A 30-year-old poison control counselor in Rochester, Minnesota, has been charged with murder after investigators say he poisoned his wife, a Mayo Clinic pharmacist, who died in August under circumstances that initially baffled medical staff.
Connor Bowman, who fielded calls about potential poisonings for a living, was arrested on October 20 after the death of his 32-year-old wife, Betty Bowman, was reclassified as a homicide. The case, detailed in a criminal complaint, paints a picture of a marriage strained by infidelity and financial trouble, with a life insurance policy looming in the background.
Betty Bowman was admitted to the hospital where she worked on August 16, suffering from severe gastrointestinal distress. She died days later, and her death was initially attributed to hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare condition where white blood cells overproduce and damage organs. But the county medical examiner's office held off on cremation, citing “possible suspicious circumstances.”
That hesitation proved pivotal. Interviews with those close to the couple revealed that the Bowmans had discussed divorce due to infidelity, and that Connor, burdened by debt, had mentioned a $500,000 life insurance payout from his wife's death. A search of his internet history turned up queries about the gout drug colchicine, which was later found in Betty's system, despite no medical record indicating she ever had gout.
Prosecutors say Connor also looked up an academic article on lethal drug doses, converted his wife's weight to kilograms, and multiplied it by 0.8—a figure the complaint describes as “the lethal dosage rate of colchicine.” His searches also included “internet browsing history: can it be used in court?” and questions about police tracking Amazon purchases. He allegedly went on to purchase sodium nitrate, a chemical that can restrict oxygen transport in the body, and visited a page listing online vendors for the substance.
Evidence and Arrest
When police searched the Bowman residence after the arrest, they found a deposit slip for $450,000—a sum that aligns with the insurance payout Connor had mentioned. The complaint notes that the cause of death was officially changed from HLH to homicide before the arrest, reflecting the weight of the evidence.
The case has drawn attention due to the unusual profile of the accused: a specialist in poison control, someone trained to recognize and respond to toxic exposures, now accused of using that knowledge to end a life. The investigation also highlights how digital footprints can unravel a carefully constructed narrative, from search histories to online purchases.
Connor Bowman remains in custody, and the legal process is ongoing. The complaint lays out a sequence of events that investigators argue points to premeditation, but the court will ultimately determine his fate.
