Charleston County investigators have concluded their investigation into the death of John Barnett, a former Boeing whistleblower whose body was discovered in his truck earlier this year. The findings suggest that Barnett's death was a suicide, with no evidence of foul play found.

Barnett, who had worked for Boeing for over three decades before retiring in 2017 as a quality-control engineer, was found dead in March after failing to attend his second day of depositions in a lawsuit against the aerospace manufacturer. Concerns were raised by his lawyers, leading authorities to discover Barnett's lifeless body in the parking lot of his hotel in Charleston, South Carolina.

According to Charleston County Coroner Bobbi Jo O'Neal, the report indicates that Barnett sustained a gunshot wound to the head, and investigators confirmed the presence of gunshot residue on his hand. A suicide note was also found on the passenger seat of his truck, along with a shell casing.

Further investigations revealed that Barnett had purchased the handgun legally in 2000, and his fingerprints were found on the suicide letter. Police records also showed no signs of abnormal travel patterns or communications in Barnett's phone records. Hotel surveillance video indicated that he had left the hotel alone and parked his truck before locking himself inside.

Barnett had been involved in a lawsuit against Boeing, alleging retaliation, harassment, and surveillance by the company. However, one of his lawyers, Robert Turkewitz, has previously stated that he did not believe Boeing played a role in Barnett's death. Nonetheless, Turkewitz expressed his skepticism about the suicide explanation, as it did not align with the information available.

The tragic incident involving Barnett comes as Boeing faces ongoing struggles and scrutiny. At the beginning of the year, Barnett had expressed concerns about the safety of Boeing's 737 Max 9 jets, particularly after an incident involving an Alaska Airlines jet where a door panel blew off during a flight.

Meanwhile, Boeing's CEO, Dave Calhoun, has recently announced his decision to resign by the end of the year, unrelated to Barnett's lawsuit but reflective of the company's ongoing challenges.

Barnett's untimely death has left many questioning the circumstances surrounding his passing, although the Charleston County investigators have concluded that there was no evidence of foul play. The loss of a noted whistleblower such as Barnett serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency and safety within the aerospace industry.