The latest twist in what can only be described as an onslaught of horrific news surrounding Boeing - or perhaps the sequel to the Hudsucker Proxy where a mysterious cabal is trying to spark a stock panic so they can buy the company for pennies on the dollar - came this afternoon when we learned that a key whistleblower employee, a former quality control manager who raised concerns about the firm's production standards, was found dead after an apparent suicide.

John Barnett, a former veteran Boeing employee of 32 years, passed away from a self-inflicted wound on March 9, as confirmed by the Charleston County coroner, according to BBC which broke the news on Monday evening.

Bartnett's lawyer said that he was found dead in a truck near a hotel parking lot in South Carolina from an alleged "self-inflicted' wound", with  Breaking 911 calling it a 'gunshot' wound and BBC, the Gateway Pundit and numerous other sources referring to it as a 'self-inflicted' wound. 

Barnett was involved in a whistleblower lawsuit against Boeing, alleging serious safety concerns at the North Charleston plant, where he managed quality for the 787 Dreamliner production. Boeing was in Charleston for legal interviews related to the lawsuit when he was found dead. 

He claimed the push for speed compromised safety, with sub-standard parts being used and a significant failure rate in emergency oxygen systems. Despite raising these issues, he felt his concerns were disregarded, leading to legal action against Boeing, alleging career damage due to his whistleblowing.

BBC wrote:

He said in some cases, sub-standard parts had even been removed from scrap bins and fitted to planes that were being built to prevent delays on the production line.

He also claimed that tests on emergency oxygen systems due to be fitted to the 787 showed a failure rate of 25%, meaning that one in four could fail to deploy in a real-life emergency.