John Barnett, who worked for Boeing for 32 years, had been providing evidence in a whistleblower lawsuit against the aircraft giant, Boeing. According to the Charleston County Coroner's Office in South Carolina, Barnett died on March 9 of what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was found dead in his truck in a hotel parking lot.

Boeing claimed faulty parts had been installed in some of the planes, and metal shavings were often left inside the jets. Barnett said he found clusters of metal slivers hanging over the wiring that commands flight controls. His claims were back in the spotlight after the Jan. 5 blowout of a door plug on a 737 Max 9 operated by Alaskan Airlines shortly after take off.

Barnett had been staying at the hotel in CHarleston to provide his second testimony via deposition in the whistleblower lawsuit against the company. His attorney said he had been calling him all day with no response the day prior. “We then asked the hotel to check on him,” he said. “They found him in his truck dead from an ‘alleged’ self-inflicted gunshot. We drove to the hotel and spoke with the police and the coroner.”

Barnetts death is currently under investigation.