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OpenAI Whistleblower Death: Although the final autopsy report classified Suchir Balaji’s death as a suicide, his parents maintain that he had been murdered.
Suchir Balaji Death: The OpenAI whistleblower was found dead in his apartment in November last year. (Screengrab)
After going through the final autopsy report of OpenAI Whistleblower Suchir Balaji on Friday, his grieving family expressed their disagreement, calling it riddled with “tons of inconsistencies”. The family added that they are still seeking justice for their son and revealed that they have sent “hair found in the apartment” for testing.
This comes on the heels of the autopsy report, which ruled out foul play and confirmed Balaji’s death as a suicide. The 26-year-old was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on November 26 of last year after he flagged ethical concerns regarding OpenAI’s practices.
“We received the autopsy report last Friday. Our counsel and we disagree with their decision,” Poornima Ramarao, the mother of Suchir Balaji, wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Read| OpenAI Whistleblower Suchir Balaji, 26, Died By Suicide, Final Autopsy Report Reveals
She added, “There are tons of inconsistencies in their decision. Underlying assumptions are not supporting the facts in reports. We continue our investigation.”
The grieving mother further revealed that the family has sent the “hair found in the apartment” for testing, adding, “We are fighting for justice and not back up.”
We received the autopsy report last Friday. Our counsel and we disagree with their decision. There are tons of inconsistencies in their decision. Under lying assumptions are not supporting the facts in reports. We continue our investigation. We have sent the hair found in…— Poornima Rao (@RaoPoornima) February 18, 2025
Three days ago, she alleged SFPD of providing inaccurate information in autopsy and police report. “They have never retrieved CCTV footage from the leasing office. We need report from police. We are only requesting transparent investigation,” she had written in a post on X.
Also Read| Suchir Balaji’s Mother Claims Her Son Had ‘Documents Against OpenAI’, Elon Musk Backs Her
What did the autopsy report say?
According to Fortune, the San Francisco police and medical examiners jointly issued a four-page statement, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) released a comprehensive 13-page report that confirmed Balaji’s death was a suicide.
It also reported that there were no signs of injuries or bruising on Balaji’s body and no evidence of forced entry into his apartment as the door was locked from the inside. The windows were not considered viable entry points.
Additionally, Balaji’s Internet history revealed that he made searches on brain anatomy before taking the tragic step, and the gun found at the scene was registered in his name. Gunshot residue was detected on both of his hands, and a toxicology report showed the presence of ethanol and amphetamines.
