The death of John Barnett, the Boeing whistleblower whose body was found in his car in the midst of legal proceedings against the aircraft manufacturer, was caused by suicide, a police investigation has concluded.
Barnett, aged 62, was a quality assurer who conceived of his role as “the last line of defence” for the flying public. He had worked at Boeing for decades and had repeatedly raised concerns about safety standards on production lines at the aviation giant and later sued the company after he was moved to a different job. He told the New York Times in 2019 that he had discovered potentially catastrophic wiring failures at the firm’s Charleston plant and that he hadn’t “seen a plane out of Charleston yet that I’d put my name on saying it’s safe and airworthy.”
Responding to the claims at the time, Boeing said they were “inaccurate” and that “quality is the bedrock of who we are.” However, the manufacturer has since found itself the subject of intense scrutiny after a series of high-profile safety issues, including parts falling off planes in mid-air and the grounding of their fleet of 737 MAX 9s by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
In March 2024, Barnett had been in the middle of making depositions about his case and Boeing’s alleged retaliation against him when he failed to make it as expected to a meeting with lawyers. Police were sent to his hotel and found him dead in his truck. His attorneys immediately demanded that police “investigate this fully and accurately and tell the public what they find out,” noting that: “We didn’t see any indication he would take his own life. No one can believe it.”
That police investigation has now concluded that Barnett committed suicide. He was shot in the head at close range and the weapon was found in his right hand. A notebook found nearby in the front of the car indicated that “he was going through a period of serious personal distress,” a police release said. The notes found in the vehicle directed criticism at Boeing.
JUST IN: Boeing whistleblower John Barnett tells Boeing to kiss his a** in his newly released 'su*cide note.'
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 17, 2024
The note had multiple short phrases including 'F**k Boeing' and 'TRUMP 2024.'
"America. Come together or die!! I pray the motherf***er that destroyed my life pay!!! I… pic.twitter.com/RmfjiaDTcR
“As this investigation comes to a close, we should not forget it represents the loss of Mr. Barnett’s life,” police authorities said, adding: “We extend our deepest sympathies to his family during this difficult time and hope they continue to find the strength to persevere in absence.”
Boeing had not commented on the results of the investigation at the time of writing.
