In a twist to one of America’s most enduring mysteries, the siblings Chante and Rick McCoy III has come forward with startling claims that his late father, Richard McCoy Jr. was a notorious plane hijacker DB Cooper. Although the investigation was declared closed in 2016, the revelations have reignited interest in the case, prompting even the FBI to take notice.
DB Cooper’s daring heist in 1971 captivated the world for decades. This the secret It began on November 24, 1971, when a man using the alias “Dan Cooper” boarded Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305. Armed with a bomb threat, he demanded $200,000 in cash (equivalent to about $1.54 million today) and four parachutes.
After freeing the 36 passengers upon landing in Seattle in exchange for ransom, Cooper instructed the crew to take off again, en route to Mexico City. Somewhere between Seattle and Reno, Nevada, he parachuted from the plane with the money. Despite an exhaustive search, he was never seen again, and his true identity remains unknown.
Fast forward to 2023, when Chante and Rick claim their father was an elusive hijacker. He waited until his mother’s death in 2020 to share his story, citing fears that evidence allegedly linking her to the crime might implicate him.
One of the items they revealed was a parachute that Rick claimed was “one in a billion” and matched a rig designed by skydiving expert Earl Causey, who modified the parachute for Cooper. The parachute was reportedly found in his mother’s storage outside the family home.
Aviation YouTuber Dan Grider, who examined the evidence, supported the siblings’ claims, noting a striking resemblance between the sketch of Richard McCoy Jr. and the FBI’s DB Cooper. The FBI reached out to the McCoys in 2023, collected evidence, searched their mother’s home, and obtained a DNA sample from Rick.
According to Rick, the FBI agents mentioned that exhuming his father’s body might be the next step. However, the agency has not confirmed any plans to do so, maintaining that the case was officially closed in 2016 due to a lack of viable leads.
McCoy’s claims have sparked new intrigue in the mystery, with skeptics and enthusiasts alike debating whether DB Cooper’s true identity may finally be revealed.
The DB Cooper Story: America’s Greatest Aviation Mystery
The story of DB Cooper is one of the most enduring mysteries in modern American history. It centers on an unknown man who, on November 24, 1971, pulls off a daring skyjacking that continues to confound investigators and intrigue the public 50 years later.
The Heist
On the day before Thanksgiving, a man identifying himself as “Dan Cooper” purchased a $20 one-way ticket at Portland International Airport for Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305 bound for Seattle, Washington. He was described as calm and well-dressed, wearing a dark suit, tie and sunglasses.
Shortly after takeoff, Cooper passed a note to the flight attendant, initially dismissed as merely an attempt at flirtation. When she finally reads it, she is shocked to see a message that says Cooper has a bomb in his briefcase. To prove his claim, he opened the case to reveal wires, batteries and sticks of dynamite. He then quietly issued his demands: $200,000 in cash (about $1.54 million in today’s money), four parachutes, and a fuel truck parked in Seattle to refuel the plane.
The airline complied, and after landing in Seattle, the passengers were released in exchange for money and parachutes. Cooper kept several crew members onboard and ordered the pilot to take off again, heading to Mexico City at a lower altitude and slower speed to accommodate his next move.
Escape
Somewhere in the rugged jungle between Seattle and Reno, Nevada, Cooper opened the plane’s rear hatch and parachuted into the night, disappearing with the ransom money. Alerted soon after the plane landed safely in Reno, the FBI launched an exhaustive search. They combed the vast forests of the Pacific Northwest, but found no sign of Cooper, his parachute, or the money. The search area, however, was vast and difficult to navigate, leading many to speculate whether he had survived the jump.
investigation
The FBI codenamed the case “Norjak” (Northwest Hijacking) and spent decades chasing leads. Their primary suspect pool includes professional skydivers, military personnel, and individuals with aviation skills. Over the years, they investigated numerous suspects, but none were definitively linked to the crime.
A significant break came in 1980 when a young boy found $5,800 in mutilated $20 bills buried along the Columbia River in Washington. The serial numbers matched the ransom money, but no other physical evidence was found.