Michelle Carter

Michelle Carter (born 11th August 1996) is a Massachusetts woman convicted in 2017 of persuading her boyfriend Conrad Roy III to commit suicide when she was 17.

Death of Conrad Roy
Carter met Conrad Roy in 2012, and they started dating soon after. That same year, Roy became suicidal after his parents divorced, and was repeatedly talked out of suicide by Carter. However, in July 2014 she decided that it would be "a good thing" to have him kill himself due to his depression, and made a suicide pact with Roy. On 13th July 2014, Roy gassed himself with carbon monoxide in his truck. It is alleged that at one point during the suicide, Roy attempted to get out, but was berated by Carter until he re-entered and subsequently died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Carter then reneged on the suicide pact, and did not kill herself.

Conviction
On 4th February 2015, Michelle Carter was indicted on charges of involuntary manslaughter after a Massachusetts grand jury found her culpable for "wantonly and recklessly" assisting the suicide. Her defence appealed the decision to prosecute twice, but both appeals were rejected. Shortly before Carter's trial was due to begin in June 2017, she waived her right to jury, and her case was instead heard by Judge Lawrence Moniz. On 16th June, Michelle Carter was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 2 years and five months in prison, although part of this sentence was suspended, leaving her to serve 15 months in prison. On 23rd January 2020, it was announced that Carter is scheduled for parole in March.