Boeing whistleblower John Barnett was found dead with a gun in his hand and left note on the passenger seat of his truck outside a South Carolina hotel, police report reveals

A Boeing whistleblower who had testified in opposition to the corporate days earlier than his dying shot himself with a handgun and left a suicide notice in his automobile, DailyMail.com can disclose.

John Barnett, 62, used to be discovered useless in his truck in a lodge parking quantity in Charleston, South Carolina, on Saturday – seven years nearest he retired following a 32-year profession.

The ex-quality supervisor at Boeing’s North Charleston plant died from a ‘self-inflicted’ wound, with Charleston Police Section probing his dying.

A police document bought via DailyMail.com finds that Barnett prolonged his keep on the Leisure Inn two days previous to his suspected suicide and were prepared to take a look at the month earlier than the alarm used to be raised.

The document main points {that a} pal of Barnett’s contacted the lodge soliciting for a welfare take a look at at 10am on March 9, with workers knocking on his lodge room door with out a reaction.

A member of workforce next looked for his orange Dodge Ram within the parking quantity of the lodge, and found out Barnett deceased within the driving force’s seat with a ‘silver handgun’ in his proper hand.

Former Boeing high quality supervisor John Barnett (pictured) used to be discovered useless in South Carolina on Saturday with what gave the look to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head, police stated 

Barnett used to be discovered useless inside of his pickup truck on Saturday within the parking quantity of a Leisure Inn in Charleston, pictured above

In line with an incident document, police arrived to the scene to seek out an orange Dodge Ram (store picture) within the parking quantity of the lodge, and found out Barnett deceased within the driving force’s seat with a ‘silver handgun’ in his proper hand 

Barnett had his ‘proper pointer finger difference at the cause’, and suffered a ‘gunshot wound close his proper temple, in line with the document.

It added that there used to be a ‘white piece of paper that intently resembled a notice’, mendacity in unsophisticated view at the passenger seat. 

The contents of the notice have no longer but been not hidden.

A member of workforce on the lodge advised investigators that he heard a ‘pop’ at round 9.30am when he used to be operating at the external of the lodge, with Barnett’s truck found out on the rear of the feature.

Surveillance pictures additionally displays Barnett exiting the lodge at the morning of March 8, although the alarm used to be no longer raised till 24 hours after.

Sgt Anthony Gibson of Charleston PD stated in a observation: ‘Detectives are actively investigating this situation and are expecting the formal explanation for dying, along side any extra findings that may leave additional sunny at the cases state the dying of Mr. Barnett.

‘We perceive the worldwide consideration this situation has garnered, and it’s our precedence to safeguard that the investigation isn’t influenced via hypothesis however is led via information and proof.

‘Given the delicate nature of the investigation, we’re not able to take part in media interviews at this month. This stance isn’t distinctive to this situation however is a regular process we adhere to to deliver to saving the integrity of energetic investigations. Population disclosure will observe the investigation’s conclusion.’

Previous on Tuesday police announced they have launched an investigation into  Barnett’s death nearest a coroner dominated he died from a ‘self-inflicted’ gunshot wound. 

Barnett used to be discovered useless in South Carolina on Saturday morning, lower than 3 months nearest he warned in regards to the manufacturing processes of each the 737 and 787-Dreamliner.

Charleston Police Section have showed that it’s investigating the dying of Barnett because it emerged he used to be in Charleston for felony interviews connected to claims that Boeing has hampered his profession and tarnished his reputation for speaking out about production issues on several plane models. 

A police document bought via DailyMail.com finds that Barnett used to be discovered with a ‘silver handgun in his proper hand, resting on his lap and his proper pointer finger nonetheless difference at the cause’ 

The Charleston Police Section stated the coroner’s document discovered Barnett’s dying seems to consequence from a self-inflicted gunshot wound however detectives are nonetheless investigative the formal explanation for dying

At the 3rd month of his deposition, he used to be because of be pass tested via his personal legal professionals, however failed to turn up. 

Later enquiries had been made, he used to be discovered useless in his truck in his lodge’s parking quantity. 

Barnett’s legal professional, Brian Knowles, advised the BBC that Barnett were in the middle of a deposition in a whistleblower lawsuit in Charleston related to production of the 787 Dreamliner plane.

The go well with alleged under-pressure staff had been intentionally becoming ‘sub-standard’ portions to Boeing 787s, and that brass had been sweeping defects beneath the rug to save cash.

The FAA has since not hidden the company failed a whopping 33 of 89 audits all through an examination of its 737 Max manufacturing. 

In January, Barnett seemed on TMZ to serve his tackle a technical failure that noticed a door fly off its hinges of a 737 – a type he stated used to be being victimized via fresh shifts in technique along side the 787.

His blackmail would turn out prophetic, as a 787 skilled a midair ‘technical tournament’, injuring 50 passengers. 

