Fact check: Boeing killed its whistleblowers

1. Summary of the results

The claim that "Boeing killed its whistleblowers" is not supported by current evidence. Two notable Boeing whistleblower deaths have been documented:

• John Barnett died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound while in Charleston for a deposition against Boeing ^[1]. Police found a suicide note in his vehicle containing messages about Boeing ^[2], and forensic evidence, including fingerprint and ballistics analysis, supported the suicide conclusion ^[3].
• Joshua Dean died from a MRSA bacterial infection ^[4].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original statement overlooks several crucial contextual elements:

• Boeing has faced significant whistleblower activity, with 32 complaints over three years, including 13 specifically related to aviation safety ^[5].
• There are documented concerns about Boeing's corporate culture, including:
• Attempts to hide nonconforming parts from regulators
• Threats against employees who raised safety concerns
• A culture that systematically silences safety concerns ^[6]
• While Barnett's death occurred during a deposition period, his attorneys were surprised by his death and didn't expect him to take his own life ^[1]. The timing has been acknowledged as suspicious, but Barnett's own attorney stated he would need to see evidence before speculating about foul play ^[7].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement appears to capitalize on several factors that make conspiracy theories appealing:

• The timing of the deaths has contributed to speculation, particularly Barnett's death during his deposition against Boeing ^[7].
• The statement ignores the documented medical and forensic evidence explaining both deaths ^{[3] [4]}.
• While there are legitimate concerns about Boeing's treatment of whistleblowers and safety culture ^[6], jumping to conclusions about murder without evidence undermines the actual documented issues with Boeing's corporate practices.

Those who might benefit from promoting this narrative include:

• Boeing's competitors in the aerospace industry
• Anti-corporate activists
• Social media engagement-seekers capitalizing on public distrust of large corporations
• Those seeking to distract from the actual documented issues with Boeing's safety culture and whistleblower treatment