14 DAY TRIAL // As if death by suicide wasn't bad enough, an Australian man from Queensland decided to build a suicide machine which would do the job for him. 81-year-old Pete Tovey took the plans of the machine from the Internet, built the rig, then shot himself to death. According to the Gold Coast Bulletin newspaper, the device consisted of a handgun and an electric jig saw. The police officers at the scene of the incident said that indeed the man had died and was being prepared to be taken to the coroner's office, however refused to comment on the circumstances of the event.
The media reports that, on Tuesday, the man rigged up the device into his driveway and remotely activated it, thus firing three shots right through his head. Investigations in the victim's house revealed that his relatives strongly suggested that he should move into an aged care clinic and out of his own house. Apparently, the man didn't cope with the idea of spending the last days of his life into aged care and decided to kill himself.
Mr. Tovey allegedly rigged up the device into his driveway so that he would be sure to be found by the tradesmen working around the neighborhood immediately after he committed suicide. "I thought I heard three shots and when we ran next door he was lying on the driveway with gunshot wounds to the head," said carpenter Daniel Skewes, the first man present at the scene.
Gold Coast Bulletin relates that Tovey used a .22 semi-automatic pistol attached to a strange-looking box thing lying next to his body. "It is a rather violent and ultimately messy way to end one's life and there are more peaceful strategies," said euthanasia campaigner Philip Nitschke. He also revealed that he had not been aware that such plans were even available over the Internet. "I would have though most people would take the more peaceful options. I'm Not surprised they exist, but I am that anyone would find them appealing," said Nitschke.