Boeing at the center of personnel scandals amid whistleblower's death: Stress, drug dealing, and a murder-suicide

Boeing whistleblower John Barnett was recently found dead in his truck with a gunshot wound to his head on the same day he was prepared to testify against the aircraft manufacturer. But this incident is not the only questionable incident to involve the aircraft company over the years.

Leading up to Barnett's death, the company's stock decreased by 4%, representing a five-month low. The sudden descent comes after a series of quality malfunctions were discovered on the company's aircraft. A door plug blew off a 737 MAX 9 that was being operated on by Alaska Airlines on January 5. And a wheel fell off a 777 jet just a few weeks later, according to the New York Post.

As a consequence, the Federal Aviation Administration launched an investigation into the company's "unacceptable" quality control issues.

In 2008, Matthew Montgomery pleaded guilty to one count of destroying property under contract to the government after he cut around 70 electrical wires on a $24 million Chinook military helicopter. He said he did it because he was so frustrated about a job transfer.

He was subsequently sentenced to five months in prison and five months under house arrest. Montgomery went on to say that the assembly-line job had finally gotten to him, adding, “I know now that a factory environment is not the place for me."

In 2011, 23 Boeing employees were busted at a Pennsylvania plant for reportedly selling fentanyl and Oxycontin. Reports mentioned that the FBI and DEA discovered the illegal prescription drug distribution ring at the Ridley Park-based factory, which ultimately led to indictments against 23 people.

DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Vito Guarino said, "The defendants in this case are accused of diverting controlled substances and selling them to alleged abusers without any medical supervision."

“These sales placed the individual abusers, as well as society at large, at risk. Part of DEA’s mission is to investigate the unlawful diversion of pharmaceutical controlled substances and bring those involved to justice, whether it is a doctor, pharmacist, or street distributor.”

The Post reported that in 2022, Boeing failed to act after discovering that two of its employees who were involved in a love triangle with a supervisor resulted in one employee murdering his colleague.

The estate of Isaiah Washington, 28, filed the Boeing negligence lawsuit after he was shot to death on the street by coworker Ralph O'Connor. O'Connor reportedly killed himself soon after the incident.

However, in January 2024, Boeing attempted to get the case tossed after claiming that the employees were not on the clock when the incident occurred. The lawsuit claimed that both men were sexually involved with supervisor Rachel Pettit, ultimately leading to O'Connor making threats against Washington.

Boeing was informed of the threats leading up to the incident, according to the lawsuit. However, the company claimed that "the complaint contains no allegations suggesting that Boeing knew or should have known that O’Connor might kill or harm someone other than himself.”

The civil case has not yet been resolved, per reports.

And now Barnett — who was in the process of testifying against the aircraft company — was recently found dead. However, Robert Turkewitz and Brian Knowles, Barnett's lawyers, are suspicious that the incident was caused by suicide.

"John was a brave, honest man of the highest integrity," the lawyers said in a joint statement.

“He cared dearly about his family, his friends, the Boeing company, his Boeing co-workers, and the pilots and people who flew on Boeing aircraft. We have rarely met someone with a more sincere and forthright character.”

Sources familiar with the case told the Post that investigators have dusted Barnett's vehicle for fingerprints. This is a highly unusual move in suicide cases.

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