He was previously married to Muriel Swango. Resend Activation Email. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. I needed to know when and how he would be caught, and what ultimately happened to him. Updated: September 25, 2013 Biography ID: 157019722 Swango's class assembled at the start of each day for what's called morning conference; one day Dr. Roland Folce, the chairman of surgery, led a discussion of X rays. On April 30, 1975, with the fall of Saigon, the Vietnam War ended and TCU, after adding more names to its Veterans Memorial, slipped back into normalcy. With non-patients, such as his coworkers at the emergency medical service, he used poisons, usually arsenic, slipping them into foods and beverages. ). "Mike, tell us what's in this picture," he said. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Neurosurgery, involving delicate operations on the brain and other parts of the nervous system, is one of medicine's most demanding (and highly paid) specialties. Swango has been estimated to have been involved in as many as sixty fatal poisonings of patients and colleagues, though he only admitted to causing four deaths. John had 8 siblings: Calvin Swango, Stephen Swango and 6 other siblings. son of John Harvey and Ada Hamilton Swango Military Service: Storekeeper, 2nd Class, United States Naval Reserve USS General G. O. Squier [AP130, supply ship] 9/11/1943 to 5/17/1946-----Family Members. In sufficient doses it is invariably fatal; "there is no specific treatmentother than making the person comfortable," according to the U.S. Navy's Bureau of Medicine and Surgery. In a career trajectory that includes work in Illinois, Ohio, South Dakota, Virginia, New York and eventually, Africa, Swango makes good first impressions and often receives glowing reviews. Early in the podcast I stated that Michael served four years out of the five sentenced for poisoning in 1985. Because of her considerable clinical expertise, Thomesen was able to review documents and evidence and give a criminal profile of Swango, along with her assessment of why he had committed such crimes. Indeed, after Swango's surgery rotation ended, Wacaser hardly ever saw him, and later realized that he knew nothing about Swango's background or personal life, even who his parents were or whether they were alive.During their third year at SIU medical school, students have significantly more contact with patients and are responsible for hundreds of H & P's in the course of the year. As a result of suspicions of the medical director there, Dr. Christopher Zishiri, Swango was suspended. The kids were trained to march in formation, salute the old man, execute military commands. He announced to his family that he wanted to become a physician, something that especially pleased his mother, who had once worked as a medical secretary. In 1967, TCU students started a chapter of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and founded a group called Students for Peace. Some of his fellow students had suspected he had been faking checkups as early as his second year, but this was the first time he had been caught red-handed. It was taught by a popular professor, Dr. John Murphy, who was favorably impressed by him.During their third year of SIU's medical school, students undergo a series of rotations, including pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine, and surgery. Best of 2022 Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Most Popular Video Games Most Popular Music Videos Most Popular Podcasts. On July 11, 2000, less than a week before he was due to be released from prison on the fraud charge, federal prosecutors on Long Island filed a criminal complaint charging Swango with three counts of murder, one count of assault and one count each of false statements, mail fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. He received a National Defense Service Medal and a "Meritorious Mast," a minor commendation.When he returned to Quincy after his discharge, Swango was lean and fit and carried himself with military bearing. [15] At the same time, Zimbabwean authorities charged him with poisoning seven patients, five of whom died. Gripping and horrifying warning of the need for oversight, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 6, 2018. They also staged an anti-war demonstration, the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam, in which students gathered to mourn those who had been killed and advocate for peace. Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations. Swango's classmate Rosenthal noticed that Swango seemed unusually interested in, even preoccupied with, the sickest patients. He would brook no criticism of Swango's alleged haste, sloppy habits, or indifference to patient care. Source: Marysville Journal Tribune, 20 Aug 1985, This picture accompanied articles after Swango was released from prison , after two years. Did Stewart know about the case of Swango, another Quincy native, Cashman wondered. For a better shopping experience, please upgrade now. Sorry! He found doctors, nurses, health-care administrators and patients from stage after stage of Swango's career who believed the medical profession had allowed a bad apple into the barrel. Barely noticed at the time, many of Swango's assigned patients ended up "coding", or suffering life-threatening emergencies, with at least five of them dying. Michael was the second of Muriel and John Virgil Swango's three sons. To escape persecution in Zimbabwe, he pleaded guilty of fraud and was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison in July 1998. They told him that on the day he was due to be released, he would be extradited to Zimbabwe to face charges of murder and attempted murder. He was a model student, named to the honor roll every year. Containing 275 images with introduction and reflections from Paul McCartney"1964" is a bold record of The Beatles first transatlantic trip. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. "No," he replied. Higher-ups in the medical establishment are more intent on safeguarding the reputation and bottom line of the employing hospital, perhaps at the expense of their patients. During high school he played clarinet in the band. Search above to list available cemeteries. He studied prodigiously, working late into the night at the college library or in the science labs. [2], While all this was happening, Tom Valery, chief investigator for the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), consulted with Charlene Thomesen, a forensic psychiatrist. A former Page-One editor at The Wall Street Journal, Stewart won a Pulitzer Prize in 1988 for his reporting on the stock market crash and insider trading. John Virgil Swango was born on August 26, 1914 in Quincy, Illinois, USA. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 66 years old? It is also a scathing indictment of some in the insular medical community who willfully, blindly, unwittingly, inadvertently or recklessly protected one of their own. Muriel Swango. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 21 October. Michael Swango attended Quincy Catholic Boys High School, where he was valedictorian of his 1972 class and played clarinet in the school band Quincy Notre Dame. Ten to fifteen closed-book tests were given every Saturday morning on the modules that had been covered in classes that week. At the time, a unanimous vote was required for a student to be dismissed. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. When Swango was out of earshot after one particularly frustrating encounter, Zawodniak turned to Sweeney and lamented, "What did I fucking do to deserve him? But Swango was no more forthcoming to his classmates about his choice of a specialty than he had been about why he had chosen medicine as a career.Swango's decision came as a particular shock to his classmate Sweeney, who had been so dismayed by the cadaver incident and thought Swango was ill-equipped to practice medicine at all, much less neurosurgery. A relative of Rosenthal's was a heart surgeon and volunteered some original papers the students could use. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. One of the first clinical assignments medical students receive is to take histories and perform physicals "H & P's" on hospital patients. That was Swango's first official step on the path to becoming a physician. This was the case not just at the country's most prestigious institutions, but also at newer, less well-known medical schools such as Southern Illinois University. In October of that year, Swango was arrested by the Quincy Police Department after arsenic and other poisons were found in his possession. As a senior, he performed the demanding Mozart clarinet concerto in the band's spring concert, the only student featured as a soloist. He was jumpy, nervous, and seemed unable to relax. Though the Bulgarian secret police were suspected in Markov's death, the murder remains unsolved.During his senior year, Swango took the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and applied to a number of medical schools. The result, according to Stewart's research, is that Swango may indeed have been involved in at least 60 deaths. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? "As his class valedictorian and a National Merit finalist with high test scores, Swango would have been highly sought after by top colleges and universities all over the country. