Dean, a former quality auditor at Spirit AeroSystems and a whistleblower who alleged Spirit ignored manufacturing defects, has died after a sudden illness.
It seems plausible it could be a poison, for example:
Symptoms of ricin poisoning depend on whether a person breathes in the ricin, eats it or gets it in a shot. When breathed in, ricin causes fever, chest tightness, cough and breathing problems. Ricin can cause a fluid buildup in the lungs, known as pulmonary edema.