A former medical resident at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, identified as Connor Bowman, is facing charges for allegedly poisoning his wife, Betty Bowman, a 32-year-old pharmacist who passed away shortly after seeking medical attention in August due to stomach distress.

Authorities assert that Connor Bowman, aged 30, attempted to prevent an autopsy on his wife, urging immediate cremation while claiming she had a rare illness, despite hospital tests not confirming this.

The medical examiner’s office intervened to halt the cremation request due to suspicious circumstances. An autopsy revealed that Betty Bowman had succumbed to toxic effects of colchicine, a medication used to treat gout.

Medical records indicate that she had not been diagnosed with gout and was not prescribed this medication, CBS News reported.

The complaint further reveals that Connor Bowman had been researching this drug before his wife’s demise.

Additionally, six days before her hospitalization, he calculated his wife’s weight in kilograms and multiplied it by 0.8, a dosage rate recognized as lethal for colchicine.

According to information from CBS Minnesota, a close friend of Betty Bowman informed investigators that she had been generally healthy, but her marriage had faced difficulties due to infidelity and other issues, with divorce looming on the horizon.

The friend also mentioned that the couple maintained separate bank accounts due to Connor’s debts, and he had allegedly discussed receiving a $500,000 life insurance payout.

Authorities uncovered a receipt for a $450,000 bank deposit inside Connor Bowman’s residence.

Connor Bowman was formally charged with second-degree murder on Monday. He was taken into custody on Friday and remained incarcerated as of Tuesday.

His attorney had not responded to requests for comment from The Associated Press at the time of this report.

Written by staff