Questions abound after the death of a former employee who was shedding light on apparent safety issues in Boeing's airplane production practices.
According to the Charleston County Coroner's Office, 62-year-old John Barnett was found dead on March 9 from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Barnett's body was found in his Dodge Ram truck, parked outside of a hotel in Charleston, South Carolina, a day after he testified about safety issues at Boeing that he first raised in 2017. Reports indicate police found Barnett with a gun in his hand and an apparent gunshot wound to his right temple, along with a piece of paper on the passenger seat that allegedly looked like a note.
Barnett's death came as he was in the process of giving a deposition in his whistleblower retaliation case, which attorneys say was nearly complete. BBC News reported that Barnett was found dead after failing to appear for a legal interview in the case.
"He was in very good spirits and really looking forward to putting this phase of his life behind him and moving on. We didn't see any indication he would take his own life. No one can believe it," Barnett's lawyers said in a statement to CNN. "The Charleston police need to investigate this fully and accurately and tell the public what they find out. No detail can be left unturned."
Charleston police said detectives are actively investigating the case and are awaiting the formal cause of death, "along with any additional findings that might shed further light on the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Barnett."
Barnett had worked for Boeing for over three decades until he retired in 2017, alleging that Boeing retaliated against him for exposing unsafe production practices in the making of its 787 Dreamliner, which were allegedly fitted with sub-standard parts. He also pointed out issues with the emergency oxygen systems not working correctly, citing a failure rate of 25%.
Barnett allegedly reported the issues to management, but no action was taken. After leaving the company, he shared his claims with the media. He also engaged in a long-running legal battle with Boeing, claiming the company had damaged his reputation.
"John was deeply concerned about the safety of the aircraft and flying public, and had identified some serious defects that he felt were not adequately addressed," Barnett's brother, Rodney, said in a statement to The Associated Press. "He said that Boeing had a culture of concealment and was putting profits over safety."
Barnett's brother said he was "suffering from PTSD and anxiety attacks as a result of being subjected to the hostile work environment at Boeing," which the family believes led to his death.
A hearing on Barnett's whistleblower complaint with the government was scheduled for June. It's unclear where the case stands now.
Boeing has denied Barnett's claims.