Trigger Warning: The article contains discussion of suicide which many readers may find disturbing.
Suicide pods, aka Sarco pods, are devices designed to administer nitrogen gas slowly and help with euthanasia. It has a three-dimensional capsule mounted on a stand that can be used to release nitrogen at the press of a button. This device slowly reduces the amount of oxygen in the pod and does not let the person go into a state of panic. Instead, it slowly makes the person unconscious, hence leading to death.
After its first use in Switzerland, the suicide pod faces a ban as the doctor, who was the only witness, has killed himself. Dr Florian Willet was there when a woman used the pod. He was the co-president of the assigned suicide organization called The Last Resort.
After the pod’s first use, he was arrested because there was a suspicion of him strangulating the woman in case the pod didn’t work. He was in pre-trial detention for 70 days. After that, he was released in December of last year. The police let go of all the accusations of him committing intentional homicide. Even the Last Resort organization confirmed that the charges did not make sense as there was no way he had strangled that woman.
There were some permanent scars on Florian’s psychology after the arrest. In 2025, he “fell” from the third floor of his apartment in Zurich, as per the organization’s statement. He suffered from injuries and also went through surgeries and rehab. There was a psychiatric team to look after his well-being.
Creepy photo shows a Sarco suicide pod used by a 64-year-old American woman to end her life at a private forest retreat in Switzerland.
The pod allows users to press a button, leading to a ‘peaceful death’ within minutes.
Although euthanasia is illegal, Swiss law permits… pic.twitter.com/oQ4wiWvsKn
— Morbid Knowledge (@Morbidful) September 27, 2024
In his report, it was written that he had acute polymorphic psychotic disorder. He was also on medication to deal with it. However, what comes to light is that his prosecution and detention left him feeling stressed and broken. So last month he died ‘with the help of a special organization.’
The change in him after the pre-trial detention was unbearable for him as he was totally changed. Dr. Philip, who’s the inventor of the pod, said his warm smile was no longer there, and he was not confident at all. He was traumatized by the wrongful accusation of strangulation.
⚠️ WARNING: This post contains graphic descriptions of suicide & legal issues.
Dr. Florian Willet, 47, a euthanasia advocate, died by assisted suicide on May 5, after reportedly being traumatized by a murder investigation into the death of a woman using a Sarco suicide pod.
Dr.… pic.twitter.com/iDXwdToRL6
— True Crime Updates (@TrueCrimeUpdat) June 3, 2025
The American woman who used the pod died as expected, and he had nothing to do with that. She was quick to press the button, and within two minutes, she was unconscious. The Sarco pod does not even have a legal green light in Switzerland, although assisted suicide is legal.
The humane nature of the pod and how the button is controlled to release gas with the occupant is still controversial to many. Even the Switzerland interior minister said that the capsules are not legal, so they cannot be used for euthanasia.
