New evidence may finally reveal the identity of DB Cooper, the mysterious skyjacker responsible for the only unsolved hijacking in American history. Following the presentation of what the children of convicted skyjacker Richard McCoy II claim to be evidence linking their father to the notorious 1971 crime, the FBI has reopened its investigation.
Months after DB Cooper vanished following a daring parachute escape, McCoy carried out a similar hijacking involving a parachute jump. His children, Chanté and Richard III (Rick), suspect their father could be Cooper. For years, they stayed silent, believing their mother, Karen, might have been involved in both crimes. With both parents deceased, they feel free to share their suspicions, which are bolstered by a modified parachute found in a storage shed on family property in North Carolina.
“That rig is literally one in a billion,” said Gryder, a YouTuber who produced a series on the case, drawing renewed FBI interest. Alongside the parachute, the siblings found a skydiving logbook that appears to trace DB Cooper’s movements between Oregon and Utah.
The FBI, which had closed the case in 2016, recently spent hours searching the McCoy property with over a dozen agents. If the alterations on the parachute match those made by Earl Cossey, a skydiving expert linked to the original case, it could confirm McCoy’s involvement.
Following his November 24, 1971, skyjacking of Northwest Orient Flight 305, DB Cooper rose to fame. He made demands for parachutes, $200,000, and a refueling stop in Seattle while posing as “Dan Cooper.” Cooper released the passengers and disappeared without a trace as he parachuted into the night over Washington. This 50-year-old mystery might finally be solved thanks to evidence from the McCoy family. The world awaits the FBI’s investigation to see if the infamous escape of DB Cooper has been solved.
