Who Is Michael Swango? Age, Biography, and Wiki
Michael Swango, born on October 21, 1954, is an infamous American serial killer and former physician. He was known for his heinous crimes that led to the deaths of numerous patients and colleagues during his medical career. As of 2025, Swango is 70 years old. His dark history includes manipulating his medical position to commit murders, making him one of the most notorious serial killers in the United States.
| Occupation | Serial Killers |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | October 21, 1954 |
| Age | 70 Years |
| Birth Place | Tacoma, Washington, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Libra |
| Country | U.S |
Popularity
Michael Swango's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
As far as physical statistics are concerned, Michael Swango's height is approximately 6 feet (183 cm). His weight has varied throughout his life, but he was known to weigh around 190 pounds (86 kg) during his active years. However, due to the nature of his imprisonment and the years that have passed, specifics regarding his current weight are not widely documented.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Given his criminal background, details about Michael Swango's family are scarce, especially in recent years. He was previously married, but information about his past relationships or a current partner remains largely unknown as he has been incarcerated since 1997. As of 2025, Swango is assumed to be single and focused on serving his life sentence.
Swango's father was a career United States Army officer who served in the Vietnam War, was listed in Who's Who in Government 1972–1973, and became an alcoholic. Upon his return from Vietnam, John Swango became depressed and he and his wife Muriel divorced. Growing up, Swango saw little of his father and as a result was closer to his mother.
He was valedictorian of his 1972 Quincy Catholic Boys High School class. During high school, he played clarinet in the band.
Net Worth and Salary
Michael Swango's net worth is difficult to ascertain due to his criminal activities and life imprisonment. His previous earnings as a physician aren’t publicly documented in detail, but it’s believed that his net worth during his active medical career was significant. However, his current financial status is likely minimal due to his incarceration.
Career, Business, and Investments
Before his arrest, Michael Swango had a promising career as a physician. He graduated from medical school and began practicing, but his career was marred by a series of suspicious patient deaths tied to him. Swango's ability to evade suspicion for years contributed to his notoriety. Following his arrest, he has had no career opportunities or legitimate business ventures.
Despite a very poor evaluation in his dean's letter from SIU, Swango gained a surgical internship at Ohio State University Medical Center in 1983, to be followed by a residency in neurosurgery. While he worked in Rhodes Hall at OSU, nurses noticed that apparently healthy patients began dying mysteriously with alarming frequency.
Each time, Swango had been the floor intern. One nurse caught him injecting some "medicine" into a patient who later became strangely ill.
Social Network
Currently, Michael Swango does not have a presence on social media platforms. Given his criminal history, it’s unlikely that he would engage in any form of social networking considerably. Most information about him is circulated through crime documentaries, books, and articles rather than social networking sites.
While 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.
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. Valery was called by the FBI to discuss holding Swango.
He called Richard Thomesen, who was stationed in the DEA's Manhattan field office to discuss the case. Thomesen's conversation focused on Swango lying on his government application to work at the VA, where he prescribed narcotic medications.
There was enough evidence for Immigration and Naturalization Service agents to arrest Swango in June 1997, on a layover at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on his way to Saudi Arabia.
Education
Michael Swango attended the University of Notre Dame for his undergraduate studies and subsequently graduated from the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in 1982. His education was marked by a consistent trajectory towards medicine, which he later exploited for his malevolent endeavors.
Swango served in the Marine Corps, graduating from recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego. He received an honorable discharge in 1980. He saw no action overseas during his service, but his training in the Marines left him with a commitment to physical exercise.
When not studying, he was frequently seen jogging or performing calisthenics on the Quincy University campus and he was known to perform pushups as a form of self-punishment when criticized by instructors. Swango graduated from Quincy summa cum laude and was given the American Chemical Society Award.
Following his graduation, Swango went to medical school at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine (SIU).
