Liam Conner
An extensive police investigation determined the cause of the The death of Boeing whistleblower John Barnett it was suicide, according to documents released Friday by the Charleston Police Department.
Barnett was in Charleston, South Carolina, giving evidence in his whistleblower case against the embattled aerospace company when, on March 9, he was found dead from a gunshot wound in his car in the parking lot of his hotel. He was 62 years old.
An initial investigation by the county coroner concluded that Barnett’s death was a “apparent” suicide, but police said they would continue to investigate following requests from Barnett’s family and lawyers. Barnett’s death fueled speculation on social media that foul play may have been involved.
Documents released Friday by police indicate authorities accepted suicide as the cause of Barnett’s death. Investigators closed the case after receiving a ballistics report stating that the bullet had been “fired from the firearm located in the victim’s hand” and a completed autopsy from the medical examiner’s office confirming that Barnett died by suicide.
Investigators also detailed the contents of a notebook with Barnett’s fingerprints found next to him in the passenger seat of the car that police said contained “what amounts to a suicide note.” A copy of the note was released, in which Barnett told his family and friends that he loved them and wrote “I can’t do this anymore” and “I pray Boeing pays.”
“We remain acutely aware of the sensitivity and public interest surrounding this case,” a Charleston police spokesperson said in a statement. “It is important to emphasize that our investigation was guided strictly by facts and evidence, remaining undisturbed by conjecture and external pressure.”
An attorney for Barnett and his family did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Barnett’s mother, Vicky Stokes, told CBS News in April she holds the aircraft manufacturing giant responsible for the exhausting treatment that ended up leaving his son discouraged.
“If this hadn’t gone on for so long, I would still have my son, and my kids would have their brother and we wouldn’t be sitting here. So in that respect, I do,” Stokes said when asked if she places some of the blame for her son’s death on Boeing.
John Barnett worked at Boeing for 32 years, with the last seven years serving as a quality manager. He became a whistleblower at the South Carolina factory that builds the 787 Dreamliner. He resigned from the company in 2017, citing stress at work.
Over this time he developed concerns about the way the company was operating. Before resigning, he filed an administrative complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The agency said it had no reasonable grounds to believe Boeing violated whistleblower laws. He then filed a lawsuit in 2021, citing a number of safety issues. Among them: stray titanium shavings falling into electrical wiring, faulty oxygen tanks and managers urging him to save money.
Rodney Barnett said his brother told him that instead of addressing his concerns, the company subjected him to retaliation for speaking out, claiming he was “embarrassed in meetings; Rodney said his brother wasn’t the type of person to back down.
“He thought he was trying to do the right thing. And that’s what bothered him, that nobody wanted to hear what was going on there,” Rodney Barnett told CBS News.
Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but last month told CBS News that it reviewed and addressed quality issues raised by Barnett before he retired in 2017. The company said in a statement: “We are saddened by Mr. . and our thoughts are with his family and friends.”
For years, Barnett had been pressing his retaliation case against Boeing. As part of the investigation, police investigators obtained Barnett’s medical records as well as cellphone communications, which showed that he “suffered from a number of mental health issues related to the complainant’s case” and these issues were “exacerbated” when he had to participate in the legal process. process.
Barnett’s family told CBS News they are trying to move forward with John Barnett’s whistleblower case, which is scheduled for trial in September.
If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or suicidal crisis, you can contact the 988 Suicide and lifesaving crisis by calling or texting 988. You can also chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here.
For more information about resources and support for mental health careThe National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Helpline can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET, by phone at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or by email info@nami.org.
