Man used nitrogen in homemade suicide kit

A man bought a tank of nitrogen over the counter from an industrial gas supplier and used it in a homemade suicide kit, an inquest heard yesterday.

German national Nikoly Gullich, 30, with an address at Pine’s Valley, Ballyvolane, Cork, was found dead in bed, his upper body taped down, a scuba diving mask over his face, and the gas tank nearby, on Feb 15 last.

Cork City Coroner’s Court was told that the man, who had been working for computer games software firm Blizzard Entertainment for three years, had walked in to a gas supplier’s premises on the outskirts of Cork City the previous day.

He spoke with a worker, presented two forms of ID, and signed some bank details, before an account was opened for him.

A company official told the city coroner, Dr Myra Cullinane, that the worker who dealt with Mr Gullich described him as “very intelligent and knowledgeable”.

He said the company procedure was for its staff to ask customers general questions about their intended use for the gases they planned to buy. Customers who want to buy gases in the high-risk category must also fill out the company’s “product stewardship questionnaire”.

In this case, the official said Mr Gullich appeared to know a lot about nitrogen, but because the gas was inert and not high-risk, there was no requirement for him to fill out the questionnaire.

Mr Gullich left the company with a small cylinder of nitrogen and a safety leaflet.

In his deposition, which was read out at the inquest, Mr Gullich’s housemate, Sven Karuse, said he noticed nothing unusual about his friend that evening.

Mr Karuse said he left for work early on Feb 15 without seeing his housemate and got home just after 5pm to find him dead in bed.

He had apparently taped his upper body to the bed using duct tape.

Mr Karuse rushed to Watercourse Rd Garda Station to raise the alarm.

Gardaí sealed off the scene and said Mr Gullich appeared to have been dead for a few hours.

Garda Paul Cogan said he was satisfied that there was no third party involvement in the death.

Assistant state pathologist Myra Cullinane said there were no injuries on the body and the cause of death was asphyxia due to inhalation of nitrogen gas.

Dr Cullinane said she was satisfied with the circumstantial, photographic, and pathological evidence to record a verdict of suicide.

She extended her sympathies to Mr Gullich’s family who did not attend the hearing.

The company said there had been no change in its counter-sales procedures since the death. Dr Cullinane said she would write to senior company officials suggesting they keep records of questions their counter staff ask, and the answers customers give.

Such documentation would have helped her inquiry, she said.