The cause of death of one of the Boeing whistleblowers, who had been set to continue testifying against the aircraft manufacturer, has been revealed.
John Barnett, 62, a quality control engineer at Boeing for 32 years, was found dead at a hotel in March, reportedly from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
An autopsy report released by the Charleston County Coroner stated that a review of Barnett’s medical records and interviews with his family had shown he had been suffering from “chronic stress” brought on by the lawsuit, as well as anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The cause of death was listed as suicide, according to the report.
Prior to his death, Barnett had alleged that Boeing intentionally used defective parts in its planes and warned that passengers on its 787 Dreamliner might face a lack of oxygen if a sudden decompression occurred.
He had traveled to Charleston, South Carolina, on 26 February from Louisiana, to take part in a deposition as part of the lawsuit with Boeing. He was deposed by Boeing attorneys on 7 March and by his attorneys the next day.
He was due to resume testimony on 9 March. In the autopsy report, Charleston County Coroner Bobbi Jo O’Neal, noted that Barnett had not responded to a courtesy call from his lawyers on that day.
After he failed to arrive for the proceedings, his lawyers called for a wellness check, and he was found with a gunshot wound to the head in the parking lot of his hotel, according to authorities.
Per the report, Barnett was wearing a multicolored sleeveless shirt, denim pants, and a black belt. He had a pistol in his right hand, and investigators later confirmed gunshot residue on his hand. They found a single shell casing in the truck and a suicide note on his passenger seat.
The report also noted that, per surveillance footage, Barnett was seen exiting his hotel and the truck where he was later found was seen backing into a parking space. “At no time did anyone engage or try to make contact with Mr Barnett,” the report said.
The report comes following the death of a second Boeing whistleblower earlier this month.
Joshua Dean, who worked as a quality auditor at Spirit AeroSystems, died in the first week of May, according to his family. The 45-year-old who had an active lifestyle and was believed to be in good health, passed away in the hospital following the onset of a fast-moving infection.
He suffered from Influenza B and MRSA, and developed pneumonia, according to Fox59.
“My handsome brother Joshua passed away this morning and is with our baby brother. I don’t know how much more my family can take. I don’t know how much more I can take honestly,” his sister, Taylor Rae Roberts, wrote in a Facebook post.
Attorney Brian Knowles, who represented both men, described them as “heroes” who wanted to “help the company do better.”
He told The Independent: “What I don’t want to see is, these two unfortunate circumstances, what happened with Josh or John, is to make them fearful to speak up. [But] there are other people out there... there are others.”
Mr Knowles added that there were at least ten other Boeing whistleblowers out there, both former and current employees, who are “safe and sound”.
Days after Dean’s death, Santiago Paredes, a former quality manager for Spirit AeroSystems, Boeing’s largest supplier, and which builds much of the 737 Max aircraft, also claimed that he was pressured to play down any defects he found when inspecting fuselages on the plane.
Speaking to CBS and the BBC in an interview, Mr Paredes said he worked on the end of the production line at Spirit AeroSystems for around a decade in Kansas, doing final inspections on 737 fuselages before these were shipped off to Boeing.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
