Suchir Balaji Death: Gunshot Distance Suggests 'Homicide', Mother Rejects 'Partial' Autopsy | EXCLUSIVE

San Francisco: Amid the ongoing investigation into the death of Suchir Balaji, the mother of the OpenAI whistleblower has challenged the official autopsy report, asserting that it points to murder rather than suicide. In an exclusive interview with Republic TV, she claimed that the findings directly contradict the San Francisco Police Department’s (SFPD) conclusions, raising serious questions about the credibility of the investigation. 

For the unversed, Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI researcher-turned-whistleblower, was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on November 26 last year. His death came just a month after the 26-year-old spoke to The New York Times, exposing alleged unfair practices at the AI firm behind ChatGPT. 

Autopsy Findings Raise Serious Questions

Speaking to Republic TV, Balaji's mother, Poornima Rao, referred to the autopsy report and stated that the gun was fired from a distance of 25-30 cm. According to forensic experts, this crucial detail supports the possibility of homicide rather than a self-inflicted gunshot.   

Furthermore, she pointed to the toxicology report, which had revealed dangerously high levels of alcohol and drugs in Balaji’s body—substances that, according to his family, were neither found in his apartment nor part of his lifestyle.

“My son was a social drinker and never used drugs. The level of alcohol detected was so high that he wouldn’t have been able to walk, let alone handle a firearm. Combined with the amount of drugs found in his system, he would have been unconscious. How could he possibly shoot himself?” his mother questioned.

Investigation Inconsistencies

Balaji’s mother, while speaking to Republic also spoke about critical discrepancies in SFPD’s handling of the case

• CCTV & Key Fob Neglect: While the SFPD claimed to have reviewed security footage and key fob records, the mother insisted that police never even requested the key fob data from the apartment. Additionally, while authorities sought CCTV footage, they never followed up to collect it.
• Multiple Entrances Ignored: The police report states that the building had only one entrance, a claim refuted by the family, who pointed out at least three different access points to the premises.
• Rushed Suicide Conclusion: Authorities cited the absence of forced entry as proof of suicide, ignoring the possibility that Balaji might have opened the door for someone he knew before the incident.

‘Partial’ Autopsy Raises Further Concerns

Balaji's mother also accused medical examiners of negligence, terming the official autopsy ‘partial’. Meanwhile, Balaji's family has also conducted an independent full autopsy, which they plan to release in the coming weeks. 

Speaking to Republic TV, his mother came down heavily on the official examination, stating, “They didn’t even examine his head or open his stomach to determine the time of death. The level of negligence at every stage is shocking.”