I usually don't cover suicides, as they are not crimes, per se, but the case you are about to read is so bizarre that I felt it was worth mentioning.
According to police in Australia, they were recently called to the million-dollar estate of Francis Peter Tovey, an 81-year-old Gold Coast man who allegedly committed suicide with the help of a robot. Details remain sketchy, but Australian media outlets have reported that neighbors heard three gunshots early Tuesday morning. When they went to investigate, they found Francis lying dead in his driveway. Not far from Francis's body was a robotic machine, armed with a semi-automatic .22 caliber pistol.
Francis, who lived alone, allegedly left behind detailed notes and plans that show he had spent considerable time researching robotics and had various plans, which he used in the creation of his "deathbot." According to Goldcoast.com.au, other notes found at the scene allegedly suggest Francis was upset because his family wanted him to move out of his house and into a nursing home.
Police have yet to release any images of the robotic machine. However, witnesses at the scene have described it as a "complex" machine, with the ability to remotely fire a gun. Prior to his death, Francis allegedly placed the machine in the driveway, layed down in front of it, and activated a robotic mechanism that fired three consecutive shots, each striking Francis in the head and killing him instantly.
"We would see him watering his garden and say hello, and he was always bright and cheerful," neighbor Daniel Skewes told Goldcoast.com.au. "We didn't know him well, of course, but he seemed like a really nice old man."
Related Article:
Son of Australian Millionaire, Francis Peter Tovey, Speaks Out About Father's Death
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