The Wall Street Journal is reporting this evening that additional executives at the VP and senior VP level have departed BlackBerry maker RIM in the days since last week's grim earnings call led by new CEO Thorsten Heins. WSJ's sources — "people close to the company" — apparently weren't able to say whether the executives quit or were let go, but both scenarios are plausible: all indications are that Heins is taking on the role of hatchet man as he throws ballast overboard in a desperate bid to right the ship. By all accounts, that can't be having a positive effect on morale in Waterloo.

Former co-CEO Jim Balsillie, CTO David Yach, and COO Jim Rowan all moved on last week, so the new round of departures only cements the belief that Heins is cleaning house at all levels of the company.