Florian Willet, 47, was arrested last year in Switzerland following the death of a 64-year-old American woman who used the nitrogen-filled device to end her life in a remote cabin. He was accused of aiding and abetting suicide and, initially, strangulation. He was released from custody in December after officials ruled out intentional homicide. The experience left Willet emotionally distraught, according to those who knew him.
His death by suicide was confirmed last month by Dr. Philip Nitschke, the director of Exit International, the group that developed the Sarco pods. Willet led The Last Resort, a partner organization that advocates for euthanasia rights.
“Gone was his warm smile and self-confidence. In its place was a man who seemed deeply traumatized by the experience of incarceration and the wrongful accusation of strangulation,” Nitschke told Dutch outlet Volkskrant.
It has not been made public whether Willet used one of the Sarco devices to end his own life.
The Sarco pod, which delivers a fatal dose of nitrogen that lowers oxygen levels to lethal levels within minutes, has stirred controversy worldwide. The machine asks users, “If you want to die, press this button,” before administering the gas. While assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland, authorities there have said the Sarco pod is not yet approved for use.
The American woman’s death last year marked the first known case involving the pod. Willet was present when she used the device in the Swiss woods, which led to his arrest by Swiss police.
Friends of Willet said the ordeal changed him. “He lived in his own world. He became increasingly distant from his friends,” said one friend, Laura. She described him as a “friendly, positive man” who became “anxious” and “suspicious” after his time in custody.
