Family of OpenAI Whistleblower Challenges Suicide Ruling, Claims Evidence of Second Gunshot

San Francisco, CA – The death of Suchir Balaji, a 26-year-old former OpenAI researcher and whistleblower, has taken a contentious turn as his family disputes the official ruling of suicide, citing new forensic evidence suggesting he was shot twice in the head. Balaji was found deceased in his San Francisco apartment on November 26, 2024, just weeks after publicly accusing OpenAI of violating U.S. copyright laws in the development of its ChatGPT technology. The initial investigation by the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) concluded that Balaji died from a single, self-inflicted gunshot wound, but a second autopsy commissioned by his family has raised significant questions about the circumstances of his death.

Balaji’s parents, Poornima Ramarao and Balaji Ramamurthy, have rejected the suicide determination since it was first announced, insisting that their son’s death involved foul play. Their claims gained traction with the release of a second autopsy report conducted by Dr. Daniel Cousin, a Florida-based radiologist and forensic consultant. According to the report, obtained by the Daily Mail, Dr. Cousin identified evidence of a second bullet, stating, “A second bullet probably entered through the mouth, no clear entry wound seen but it is lodged in the back of the throat at the skull base/clivus” (Williams, 2025). This finding starkly contrasts with the official autopsy, which documented only one gunshot wound to the forehead, with a front-to-back and downward trajectory, and concluded that the death was a suicide based on ballistic evidence, gunshot residue on Balaji’s hands, and the absence of signs of a struggle (San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, 2025).

Further complicating the narrative, the second autopsy revealed additional injuries not noted in the initial report. Dr. Cousin’s findings describe “extensive laceration and discoloration over the margins” of Balaji’s tongue, with “a centralized, nearly oval-shaped defect at the distal,” suggesting trauma inconsistent with a single gunshot to the forehead (Williams, 2025). Balaji’s mother, Poornima Ramarao, has emphasized these discrepancies, asserting that the tongue injuries could not have been caused by the documented forehead wound. She also pointed to a broken cheekbone and an injury to the side of her son’s head—details allegedly absent from the OCME’s report—as evidence of a more complex scenario than a self-inflicted injury (Williams, 2025).

The official investigation, detailed in a joint letter from SFPD Chief Bill Scott and OCME Executive Director David Serrano Sewell on February 14, 2025, found no evidence of homicide. The report highlighted that the firearm, a Glock pistol registered to Balaji since January 2024, matched the bullet recovered, and that his apartment showed no signs of forced entry, with the deadbolt engaged (San Francisco Police Department, 2025). Toxicology results indicated the presence of ethanol and amphetamine in Balaji’s system, which authorities suggested could align with a suicide scenario (San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, 2025). However, the family’s legal team, led by attorney Kevin Rooney, has criticized the initial investigation as “incomplete and inadequate,” arguing that it overlooked critical evidence and relied on hasty conclusions drawn within 40 minutes of arriving at the scene (Rodgers, 2025).

Balaji’s whistleblowing activities add a layer of intrigue to the case. In October 2024, he told The New York Times that OpenAI’s use of copyrighted data to train ChatGPT was illegal and harmful to the internet ecosystem, a stance that led him to resign from the company in August after nearly four years as a researcher (Kang & Metz, 2024). His allegations positioned him as a key figure in ongoing copyright lawsuits against OpenAI, including one filed by The New York Times, which named him as a potential custodian of relevant documents on November 18, 2024—just eight days before his death (Kang & Metz, 2024). This timing has fueled speculation, amplified by public figures like Elon Musk, who remarked that the death “doesn’t look like a suicide” (Musk, 2024).

Security footage from Balaji’s apartment building, capturing his final moments as he picked up a meal, shows him appearing calm and composed, according to his family. This, they argue, undermines the notion of a man on the brink of suicide. The family has called for a federal investigation by the FBI, maintaining that the SFPD lacks the resources or impartiality to handle a case with such multifaceted implications (Ramarao, 2025). In response, the SFPD has invited the family to submit any new evidence, but as of April 8, 2025, the case remains officially closed (San Francisco Police Department, 2025).

The controversy has reignited debates over whistleblower safety and corporate accountability in Silicon Valley. Scholars like Nolan Higdon, a lecturer at California State University, East Bay, note that the case exemplifies how online speculation can amplify unverified claims, drawing parallels to other high-profile whistleblower deaths (Higdon, 2025). As Balaji’s parents continue their pursuit of answers, the conflicting autopsy reports leave a cloud of uncertainty over a death that has captured international attention.

Sources:

• Higdon, N. (2025). Online Culture and the Amplification of Conspiracy Theories. California State University, East Bay Press.

• Kang, C., & Metz, C. (2024, October 24). “An OpenAI Researcher Says AI Is Damaging the Internet.” The New York Times.

• Musk, E. (2024, December). [Statement on X]. Retrieved from public posts.

• Ramarao, P. (2025). Interview with Hindustan Times, February 19, 2025.

• Rodgers, J. (2025, February 2). “Family of OpenAI Whistleblower Suchir Balaji Files Lawsuit Seeking San Francisco Police Records.” The Mercury News.

• San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. (2025, February 14). Autopsy Report: Suchir Balaji.

• San Francisco Police Department. (2025, February 14). Joint Letter to Balaji Family Attorneys.

• Williams, C. (2025, April 7). “OpenAI Whistleblower Suchir Balaji ‘Shot Twice’ in Head in ‘Suicide’.” Daily Mail.

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