The mystery surrounding infamous skyjacker D.B. Cooper has taken a new turn, as the children of Richard McCoy Jr., a former suspect in the decades-old case, claim to have discovered evidence linking their father to the legendary crime. The family recently revealed they found a hidden parachute among McCoy’s possessions, reigniting speculation that he was the man who vanished after hijacking a plane in 1971.
McCoy, who was already suspected of another hijacking in 1972, was killed in a shootout with law enforcement later that year. Though investigators had previously ruled him out as D.B. Cooper due to differences in physical descriptions and timing, the parachute discovery has raised questions about the initial investigation.
The children argue that the parachute, combined with their father’s military background and criminal history, strengthens the case that he was the elusive Cooper. They’ve called for renewed attention to his potential role in the high-profile crime, which saw a man parachute from a plane with $200,000 in ransom money, disappearing without a trace.
FBI officials, who closed the D.B. Cooper investigation in 2016 after failing to conclusively identify the hijacker, have not commented on the family’s claims. Experts remain divided on whether McCoy could be Cooper, with some pointing to key differences in the cases and others emphasizing the similarities.
The revelation has reignited public fascination with one of America’s most enduring mysteries. Whether the parachute and family claims lead to new breakthroughs remains to be seen, but the renewed attention underscores the case’s hold on the nation’s imagination more than 50 years later.