Dreadful suspicion – First death in suicide capsule showed signs of asphyxiation

The case surrounding the first use of the death capsule at the end of September caused a stir and heated discussions. Nitrogen is fed into the cabin that comes out of the 3D printer. Someone who wants to die becomes unconscious within a very short time and is dead after five minutes.

Unusually long pre-trial detention
An American woman is the first to take this step because of her serious illness. Assisted suicide or assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland, but several arrests occurred after the first use of the death capsule. However, Florian Willet of the organization ‘The Last Resort’ is the only one who has been in pre-trial detention for a month. That’s a long time to investigate if it’s just an accusation of “selfish” assisted suicide.

Strangulation marks cause speculation
As de Volkskrant reported, it would be a much more serious accusation: according to this, the Public Prosecution Service is apparently also investigating intentional manslaughter. A forensic scientist who examined the American a few hours after her death in a forest in Schaffhausen found serious injuries to her neck. There are signs of strangulation – which apparently raises the question of whether there was assisted suicide.

Willet was alone in the woods with the suicide candidate when she died. Two lawyers and a photographer from de Volkskrant arrived on the scene only after her death and were arrested, just like Willet. Unlike the chairman of the euthanasia organization, all others were released a short time later.

But there is another possible explanation for the strangulation marks: the deceased had a bone marrow infection (osteomyelitis). This could have caused the suspicious marks on the 64-year-old’s neck, as a source close to The Last Resort explained to “NZZ”.

Video images suggest Willet’s innocence
According to de Volkskrant, there are also video recordings that show the dying process. Because the camera only responded to movement, the recordings had gaps, but showed nothing suspicious. The only movement recorded in the capsule was the convulsion of the woman’s body, but by then she would have already been unconscious. Willet did not open the lid of the suicide capsule.

Journalists from the Netherlands believe that the accusation of intentional murder was only brought into play to give the Public Prosecution Service more room to investigate. The Schaffhausen prosecutor made no comment and referred to the confidentiality of the investigation.