Who Was DB Cooper? New Evidence Could Solve the Infamous 1971 Hijacking

On November 24, 1971, a mysterious man who identified himself as “Dan Cooper” bought a one-way ticket for $18.52 and boarded Northwest Orient Flight 305 from Portland to Seattle. Mid-flight, he handed a note to a flight attendant claiming he had a bomb and demanded $200,000 in cash, four parachutes, and a refueling truck in Seattle. DB Cooper ordered the flight to Mexico City and freed thirty-five people once his needs were satisfied.

He unlocked the rear stairway somewhere over Washington and parachuted two times with the ransom money into the night. It is the only unresolved air piracy case in American history as DB Cooper was never discovered despite intensive efforts.

Richard Floyd McCoy: The Leading Suspect

Over the years, the FBI has looked at several suspects; one name caught out: Richard Floyd McCoy II. Just five months following the DB Cooper hijacking, McCoy was caught for an identical incident. In April 1972, he hijacked a United Airlines flight, demanded $500,000, and parachuted to escape.

After leaving prison, McCoy was caught in three days, found guilty, and subsequently slain in a firefight. McCoy was a strong suspect in the Cooper case despite variations in physical descriptions; his military background, careful planning, and knowledge of parachuting made all the difference.

New Evidence: A Parachute Discovered

Events of current affairs have renewed the case. Following the discovery of a military parachute in their late father’s garage, Richard McCoy’s children—Chanté and Richard III ( Rick)— approached amateur investigator YouTuber Dan Gryder in 2022 Having examined the matter for more than twenty years, Gryder thinks Cooper might have utilized a parachute in his audacious escape.

The parachute was modified in a way consistent with the alterations known to have been made by Earl Cossey, a veteran skydiver who had prepared the parachutes for the FBI in 1971. These unique characteristics, Gryder claims, make the parachute “one in a billion.”

FBI Reopens the Inquiry

Though the DB Cooper case was formally concluded by the FBI in 2016, this finding spurred agency action. According to Gryder, FBI officers examined the parachute and looked around McCoy’s family property looking for more proof. Gryder claims the FBI spent hours looking at the scene, which increased rumors that the parachute might be essential in cracking the case.

One of the parachutes Cooper left behind is housed in the Washington State History Museum; nonetheless, having access to a parachute perhaps utilized in his escape would provide vital forensic evidence linking McCoy—or ruling him out.

Also read: Father of Missing Hawaii Woman, Hannah Kobayashi, Found Dead Near LAX Amid Desperate Search

The Myth of D. B. Cooper

The DB Cooper case has evolved over the years into a cultural phenomenon influencing many ideas, publications, and documentaries. Many think Cooper died during the leap from bad weather and inadequate gear. But the finding of ransom money along the Columbia River in 1980 and today this parachute has maintained the mystery alive.

Could the Parachute Finally Solve the Mystery?

Verified, the parachute might corroborate Richard McCoy’s DB Cooper identification. Forensic testing could find ties between the crime and the parachute, such as DNA or manufacturing information that matched FBI records. Confident, Dan Gryder says, “This will prove it was McCoy.”

Conclusion

Finding the parachute is a major turning point in the DB Cooper narrative. Whether it proves McCoy unequivocally or generates fresh questions, it confirms the ongoing obsession with one of the biggest riddles in American history.