Dr. Florian Willet, the 47-year-old “right-to-die” activist who was accused of “intentional homicide” and “inciting and abetting suicide” following the use of the controversial Sarco pod by a 64-year-old woman, died by assisted suicide months after being arrested.
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As reported by De Volkskrant, a Dutch outlet, Willet died by assisted suicide in early May in Germany. This was confirmed by Dr. Philip Nitschke, Director of Exit International and inventor of the Sarco pod.
According to Nitschke, who has criticized Willet’s treatment by Swiss authorities, the right-to-die activist’s mental health had declined, reportedly suffering from an acute psychotic episode stemming from the 10 weeks he spent in jail.
“When Florian was released suddenly and unexpectedly from pre-trial detention in early December 2024, he was a changed man,” Nitschke said, as reported by The Independent.
“Gone was his warm smile and self-confidence. In its place was a man who seemed deeply traumatised by the experience of incarceration and the wrongful accusation of strangulation.”
Dying By Assisted Suicide
The strangulation accusation took place shortly after a 64-year-old American woman became the first person to use the Sarco pod to die by assisted suicide in Switzerland back in September 2024.
According to Sky News, the woman suffered from “severe immune compromise,” which led to her decision to end her life. By the press of a button, the woman activated the Sarco pod, which released nitrogen gas that knocked her unconscious, eventually suffocating her inside the $1 million machine.
Willet was the only one who witnessed the assisted suicide, as he was standing outside de Sarco pod. However, shortly after, Willet and his two lawyers were arrested.
Initially, Dr. Florian Willet, co-president of Exit International’s Swiss affiliate, The Last Resort, was accused of “intentional homicide.” Reportedly, a note made by a forensic doctor claimed the woman’s neck showed “signs of strangulation.”
However, officials ruled out homicide following investigations, which led to his release in December. Instead, he was charged with “aiding and abetting suicide.”
Suicide is legal in Switzerland. However, the Sarco pod has yet to be approved for use, as per the New York Post.
The episode, as mentioned before, changed the once-positive man. Now, he was an “anxious, suspicious person who no longer trusted even his best friends,” Nitschke added.
Willet, as per De Volkskrant, was admitted twice to a psychiatric clinic following his release. In January 2025, he suffered a serious fall from the third floor of his Zurich apartment. Months later, on May 5, Willet died by assisted suicide in Cologne, Germany. It is unknown if he used a Sarco pod to end his life.
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis, contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. You can also visit 988lifeline.org.