US businessman falls to his death in Jordanian capital; authorities say no sign of foul play

US defense businessman dies in Jordan

AMMAN, Jordan — The president of a South Carolina-based defense firm fell to his death from the second floor of a deserted building in the Jordanian capital, security officials said Thursday, three days after his body was found. Police have ruled out foul play.

John Zinn, 33, president and chief executive officer of Defense Venture Group, was in Amman, Jordan, for a military exhibition when he died Tuesday “after suffering an accident while on a business trip,” his company said.

Four senior Jordanian officials said Zinn’s body was found lying behind a 40-foot wall in the basement of an abandoned building in Amman’s rough-and-tumble Hay al-Masraweh district, which overlooks the city’s bustling downtown. The district is mainly inhabited by Egyptian, Filipino and other Asian domestic workers.

Dr. Momen al-Hadidi, who is Jordan’s chief forensic expert and performed an autopsy on the body, said Zinn died of “severe internal bleeding caused by head and body fractures resulting from a fall from a high elevation.” Al-Hadidi declined to provide further details.

But a top security official said an investigation showed that Zinn was “highly intoxicated.”

He and another official also involved in the ongoing investigation said preliminary reports show no indication of foul play or attempted suicide.

A third official said Jordanian intelligence has taken over the investigation because of the “suspicious circumstances” surrounding Zinn’s death. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.

Defense Venture Group is a leading manufacturer of specialized products for defense, aerospace and commercial applications. Its portfolio of companies includes manufacturers and distributors of runflat tire solutions and purpose-built armored vehicles.

Amman’s four-day exhibition of special operations forces closed Thursday. It brought together 300 delegates and 349 exhibitors from 85 countries, including the United States. No major contracts were concluded.

On the Net:

Defense Venture Group: www.defenseventure.com

Jordan’s military exhibition: www.sofexjordan.com