SST program lost funding in March of 1971. Layoff???
Passenger version of a cargo plane (USAF CX-HLS competition) saved Boeing—designation 747. Lockheed had won the military contract with the C-5 Galaxy. Everyone expected passenger service to be by SST, until the sonic boom issue over land derailed even the Concorde which was already in flight testing 1969.
It certainly could be something like that. Sods Law tells me though that it’s probably a bit more complicated than is being suggested in the article. Still, it’s certainly an angle worth pursuing. I do still believe he more likely died in the jump than not. People who worked with this material should certainly be looked at, and If someone working with this material went missing around Nov 1971 then there is a decent chance he’s our man.