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. With the prodigious investigative reporting that has defined his Pulitzer Prizewinning career, James B. Stewart has tracked down survivors, relatives of victims, and shaken coworkers to unearth the evidence that may finally lead to Swangos conviction. Mother. Though most students sharing a neurosurgery specialty would observe each other's surgeries, Sweeney stayed away from Swango's he was horrified by the prospect of what he might see and Swango never showed up at Sweeney's, either.Zawodniak, though he was genial and friendly, also developed an aversion to Swango. In November 1994, he settled in Zimbabwe and used forged documents to obtain a job at Mnene Lutheran Mission Hospital in the center of the country. If you're a seller, Fulfillment by Amazon can help you grow your business. [2]:28, Swango displayed troubling behavior during his time at SIU. [2], Swango's lackadaisical approach to his studies caught up with him a month before he was due to graduate, when it was discovered that he had faked checkups during his OB/GYN rotation. Every first-year medical student was required to take and pass 476 written tests during the first year. Besides needing outstanding grades in a pre-med curriculum and high MCAT scores, applicants had to sit for a personal interview in which their maturity, commitment, and aptitude for medicine were evaluated.Because it was founded in part to improve medical services in southern Illinois, SIU accepted only Illinois residents and looked for a commitment to family practice in small-town or rural Illinois. During this time, the government dug up bodies of his victims and found evidence for at least four murders. Hamilton, Business Week Blind Eye is a flat-out horrifying nonfiction profile of Michael SwangoStewart is an excellent writer and reporterThis is a brave and passionate book. Some earned prestigious honors, like Colonel John V. Swango, professor of military science, who was awarded the Bronze Star. They began during the summer, spent the first year at SIU's main campus in Carbondale, then moved to SIU's campus in Springfield, the state capital, to complete their degree.Late one June night, James Rosenthal, a newly admitted member of the SIU medical school class of '82, was sitting in a college dorm room, sweating from a combination of the heat and his anxiety over an enormous stack of introductory medical texts: anatomy, physiology, biochemistry.The topics seemed endless, the books huge. Scott McLemee Newsday A remarkable piece of reporting. On an October evening in South Pasadena, a horrifying wave of flame swept through a large home improvement center, snuffing out the lives of four innocent people, including a two-year-old boy. - Middle child of Muriel and John Virgil Swango but later got divorced. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. Stewart has produced an extraordinary book. Within a short period of time, many of his paramedic co-workers realized that whenever he offered coffee or any other food to anyone, that person fell violently ill without any apparent reason. At 68 years old, Michael Swango height not available right now. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. : The Mysterious, Unsolved Murder of Frank Richardson. Swango's father was a career U.S. Army officer who served in the Vietnam War and was troubled by alcoholism. He is serving a 42-month sentence in a federal prison at Sheridan, Ore. The nurses reported their concerns to administrators, but were met with accusations of paranoia. He married Ada Alma Hamilton on 15 April 1907, in Monticello, Lewis, Missouri, United States. Later, it emerged that OSU officials feared that Swango would sue if he were fired without cause, and resolved to get him away from the hospital as soon as possible after his internship ended. As a result of suspicions of the medical director there, Dr. Zishiri, Swango was suspended. John Virgil Swango. Try again. [2] The FBI obtained a warrant charging Swango with using fraudulent credentials to gain entry to a Veterans Affairs hospital.[11]. 0 cemeteries found in Quincy, Adams County, Illinois, USA. When Effie Walls, a kindly patient whom Rosenthal had met, and whom Swango had been treating for an injury, died suddenly after a visit from Swango, he scrawled "DIED" over her name as well. They were the parents of at least 4 sons and 4 daughters. Failed to report flower. Swangos murderous rampage, and the span and duration involved, are difficult to comprehend. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. When a friend asked him about this, he said he planned to join the military and was fascinated by guns. And his violation of the antimoonlighting policy was particularly brazen, for the Springfield hospitals the ambulances served were affiliated with SIU and staffed with many SIU residents and professors. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. American Criminals Libra Serial Killers Childhood & Early Life Joseph Michael Swango was born on October 21, 1954 in Tacoma, Washington to Muriel and John Virgil Swango. Yet he filed complete H & P's. In 1965,. Near the end, I said Michaels name is John Michael. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. That way Swango was usually on the scene even before Wacaser, and sometimes before the patients themselves. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. But during his first year, a girlfriend broke off their relationship. Publisher Swango was born in Tacoma, Washington and raised in Quincy, Illinois, the middle child of Muriel and John Virgil Swango. A 1972 yearbook picture shows Michael in his band uniform, smiling, with tousled blond hair. That his thinly-concealed dark deeds were so prevalent and unchecked before his final arrest, is seriously shocking. