Final words of first person to use controversial suicide pod revealed after body was allegedly 'found with strangulation marks'

Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.

The last words of the American woman who became the first to use a controversial suicide pod have been revealed amid the news that her body was allegedly 'found with strangulation marks'.

A 64-year-old woman made the decision to use the capsule in September, after being diagnosed with a severely compromised immune system.

The process was made possible by a group called The Last Resort, which made sure the woman had passed psychiatric evaluations before she was able to end her life using the 'Sarco' capsule.

A statement issued by the group described the woman's death as 'peaceful, fast and dignified', but the use of the capsule led to the arrests of a number of people behind it, including Florian Willet, co-president of The Last Resort.

The pod was set up in the woods in Switzerland (ARND WIEGMANN/AFP via Getty Images)

Investigators are now looking into the case, and chief prosecutor Peter Sticher has raised the suspicion of 'intentional homicide' after suggesting in court that the American woman may have suffered strangulation prior to her death.

A forensic doctor who spoke to the prosecutor claimed the woman had suffered serious neck injuries. However, this has not been backed by an official autopsy report.

Speaking to Swiss outlet NZZ, a person close to The Last Resort claimed the marks on the woman's neck may have been caused by an alleged diagnosis of skull base osteomyelitis, which can manifest as an infection of the bone marrow.

As the investigation continues, local news outlet de Volkskrant has shared details of the American woman's final moments, including her last words.

The process began at 3.47pm local time in Switzerland on September 23, when the woman approached the capsule which had been placed in the woodland in Merishausen, northern Switzerland.

She reportedly asked Willet, who was with her: "Do I leave my shoes on?"

Florian Willet witnessed the woman's death (ARND WIEGMANN/AFP via Getty Images)

The co-president said she could keep on her shoes, at which point the woman stepped into the pod. Willet offered her the chance to speak to Dr Philip Nitschke, the inventor of the pod, but she responded: "No. I'm okay."

Willet then told Nitschke, who was on a video call: "It seems that [...] is ready to go."

Her last words to Willet came after she closed the door, when she asked: "Ready?"

When Willet confirmed he was, she reportedly responded: "Okay."

The woman then pressed the button in the capsule which began the process to end her life.

At 4:04pm, Willet reported that the woman had not moved for about two minutes.

Approximately 30 minutes after the woman first pressed the button, Willet reportedly told Nitschke: "She had her eyes closed. And she was breathing very deeply. Then the breathing slowed down. And then it stopped. She really looks dead."

Willet remains in custody.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.

If you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.