DB Cooper Parachute Test Stopped Amid FBI Evidence Hunt
A Mysterious Pause in Parachute Testing
A SCIENTIST independently investigating the DB Cooper mystery was abruptly blocked from testing one of the parachutes handled by the skyjacker just as the FBI began hunting for new DNA evidence. Tom Kaye, a paleontologist by trade, had been scheduled to conduct tests last fall on one of the two parachutes left behind by Cooper aboard the hijacked Northwest Orient Flight 305.
An Unexpected Obstacle
The parachute is currently in the custody of the Washington State History Museum. Kaye had been set to swab the inside of a pouch on the chute for DNA as it’s believed Cooper may have put his hand into it to retrieve a packing card. The arrangements were put in place by another independent Cooper investigator, Pat Boland. However, just a few weeks before the tests were due to occur in late October, the museum suddenly pulled the plug on the scheme without explanation.
A Curious Turn of Events
It was around this time that the FBI appears to have reopened the DB Cooper case, having announced its official closure in 2016. As previously revealed by The U.S. Sun, the FBI reached out to the family of one-time lead suspect Richard Floyd McCoy Jr. in the summer of 2023 to obtain a DNA sample to compare with the current evidence they had in the case, which McCoy’s son provided. Kaye called the timing of his halted project with the Washington State History Museum and the FBI’s rejuvenation of the Cooper probe an “interesting coincidence.”
‘FULL-COURT PRESS’
FBI’s Ongoing Investigation
The FBI has repeatedly declined to comment on whether it’s still actively investigating the November 1971 hijacking of Northwest Orient Flight 305, which remains the only unsolved crime of its kind in US history. Carr said it’s his understanding the case was never really closed, despite the bureau’s 2016 announcement declaring it so.
The Case Reopened
For the FBI to officially reopen the case, Carr said it would take something significant, such as someone finding one of Cooper’s parachutes, uncovering more of his ransom money, or sharing a compelling story that could be verified by the police. Richard McCoy’s son, Rick McCoy, believes he has done precisely that, providing potential new leads in the long-standing mystery.
DNA PUSH
New Developments in DNA Analysis
While Rick McCoy is certain his dad was DB Cooper, investigators like Kaye and Ulis believe there’s a zero-percent chance he was. The ongoing push for DNA testing and analysis aims to bring new advancements to light in solving the elusive case of DB Cooper, with researchers hopeful that breakthroughs are on the horizon.