The FBI Has a Parachute That May Prove Green Beret Richard McCoy Was the Infamous D.B. Cooper

America’s Only Unsolved Hijacking

On November 24, 1971, a man calling himself Dan Cooper hijacked Northwest Orient Flight 305, extorted $200,000 in ransom, and parachuted into the night, vanishing without a trace. For over five decades, this audacious act has remained the only unsolved skyjacking in U.S. history, captivating the public and confounding investigators. Recent developments, however, suggest that the FBI may possess a crucial piece of evidence—a parachute—that could finally unmask the elusive hijacker.

You probably know him better as D.B. Cooper. The “D.B.” was a press error. A reporter for the Oregon Journal in Portland mistakenly wrote “DB Cooper” instead of “Dan Cooper” in one of the first reports of the 1971 hijacking. Remember, we don’t know for sure what the man’s name was. At the time, passengers were not required to show a photo ID to purchase airline tickets.

The hijacker may have borrowed the name “Dan Cooper” from a comic book character from the 1950s. In the comic, Dan Cooper is a major in the Royal Canadian Air Force who is involved in all kinds of adventures, combating various enemies on Earth and in space. Some of his escapades include parachuting.

A Breakthrough And A Former Green Beret

The breakthrough centers on a modified military parachute discovered in the garage of Richard Floyd McCoy II’s children, Richard III (Rick) and Chante. McCoy, a former Green Beret and Vietnam veteran, was arrested in 1972 for a similar hijacking and subsequent parachute escape, leading many to speculate about his connection to the D.B. Cooper case. The siblings, who had long harbored suspicions about their father’s involvement, chose to come forward after their mother’s passing, believing she had been complicit in the crime. They reached out to investigator Dan Gryder, who has been investigating the Cooper mystery for years.

Gryder, upon examining the parachute, described it as “literally one in a billion,” emphasizing its unique modifications that align with the equipment Cooper reportedly used during his escape.

Recognizing the potential significance of this find, Gryder contacted the FBI. In 2023, agents collected the parachute and an accompanying logbook and conducted a thorough search of the McCoy residence, indicating the agency’s serious interest in this lead.

A Renewed Focus And Striking Similarities

The FBI’s involvement proves a renewed focus on the McCoy-Cooper connection. McCoy’s April 1972 hijacking bore striking similarities to Cooper’s: both involved commandeering a Boeing 727, demanding ransom, and parachuting to escape. McCoy was apprehended shortly after his heist, convicted, and sentenced to 45 years in prison. He later escaped from a maximum-security facility but was killed in a shootout with law enforcement in 1974. Despite these parallels, the FBI has historically maintained that McCoy was not D.B. Cooper.

First off, many in the FBI believed that D.B. Cooper died in the jump. Then there was the fact that McCoy didn’t resemble the physical description of Cooper, who was described as being in his mid-40s at the time of the hijacking. At the time, Richard McCoy was 27. Then, there was the matter of McCoy’s prominent ears. They were so noticeable that some called him “Dumbo” in his younger days. During his own hijacking, he took great care to conceal his ears with a headband and a wig.

The discovery of the parachute, however, has reignited debates among experts and enthusiasts. Some argue that McCoy’s military background and the similarities between the two hijackings make him a plausible suspect. Others contend that differences in the modus operandi and McCoy’s documented whereabouts during the Cooper hijacking weaken this theory.

An Enigmatic Tie

Adding another layer to the investigation, independent researchers Eric Ulis and Tom Kaye have been analyzing a tie left behind by Cooper on the hijacked plane. Utilizing advanced forensic techniques, they identified unique particles on the tie, including rare titanium traces, suggesting Cooper may have been employed in a specialty metals or aerospace environment. This finding led them to investigate individuals associated with such industries, including Vince Petersen, a metallurgist from Pennsylvania. Ulis has urged the FBI to compare DNA from Petersen’s family with the partial DNA profile obtained from the tie, but the agency has yet to act on this request.

The FBI’s position on testing the DNA on Cooper’s tie is complex and somewhat unclear. The FBI has not explicitly stated that they would not test the DNA, but they have denied independent researchers access to the evidence. Perhaps the FBI has already tested the DNA or is planning to do so. They may be cautious about the reliability of DNA evidence taken from an object that’s over 50 years old and has been handled by numerous individuals.

Officially a Closed Case

The FBI officially closed the D.B. Cooper case in 2016, citing the need to allocate resources to more pressing investigations. However, the emergence of new evidence, such as the parachute and forensic analyses, has prompted calls for the case to be reopened. Critics argue that the FBI’s reluctance to engage with independent investigators and consider new leads hampers the pursuit of truth. They contend that solving the Cooper mystery would not only bring closure to one of America’s most enduring enigmas but also demonstrate the agency’s commitment to justice, regardless of the passage of time.

As the 53rd anniversary of the hijacking passes, the legend of D.B. Cooper endures, symbolizing both the allure of the unknown and the relentless quest for answers. Whether the parachute in the FBI’s possession holds the key to unraveling this mystery remains to be seen. What is certain is that the story of D.B. Cooper continues to captivate, reminding us of the thin line between myth and reality.