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John Stockwell, who publicly resigned from the Central Intelligence Agency in 1977, accusing it of deceit and illegality, after a career as a covert operative in Vietnam and Africa, died this month in Austin, Texas. He was 88.
Mr. Stockwell’s body was found in a wooded area near his home on June 14, one day after a bulletin known as a silver alert was issued asking for the public’s help in finding a missing older adult, said Kristen Dark, a spokeswoman for the Travis County Sheriff’s Office. She said there was no sign of foul play, but that the medical examiner was considering suicide as a possible cause of death.
His wife, Virginia Stockwell, declined to provide information about his death or life.
Mr. Stockwell’s break with the C.I.A. — during a period when several former officers published damning exposés of what was informally known as “the Company” — was public and showy.
His resignation letter ran in The Washington Post. He wrote a tell-all book, “In Search of Enemies” (1978), which the C.I.A. sought to suppress. He was interviewed on the CBS news program “60 Minutes” about his path from Cold War idealist to scathing critic of America’s covert efforts at regime change abroad.