ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – As a St. Johns County man faces a first-degree murder charge in the shooting death of his wife in St. Augustine Shores, the case is prompting questions about end-of-life decisions — and what Florida law does and does not allow when people use terms like “assisted suicide.”
News4JAX spoke with local attorney Gene Nichols, who is not affiliated with the case, about the legal landscape in Florida and how it compares to other states.
Nichols said Florida does not have a medical assisted-suicide law, and he said consent documents or statements don’t create legal protection for someone who helps cause another person’s death.
He also pointed families to legal options centered on care and support — including hospice and crisis resources — especially for caregivers who feel overwhelmed.
Nichol’s spoke generically about the law and its application in the state, but it comes just days after the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office says William Albert Lippold, 91, is charged with premeditated first-degree murder with a firearm in the death of his wife, Mary Lippold, 87, at their home on Como Court in St. Augustine Shores.
According to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, the couple’s son called 911 to report a shooting. Deputies arrived, called Lippold and his son out of the home, and the report states Lippold told deputies, “It’s not complicated, I shot my wife.”
Detectives also wrote that Lippold told them his wife was blind, had Alzheimer’s, and that he was her sole caregiver. The report says he told investigators he had promised never to place her in a nursing home.
Nichols said more than a dozen states have some form of doctor-supervised medical aid in dying, but he said those laws are tied to medical oversight and specific requirements — and he emphasized Florida does not have a comparable statute.
He said in Florida, the legal focus for families is on medical providers, hospice care, and support resources for caregivers.
Court records show Lippold is being held in the St. Johns County Jail and no bond has been set. The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office says the Major Crimes Unit investigation is ongoing.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, you can call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 24/7.
You can also find a list of local suicide prevention resources at this link.
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