began when Betty Bowman was hospitalized for severe diarrhea and dehydration, which rapidly deteriorated, ultimately leading to her death on August 20. Initially, doctors treated her for food poisoning, but her condition continued to worsen, leading to cardiac problems, fluid in her lungs, and organ failure. Betty Bowman had previously been a healthy individual.
Her husband suggested that she was suffering from a rare illness called hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a condition where certain blood cells accumulate and damage organs. While tests were conducted for HLH, they produced inconclusive results.
Dr. Connor Bowman had attended pharmacy school and also worked in poison control in Kansas. He also just recently finished his medical school residency. Bowman inquired about the thoroughness of toxicology reports. He even accessed his wife’s electronic health information at the hospital using his medical credentials while she was admitted.
Investigators discovered that Bowman had conducted searches related to the drug colchicine, used to treat gout, despite no apparent connection to her symptoms. Subsequent searches indicated his interest in the lethality of substances.
Following these searches, he allegedly purchased gift cards for a website selling colchicine, and blood samples taken during her hospital stay revealed the presence of colchicine. The medical examiner concluded that Betty Bowman’s death resulted from colchicine poisoning, ruling it a homicide. It was later revealed that a woman acquainted with the couple had informed authorities about discussions of divorce and the couple’s deteriorating relationship.
This harrowing case serves as a reminder of the complexities that can arise within relationships and the dire consequences that can follow. Dr. Connor Bowman faces severe legal repercussions as the investigation unfolds.