Sunday a former male nurse, 47-year-old William Melchert-Dinkel, was charged in a Minnesota court with two counts of aiding suicides over the Internet. Malchert-Dinkel admitted to authorities that he posed as a registered female nurse using the aliases Falcongirl, Cami, and Li Dao, and lurked in discussion groups dealing with depression and suicide. His actions led to the death of 18-year-old Nadia Kajouji of Ottawa, Canada and 32-year-old Mark Drybrough of Coventry, England.
According to the AFP, Malchert-Dinkel indicated that he encouraged dozens more over on the discussion groups, and that he was propelled "by the thrill of the chase." Apparently the pretend Nurse of Death advised people on how to correctly hang themselves, and what they should experience before going black. Ultimately he believes that his "teachings" sent around five people off to their graves.
Police originally investigating Internet crimes against children were led to a woman who claimed an online predator was using "deception to manipulate people to commit suicide." Investigators eventually stumbled upon Malchert-Dinkel and his three aliases, posing as "a young, kind, sympathetic woman who worked as an emergency room nurse."
Melchert-Dinkel was detained and questioned in January 2009. He thus admitted to the three aliases, and his part in the death of Kajouji and drybrough. "He stated he had made a suicide pact with a woman from Ottawa, Canada and explained the woman had jumped into a frozen river," the police said in a statement.
Now for the creepy part.
"He also confirmed he had claimed to have watched a party in England hang themselves via web cam," the statement claimed. "However, he denied watching anyone's suicide, though in his suicide pacts with others he would agree to view through a web cam."
Melchert-Dinkel said that he stopped the suicide aid hotline after December 2008 "due to moral, ethical, and legal reasons." He now faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
