“He wasn’t concerned about safety because I asked him,”
Jennifer [a close friend] said.
“I said, ‘Aren’t you scared?’ And he said, ‘No, I ain’t scared, but if anything happens to me, it’s not suicide.’”

– Quote Source: https://abcnews4.com/news/local/if-anything-happens-its-not-suicide-boeing-whistleblowers-prediction-before-death-south-carolina-abc-news-4-2024

STORY FROM ABC4

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — A close family friend of John Barnett said he predicted he might wind up dead and that a story could surface that he killed himself.

But at the time, he told her not to believe it.

“I know that he did not commit suicide,” said Jennifer, a friend of Barnett’s. “There’s no way.”

Jennifer said they talked about this exact scenario playing out. However, now, his words seem like a premonition he told her directly not to believe.

“I know John because his mom and my mom are best friends,” Jennifer said. “Over the years, get-togethers, birthdays, celebrations and whatnot. We’ve all got together and talked.”

When Jennifer needed help one day, Barnett came by to see her. They talked about his upcoming deposition in Charleston. Jennifer knew Barnett filed an extremely damaging complaint against Boeing. He said the aerospace giant retaliated against him when he blew the whistle on unsafe practices.

For more than 30 years, he was a quality manager. He’d recently retired and moved back to Louisiana to look after his mom.

“He wasn’t concerned about safety because I asked him,” Jennifer said. “I said, ‘Aren’t you scared?’ And he said, ‘No, I ain’t scared, but if anything happens to me, it’s not suicide.'”

Jennifer added: “I know that he did not commit suicide. There’s no way. He loved life too much. He loved his family too much. He loved his brothers too much to put them through what they’re going through right now.”

Jennifer said she thinks somebody “didn’t like what he had to say” and wanted to “shut him up” without it coming back to anyone.

READ MORE: “‘John was brave’: Boeing whistleblower’s lawyer responds to news of his death.”

“That’s why they made it look like a suicide,” Jennifer said.

The last time Jennifer saw Barnett was at her father’s funeral in late February. He was one of the pallbearers. Sometimes family and friends referred to him by his middle name – Mitch.

“I think everybody is in disbelief and can’t believe it,” Jennifer said. “I don’t care what they say, I know that Mitch didn’t do that.”

Just because Barnett is dead doesn’t mean the case won’t move forward.

His attorney said they’re still prepared to go to trial in June.

News 4 reached out to Boeing following Barnett’s death. They provided the following statement:

“We are saddened by Mr. Barnett’s passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends.”