Michael Swango

Michael Joseph Swango (October 21, 1954 – ) is a former American physician and convicted serial killer. Swango is believed to have been involved in as many as 60 fatal poisonings of patients and colleagues, though he was officially convicted of four murders. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole in 2000.

Early Life[edit | edit source]

Michael Swango was born in Tacoma, Washington, and grew up in Quincy, Illinois. He was the middle child of Muriel and John Virgil Swango. His father was a career United States Army officer, which contributed to Swango's disciplined upbringing. Swango excelled academically and was known for his ambition to pursue a career in medicine from a young age.

Education[edit | edit source]

Swango graduated from Quincy University, where he was a pre-med student and showed a keen interest in the medical field. He later attended the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Despite concerns about his behavior and performance raised by faculty and peers, Swango graduated in 1983.

Medical Career and Criminal Activities[edit | edit source]

Swango's medical career was marked by numerous allegations of poisoning and suspicious patient deaths. His first known criminal activities began during his internship at the Ohio State University Medical Center. Colleagues noticed a pattern of unexplained illnesses and deaths among patients and staff members associated with Swango. Despite these suspicions, Swango continued to find employment in various medical institutions.

In 1997, Swango was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York while attempting to travel to Saudi Arabia for a medical job. Investigations revealed a trail of falsified documents, including his application for a medical license in New York. Further inquiry uncovered evidence linking Swango to several poisoning cases.

Conviction and Imprisonment[edit | edit source]

In 2000, Michael Swango was convicted of three counts of murder, one count of fraud, and one count of making false statements. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole and is currently serving his sentence at the ADX Florence supermax prison in Florence, Colorado.

Impact[edit | edit source]

The case of Michael Swango has had a significant impact on the medical community and has led to changes in how hospitals verify the credentials and backgrounds of medical professionals. His crimes have also been the subject of numerous books and television programs, highlighting the need for vigilance in the healthcare industry.