Swiss authorities have announced the detention of Florian Willet, co-founder of The Last Resort, which operates the Sarco capsule—a euthanasia device. Willet has reportedly been held in a prison in Schaffhausen, near the Swiss border, for approximately six weeks—the Sarco capsule works by filling with nitrogen, rapidly decreasing oxygen levels and leading to death.
The incident began with a tragic suicide that occurred in a forest in northern Switzerland on September 23. A 64-year-old woman from the United States activated the Sarco capsule by pressing a button that injected nitrogen, resulting in oxygen deprivation and her subsequent death.
Initially, Willet described the woman’s death as “peaceful, swift, and dignified,” claiming that everything proceeded as planned. However, the situation escalated when prosecutors charged Willet with murder in connection with her death. The controversy intensified after a coroner reported signs of strangulation on the woman’s neck, prompting prosecutors to consider the possibility of intentional homicide and to request an extension of Willet’s detention. The Last Resort vehemently denied these allegations, labeling them “absurd.”
The Sarco capsule was developed by Dr. Philip Nitschke, a controversial figure often called “Dr. Death.” He designed the Sarco to enable users to die painlessly by removing oxygen. Nitschke has previously created various suicide assistance tools, including the “Exit Bag,” a plastic bag that facilitates suicide through air deprivation.
Following the confiscation of the Sarco capsule by Swiss authorities, Nitschke returned to the Netherlands to produce a new version using a 3D printer. Before her death, the woman had given an interview at a hotel in Germany, where she shared her condition of suffering from debilitating headaches that severely impacted her daily life. Her two sons supported her decision to pursue euthanasia.
She initially contacted Pegasos, another Swiss euthanasia support organization, but opted for the Sarco capsule due to complicated paperwork and lengthy waiting periods. She believed that dying through the Sarco capsule would be “simple and less traumatic” and had high hopes for a painless death.
On the day of her death, around 3:50 PM, the woman entered the Sarco capsule, and Willet instructed her to “breathe” from outside. She activated the nitrogen injection by pressing a button. However, even after 1 minute and 57 seconds, the internal camera detected movement in the woman’s knees. Willet noted that her body seemed to be “convulsing strongly.” Shortly after, a warning sound from Willet’s tablet indicated the woman’s heartbeat. Despite the prolonged duration, Willet believed she would soon die. After 30 minutes, he concluded that she had indeed passed away and informed Dr. Nitschke, “It seems she is really dead now.”
Following the incident, Swiss authorities launched an investigation, arresting officials from The Last Resort on charges of assisting in the woman’s death. During this process, a photographer and two lawyers were also detained by police for 48 hours. Prosecutors decided to extend Willet’s detention for further investigation, although some Swiss legal experts noted that such extended detention was unlikely to occur solely for assisting in suicide.
Willet’s ongoing arrest became a prominent topic both in Switzerland and internationally. In the UK, many are closely following the controversy surrounding the Sarco capsule, especially since Peter Scott, a retired Royal Air Force technician, and his wife Christine from the UK became the first couple globally to use the Sarco capsule for euthanasia.
In their 80s and diagnosed with dementia, the couple had planned for a dignified death. This case raises profound questions about whether euthanasia-assisting machines can genuinely ensure a safe, swift, and dignified death. While The Last Resort boasts a global membership as a suicide assistance organization, this incident intensified criticism. The truth behind the marks on the woman’s neck remains unclear, raising doubts about whether they are a sign of intentional strangulation or caused by her medical condition.
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