New Discovery Could End the 50-Year Hunt for D.B. Cooper

The identity of D.B. Cooper, America’s most infamous skyjacker, has eluded authorities and amateur sleuths for over 50 years. But now, a discovery by the family of convicted skyjacker Richard McCoy Jr. may hold the key to finally solving the mystery. The McCoy siblings claim their late father was D.B. Cooper and have uncovered a unique piece of evidence: a modified parachute hidden in their home. Could this be the breakthrough investigators have been waiting for?

A Promising Parachute Discovery

Chanté and Rick McCoy, the children of Richard McCoy Jr., unearthed the parachute in a storage stash left by their late mother, Karen. The siblings had long suspected their father might be D.B. Cooper, but they refrained from coming forward while their mother was alive, fearing she could be implicated in the crimes. With their mother’s passing in 2020, the McCoys partnered with aviation enthusiast and YouTuber Dan Gryder to test their theory.

Original Composite Sketch B of D.B. Cooper, Fall 1972. Photo courtesy of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Public domain.

Gryder, who has studied the parachute, believes it’s no ordinary piece of equipment. He described it as “one in a billion,” as reported by the New York Post, noting its similarity to the modified parachute reportedly prepared by skydiver Earl Cossey for the 1971 hijacking. The parachute has drawn the FBI’s attention, leading them to search the McCoy family’s North Carolina property and seize the equipment as potential evidence. If it matches details already known to investigators, it could link Richard McCoy Jr. to the D.B. Cooper case.

Who Was Richard McCoy Jr.?

Richard McCoy Jr. was no stranger to crime. In April 1972, just five months after the D.B. Cooper skyjacking, McCoy hijacked a United Airlines flight. He demanded $500,000 in ransom, successfully collected the money, and parachuted from the plane over Utah. His escape was short-lived; the FBI arrested him three days later after an anonymous tip led to his capture.

McCoy’s methods were strikingly similar to the D.B. Cooper case. Both incidents involved hijacking a plane, parachuting with stolen cash, and using precise demands to manipulate the crew. Despite these similarities, the FBI dismissed McCoy as a suspect in the Cooper case, citing differences in age and physical appearance. For instance, McCoy was 27 at the time, nearly 20 years younger than witnesses described Cooper to be.

Could McCoy Be D.B. Cooper?

The McCoy siblings and Gryder believe the parachute could be the smoking gun connecting Richard McCoy Jr. to D.B. Cooper. In addition to the parachute, Rick McCoy provided the FBI with a DNA sample, and investigators have not ruled out exhuming McCoy’s body for further testing. However, no public statements from the FBI confirm an active investigation into the case, which was officially closed in 2016.

Skeptics argue that McCoy’s age and appearance don’t align with eyewitness descriptions of D.B. Cooper. Additionally, many experts believe Cooper likely perished during his daring parachute jump, given the rugged terrain and adverse weather conditions. But Gryder and the McCoy family insist the evidence deserves closer scrutiny. Gryder claims the parachute could definitively prove McCoy was behind both hijackings.

The Mystery of D.B. Cooper

Since Nov. 24, 1971, when D.B. Cooper leaped from a Boeing 727 with $200,000 in ransom money, the case has captivated the public. The FBI recovered a few pieces of evidence over the years - a black clip-on tie left behind on the plane and a decayed package of $20 bills matching the ransom money’s serial numbers found in 1980, but none have led to Cooper’s identity.

There are many theories about what happened to Cooper, ranging from survival and escape to a fatal crash. Now, with the McCoy family’s revelations, the case takes an intriguing turn. If the parachute holds up under investigation, it could either confirm McCoy’s connection to the crime or rule him out entirely.

Could This Be the Final Chapter?

The D.B. Cooper case is as much a legend as it is an unsolved crime, with countless books, documentaries, and online theories keeping the mystery alive. Whether Richard McCoy Jr. was the man behind the daring heist remains uncertain. But as the FBI examines the McCoy siblings’ evidence, the truth may finally come to light.

References: A Secret Parachute in the FBI’s Possession May Have Finally Solved D.B. Cooper’s Identity | Siblings claim late dad is mysterious plane hijacker DB Cooper after finding hidden parachute in home: ‘One in a billion’