Euthanasia activist who was arrested over suicide pod death 'takes his own life'

A right-to-die activist who was arrested over the first reported use of a "suicide pod" has died by assisted suicide, according to the device's inventor.

- ALEX CROFT

Dr Florian Willet was arrested last year in connection with the death of a 64-year-old woman. Investigators had detained him on suspicion of “inciting and abetting suicide” and a “strong suspicion of the commission of an intentional homicide”. However, after two months in custody, he was released that December after police ruled out the possibility of an intentional homicide.

Exit International director Dr Philip Nitschke, the creator of the Sarco pod, said the accusations caused serious psychological problems for Dr Willet. Talking to Dutch news outlet Volkskrant, he said: “When Florian was released suddenly and unexpectedly from pre-trial detention in early December 2024, he was a changed man.