Overview

• Willet was detained in September 2024 after a 64-year-old American woman died inside a Sarco suicide pod he had set up in a forest near Merishausen, marking the capsule’s first real-world use.
• Prosecutors suspected intentional homicide when alleged strangulation marks appeared on the woman’s neck but dropped that theory and released him in December on charges of inciting and abetting suicide.
• He experienced severe psychological trauma following his 70-day detention and was admitted twice to psychiatric care as his mental health deteriorated.
• In early 2025 he fell from the third floor of his Zurich apartment and suffered serious injuries during a period of acute distress.
• On May 5, 2025, he died by assisted suicide in Cologne, Germany with help from a specialised organisation, reigniting scrutiny of the Sarco device’s legal and ethical status.