David Bridges
Particulars surrounding the demise of John Barnett, a company whistleblower who was within the midst of suing aviation large Boeing when he was discovered lifeless in a car parking zone earlier this 12 months, have lastly been revealed.
Barnett was a former high quality management engineer at Boeing who accused the corporate of significant security infractions. His physique was found on March ninth after he failed to indicate as much as court docket for his newest deposition. Barnett was present in his truck, which was within the car parking zone of the Charleston, South Carolina, motel the place he had been staying throughout court docket proceedings. On Friday, the coroner’s workplace in Charleston launched its ultimate evaluation of his demise.
It was beforehand reported that Barnett died of what gave the impression to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, which led to the pure presumption that he had died by suicide. Nonetheless, the odd circumstances of Barnett’s demise—amidst a litigation effort towards the highly effective aviation firm—immediately launched conspiracy theories that blamed Boeing for his demise.
The coroner’s new report does nothing to dispel the notion that Barnett took his personal life. Its verdict is that his “explanation for demise was decided to be: Gunshot Wound of the Head” and that the “method of demise is greatest deemed” as suicide. The report supplies particulars about how Barnett’s physique was discovered and the investigation that occurred to evaluate how he died.
One part of the report particulars the surveillance footage that was taken of Barnett’s automobile within the hours earlier than his demise. This video, which was retrieved from safety cameras stationed each contained in the resort and the resort car parking zone, reveals that no person was seen close to Barnett’s automobile aside from him, the report says:
An intensive evaluation of the footage revealed Mr. Barnett entered the resort foyer on March 8, 2024, at 1926 hours. He exited the resort at 2037 hours. At 2045 hours, his truck was noticed backing into the parking house the place it was later found. Video surveillance recordings repeatedly file his automobile. All through the evaluation of surveillance video spanning the night of March eighth by means of the morning of March ninth, from the time the automobile was backed into the parking house till the Charleston Fireplace Division gained entry to the automobile, no different people had been seen getting into or exiting Mr. Barnett’s automobile. At no time did anybody interact or attempt to make contact with Mr. Barnett. The automobile brake lights had been captured blinking on and off at 0720 hours on March 9, 2024.
The report additionally mentions that “a pocket book containing writing resembling a suicide be aware” was found contained in the truck with Barnett. On the subject of this be aware, the coroner continues:
The writings discovered within the automobile had been examined by the Charleston Police Division and located solely Mr. Barnett’s fingerprints on the pocket book. The writings contained info identified solely to his household.
The coroner’s report blames Barnett’s demise on psychological well being and stress points spurred by the continuing lawsuit, in addition to different points:
“A evaluation of medical data and interviews with Mr. Barnett’s household, attorneys, and healthcare professionals, revealed Mr. Barnett was beneath persistent stress within the context of the lawsuit, suffered from anxiousness and post-traumatic stress dysfunction, and grieved the demise of his spouse.”
Barnett’s household had claimed that his demise was the results of psychological well being points. The household accused Boeing of getting contributed to the stress that finally led him to take his personal life. “He was affected by PTSD and anxiousness assaults because of being subjected to the hostile work surroundings at Boeing which we consider led to his demise,” the household’s assertion reads.
Should you or somebody you realize is experiencing suicidal ideas or a disaster, please attain out instantly to the Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 988 or textual content HOME to the Disaster Textual content Line at 741741. These providers are free and confidential.
Daniel Mercer
Ethan Carter
