Days after a whistleblower from the aircraft manufacturer Boeing was found dead in his vehicle, a friend of the deceased said that he suspected he could be killed for his testimony.
John Barnett, a former quality manager at Boeing who raised major safety concerns after working there for years, seemed to be aware of the potential risk to his life as he testified against the business. At the time of his death, Barnett was involved in a deposition in which he was testifying against his former employer.
NEW: 62-year-old Boeing whistleblower John Barnett found dead in his truck after he didn't show up for a legal interview linked to a case against Boeing.
Barnett worked for Boeing for 32 years and retired in 2017. After retiring, Barnett spoke out about how Boeing was cutting… pic.twitter.com/k3zOqH0REv
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 11, 2024
Now that he has died in what authorities have so far categorized as a self-inflicted shooting, a family friend has come forward and stated that Barnett allegedly told her prior to his death that, “If anything happens, it’s not suicide.”
NEW: Boeing whistleblower John Barnett allegedly told his friend that he knew what he was up against and that if he ever died, "it's not suicide."
The friend who has been identified as "Jennifer" says she talked to Barnett in February.
Jennifer believes someone "didn’t like… pic.twitter.com/CAi6bxtfU6
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 15, 2024
The source, who has only been identified as Jennifer, told a local ABC outlet that there is “no way” that Barnett killed himself. She further stated that her late friend confided in her about the possibility of him being murdered after he began sharing his Boeing aircraft safety concerns with the public. This started after he retired in 2017.
Jennifer explained that Barnett “wasn’t concerned about [his own] safety,” having told her at the time that he “ain’t scared.” It is unclear precisely when this conversation took place.
The family friend also said that there were people who “didn’t like what he had to say” and she suspected of wanting to “shut him up.” Jennifer shared her belief that this is why “they” covered up Barnett’s death to have it “look like a suicide.”
Barnett, 62, was discovered in Charleston, South Carolina, on March 9, shot in his head while sitting in his truck parked outside a hotel. The discovery of his body coincided with the last day he was scheduled to give a closed-door testimony against Boeing for the ongoing safety lawsuit against the manufacturer.
Although police first declared the incident a suicide, law enforcement is still investigating the death, which Barnett’s family and legal team have said does not match his “good spirits” leading up to the end of the deposition.
During his last few years at Boeing, Barnett brought up a number of concerns related to outdated parts and rushed production that posed a risk to the safety of the airplanes being produced at the 787 Dreamliners final assembly location in Charleston.
The cross examination that was taking place at the time of the whistleblower’s death was cut short as Barnett failed to appear for the remainder of his questioning on March 9, prompting the wellness check that discovered him shot in the parking lot of his hotel, where he was pronounced dead.
