PHOENIX -- Authorities say a woman has pleaded guilty in connection with the assisted suicide of a Phoenix resident in 2007.
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office says 81-year-old Wye Hale-Rowe pleaded guilty Monday to facilitation to commit manslaughter in the death of Jana Van Voorhis.
Wye Hale-Rowe was among four people indicted in May in the case.
Authorities say the four were part of a right to die organization called Final Exit Network, which is under investigation by the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and police agencies in Arizona and several other states.
Van Voorhis was found dead in her Phoenix home on April 15, 2007 and an autopsy showed she died from helium asphyxiation.
However, authorities say Van Voorhis was not terminally ill at the time and suffered from mental-health issues and depression.
The cases against the three other defendants are still pending.Frank Langsner of Scottsdale and Wye Hale-Rowe of Colorado, were indicted on charges of manslaughter and conspiracy to commit manslaughter.
Also indicted for Conspiracy to commit manslaughter were Roberta Massey of New Jersey and Dr. Larry Egbert of Baltimore.
Through the investigation, Frank Langsner and Wye Hale-Rowe were identified as "final exit guides." They allegedly visited the victim and her death was caused by placing a hood over her head which was connected to a helium tank.
According to investigators, Langsner and Hale-Rowe completed a "practice session" prior to the victim's death. They inspected the equipment and showed the victim how to apply the hood and where to place the fitted tube.
They reportedly returned later that evening to be with Van Voorhis as she died.
After she died, Langsner and Hale-Rowe allegedly arranged the victim in a sleeping position and disposed of the tanks, hood, hoses and valve in three trash bags, which they dropped in three separate, pre-selected office trash sites in the area.
The investigation into Van Voorhis death grew into a national probe. On February 25, 2009, law enforcement agencies across the country executed search warrants at 14 sites as part of an investigation into the Final Exit Network.
County Attorney Andrew Thomas said, "The defendants allegedly took advantage of a victim with a history of mental-health issues. The victim's family members are to be commended for not allowing this homicide to be ignored."
