A former Mayo Clinic doctor accused of fatally poisoning his pharmacist wife in August 2023 allegedly searched for gender neutral word for "widower" before her death and then later updated his online dating profile to identify himself as one, before her death, according to a newly released warrant.
Connor Bowman, 31, was indicted in Minnesota in January on charges of first-degree premeditated murder and second-degree murder with intent in connection with the poisoning death of his wife, Betty Bowman, the Olmsted County Attorney's Office previously said. He was initially arrested on Oct. 20, 2023.
Multiple Women Claimed Bowman Identified Himself as 'Widower' on His Bumble Profile
Authorities allege Connor used liquid colchicine to poison his wife Betty, who died on Aug. 20, 2023, four days after she was admitted to the hospital with severe gastrointestinal distress. The substance is used to treat gout and can be fatal in high dosages, the National Library of Medicine states.
A search warrant filed on Tuesday, May 7, and obtained by CBS News, states that local investigators spoke with multiple women who claimed they talked to Connor on the dating app Bumble in the days and weeks following Betty's death.
A woman who matched with Connor on Sept. 5, 2023, claimed he identified himself as "widower" on his profile and asked him if he felt comfortable flirting with people on the app, KAAL-TV reported, citing the warrant.
Connor Searched for Masculine Word for 'Widow' Two Days Before Betty Died
Connor's phone records show he allegedly searched for the gender-neutral/masculine version of "widow" on August 18, 2023, according to the warrant.
However, it is not yet clear exactly when his marital status was changed to "widower" on the dating profile. According to the warrant, authorities have requested information from Bumble regarding Connor's account access and profile changes around the time of his wife's death.
Connor Told a Woman His Wife Died of Morphine Overdose a Year Before Her Death, Told Another She Died of Listeria Poisoning
The warrant further alleges that Connor gave the women he spoke with on Bumble different explanations — and timelines — regarding his wife's death. A different woman claimed that Connor led her to believe that his wife died "while on comfort care due to an overdose of morphine, approximately a year prior," CBS News reported, citing the warrant.
Another woman — who later confronted Connnor after learning that his wife had died only weeks earlier — alleged that he told her that Betty had died from listeria poisoning earlier in the summer, according to the warrant cited by CBS News.
Additionally, on Aug. 29, 2023, Connor matched with a woman who claimed that she "thought it was strange" that he allegedly mentioned receiving a large life insurance payout and using it to pay off his student loan debt.
Connor Asked for Betty to be Cremated to be Immediately, was Against Autopsy
Following Betty's death, Connor allegedly urged the medical examiner's office not to perform an autopsy and asked that Betty be cremated, claiming that her death was natural, according to the criminal complaint released in January.
Betty's obituary states she died "following a sudden onset autoimmune and infectious illness." According to the complaint, Connor allegedly suggested to doctors that his wife suffered from hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. It is a rare auto-immune disease in which white blood cells attack other blood cells and can cause multi-organ failure, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
According to KAAL-TV and CBS News, Connor is expected back in court on June 11.