In January, Barnett defined why he believed each fashions had been ticking month bombs, as each incidents stay beneath investigation.

‘This isn’t a 737 disease – it is a Boeing disease,’ he stated nearest being requested if he believed the 737 used to be preserve to fly following the door incident and a next FAA inspection.

‘I do know the FAA goes in and achieved due diligence and inspections to safeguard the door alike at the 737 is put in correctly and the fasteners are saved correctly,’ he stated, bringing up the portions that most likely performed an element within the incident. 

‘However, my fear is, ‘What’s the extra of the plane? What’s the situation of the extra of the plane?”

He went directly to serve a reason why for that fear – one who he stated led him to record the lawsuit in opposition to the gliding company

‘Again in 2012, Boeing began taking out inspection operations off their jobs,’ he advised TMZ’s Charles Latibeaudiere and Harvey Levin, recalling his month as a high quality overseer at Boeing’s plant in South Carolina, which manufactured most commonly 787s.

In January, Barnett defined why he believed each fashions had been ticking month bombs, as each incidents stay beneath investigation

The whistleblower died lower than 3 months nearest he warned in regards to the manufacturing processes of each the 737 and 787-Dreamliner

Boeing’s meeting plant in North Charleston – the place dead body labored for many years – is noticeable right here

‘So, it left the mechanics to shop for off their very own paintings,’ he defined.

Barnett went directly to price that the incident involving the door used to be indicative of one thing higher – and one thing alleged in his lawsuit: Boeing turning a fickle ocular to protection issues to deliver to boost their base sequence.

‘What we’re sight with the door plug blowout is what I’ve noticeable with the extra of the plane, so far as jobs no longer being finished correctly, inspection steps being got rid of, problems being not noted,’ he charged, months earlier than his unexpected dying.

‘My issues are with the 737 and 787, as a result of the ones systems have in reality embraced the speculation that high quality is overhead and non price added.

‘The ones two systems have in reality put a powerful try into taking out high quality from the method.’

The FAA seems to have stood up one of the most knowledgeable’s assertions nearest revealing how a six-week audit discovered ‘a couple of cases the place [Boeing] allegedly didn’t agree to production high quality management necessities’ of its 737s. 

At one level all through the examination, feds discovered that mechanics at Spirit AeroSystems – one among Boeing’s primary providers – old a lodge key card to test a door seal, and a liquid Daybreak cleaning soap to a door seal ‘as lubricant within the fit-up procedure.’ 

That motion used to be ‘no longer recognized/documented/called-out within the manufacturing series,’ a record outlining the probe stated – spurring  FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker to decree Boeing should assemble a complete plan to handle such ‘systemic quality-control problems’ inside 90 days 

He despatched abstract of its findings to the corporations in its finished audit, nearest an all-day February 27 assembly with CEO Dave Calhoun. He didn’t circumstance the precise corrective movements Boeing and Spirit should shoot.

‘Boeing should decide to actual and profound enhancements,’ Whitaker defined on the month endmost life. ‘We’re going to keep them responsible each step of the way in which, with mutually understood milestones and expectancies.’

Calhoun replied in his personal observation, announcing that Boeing’s management workforce used to be ‘completely dedicated’ to addressing FAA issues and creating the plan.

In the meantime, Spirit, which makes the fuselage for the now scrutinized MAX, issued a observation announcing it used to be ‘in conversation with Boeing and the FAA on suitable corrective movements.’

In reaction, Boeing brass claimed that nearest the ‘high quality stand-downs, the FAA audit findings, and the new knowledgeable evaluate panel document, [the firm has] a cloudless image of what must be achieved.’

The Charleston County coroner showed to the BBC on Monday that he had died from a ‘self-inflicted’ wound on Friday March 8. 

Sgt. Anthony Gibson of The Charleston Police Section advised native media: ‘Detectives are actively investigating this situation and are expecting the formal explanation for dying, along side any extra findings that may leave additional sunny at the cases state the dying of Mr. Barnett.

‘We perceive the worldwide consideration this situation has garnered, and it’s our precedence to safeguard that the investigation isn’t influenced via hypothesis however is led via information and proof. 

‘Given the delicate nature of the investigation, we’re not able to take part in media interviews at this month. 

‘This stance isn’t distinctive to this situation however is a regular process we adhere to to deliver to saving the integrity of energetic investigations.’

John’s legal professional all through the deposition, Brian Knowles, stated in a observation issued on Monday: ‘John were from side to side for rather once in a while getting ready. 

‘The protection tested him for his or her allowed seven hours beneath the principles on Thursday.

‘I pass tested him all month the previous day [Friday] and didn’t end. We correct to proceed this morning at 10 am [co-counsel] Rob [Turkewitz] stored calling this morning and his telephone would travel to voicemail.