Man behind Sarco suicide pod takes his own life in Germany with help of 'specialised organisation'

A man who was arrested on suspicion of murdering an American woman who had come to Switzerland to die by assisted suicide using the Sarco pod has taken his own life at the age of 47, de Volkskrant reported. The Sarco suicide pod was used for the first time in September last year by a 64-year-old woman who was "seriously ill." Afterwards, the police arrested the man who was present at the site, claiming they saw strangulation marks on the woman's neck.

Dr Florian Willet, co-president of assisted suicide organisation The Last Resort, was in the Swiss forest near Merishausen in the canton of Schaffhausen. However, it was alleged that the suicide pod failed to work and Willet was accused of killing the woman with his hands.

He was then placed in pre-trial detention for 70 days before being released in early December 2024. During that time, he was not allowed any contact with people outside the facility.

Also Read: 'Strangulation marks' found on neck of woman who died in Sarco suicide pod: Investigators

Detention “traumatised” Florian Willet

Philip Nitschke, director of Exit International and the inventor of the Sarco, said in a statement that "Florian was a changed man" after being "released suddenly and unexpectedly from pre-trial detention."

“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,” Nitschke said.

The statement added, "The prosecution alleged that the Sarco had not worked, and that Florian had strangled the woman instead. This allegation has no foundation."

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He stated that Florian's "spirit was broken" and his "psychiatric discharge report of January 2025 stated that he was suffering from ‘an acute polymorphic psychotic disorder (F23.0)." He had developed serious psychological problems after he was accused of murder, Nitschke said.

Willet went missing, took his own life in Germany

The Last Resort informed that "Florian ‘fell’ from the third floor of his Zurich apartment building" in early 2025, and underwent three months of rehab and surgery.

He was reported missing in recent weeks by his friend. Nitschke says he was in touch with Willet over the past few months, but it was "very difficult to really get through to him."

"I suspect that the medical authorities in the prison also saw this and that is why he was released so suddenly," Nitschke said.

Willet died by suicide on May 5 in Cologne, Germany, with the help of a specialised organisation, according to Exit International. Assisted suicide is legal in the country.

Get help & support for suicide

If you or someone you know wants help for mental well-being, don't hesitate to talk to a professional. You can contact local authorities and also encourage the person to contact a suicide prevention hotline using the information in the above link. WION is not associated with any of these organisations and does not make any recommendations.