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. He called then-Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Basic Agent Richard Thomesen, who was stationed in the DEA's Manhattan field office to discuss the case. He was a gifted medical student and doctor and a former Marine. But no one did so.Within their third-year rotations, students can choose areas of specialization. Prosecutors read lurid passages from Swango's notebook, describing the joy he felt during his crimes. No one ever heard him play the clarinet or the piano again.Michael completed basic training at the Marines' boot camp at San Diego, where he was trained as a rifleman, earning the designation of sharpshooter. Patients, Ex-Doctor Pleads Not Guilty in Murder and Fraud Case, Prosecutors Say Doctor Killed to Feel a Thrill, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Swango&oldid=1141135038, David J. Adams, Jack Kirk, Michael Kirk, Michael Swan, This page was last edited on 23 February 2023, at 14:51. [2][11] Before he resigned, Cohen sent a warning about Swango to all 125 medical schools and all 1,000 teaching hospitals across the U.S., effectively blacklisting Swango from getting a medical residency at any American institution. When Rosenthal and other classmates struggled out of bed in the morning after a late night of studying, they would often see Swango outdoors doing early-morning calisthenics, chanting Marine cadences. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. His fellow students were dumbfounded, and some were disgruntled. He later graduated summa cum laude from the University, and was awarded the American Chemical Society Award. He didn't want Michael to become an antiwar activist like his older brother, Bob.Virgil needn't have worried; Michael seemed oblivious to the social and political upheavals sweeping the country. The couple fell in love and planned to marry once they got settled. After about five deaths in patients who seemed to be recovering satisfactorily, all of them soon after an H & P by Swango, Zawodniak coined a nickname for his seemingly disaster-prone protg: Double-O Swango.Other medical students thought the nickname was hilarious, and soon it was in widespread use. In at least one instance, another student charged that Swango had plagiarized or fabricated his entire write-up. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Today, as Michael Swango sits in a Colorado prison, we discuss his life, crimes, and family history. Swango dropped out of sight until mid-1994, when the FBI found out he was living in Atlanta and working as a chemist at a computer equipment company's wastewater facility. Their scorching, sensual affair ended in, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLSER This is vintage Wambaugh, a rollicking and ribald tale, laced with black humor.The San Diego Union-TribuneHarbor cops Fortney and Leeds, Each wears his cynicism like a bulletproof jockstrapeach has his horror story, his bad dream, his nightshriek. "It happened often with Swango. This book chronicles the life of Michael Swango from his childhood until the present. : It was the first medical school in the country to create a written set of criteria for the medical degree, criteria derived from an extensive survey of medical educators. Not for the faint-hearted. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/michael-swango-14036.php. But naturally, Swango's eagerness made a favorable impression on Wacaser, who found him remarkably pleasant and industrious. But minimal college counseling was available in Quincy, his parents were relatively unsophisticated about higher education outside the military, and almost all his classmates stayed close to home; consequently, Swango's horizons seem to have been limited. However, after his girlfriend broke up with him, he became reclusive, left college and joined the Marine Corps. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness. : He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment. He lives in New York. This browser does not support getting your location. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. Historical records matching Colonel Virgil Swango John V Swango in 1920 United States Federal Census Virgil Swango in 1930 United States Federal Census view all Immediate Family Muriel Swango wife Private child Private parent John Harvey Swango father Private sibling Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6291859/louise-b-hoener John Swango in 1860 United States Federal Census He should have been asleep. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. And a former Marine, Ore Beatles first transatlantic trip have questions, please upgrade now the were... Slide dots buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide.! He felt during his first year, crimes, and some were disgruntled can... Please contact [ emailprotected ] laude from the University, and upload the photo ( s ) again to... Marysville Journal Tribune, 20 Aug 1985, this picture accompanied articles Swango! 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