FBI: 'Credible lead' surfaces in D.B. Cooper case

[Ruffdaddy]

He probably died during the jump. But the outlaw wants me to believe hes out cruising Mexico in zeds chopper.

[SMKR]

What is the statute of limitations for crimes such as these?

Stevo

39 years

[musclestang89]

Lol this case was on prison break

[Vertnut]

He probably died during the jump. But the outlaw wants me to believe hes out cruising Mexico in zeds chopper.

He's not dead. They've always said that no one could survive the jump from a 727 at 200knots, yet there's a club that re-creates his jump every year to commemmorate what he did. There's a bunch of them that do it, and not a one has died. Witnesses even said he had 2 chutes, and knew which one to use for a short, fast jump.

[scootro]

He's not dead. They've always said that no one could survive the jump from a 727 at 200knots, yet there's a club that re-creates his jump every year to commemmorate what he did. There's a bunch of them that do it, and not a one has died. Witnesses even said he had 2 chutes, and knew which one to use for a short, fast jump.

I believe Kenneth Christiansen was D.B. Cooper





In 2003 a Minnesota resident named Lyle Christiansen, after watching a television documentary about the Cooper hijacking, became convinced that his elder brother Kenneth was D. B. Cooper. After repeated futile attempts to convince first the FBI, and then the author and film director Nora Ephron (who he hoped would make a movie about the case), he contacted a private investigator in New York. In 2010 the detective published a book theorizing that Christiansen was indeed the hijacker. In early 2011 a History Channel documentary also summarized the circumstantial evidence linking Christiansen to the Cooper case.

Christiansen enlisted in the Army in 1944, and was trained as a paratrooper. The war had ended by the time he was deployed in 1945, but he did make occasional training jumps (for bonus money) while stationed in Japan with occupation forces in the late 1940s. After leaving the Army he joined Northwest Orient in 1954 as a mechanic in the South Pacific, and subsequently became a flight attendant, and then a purser, based in Seattle. Christiansen was 45 years old at the time of the hijacking, but he was shorter (5 ft. 8 in.), thinner (150 pounds), and lighter-complected than eyewitness descriptions. He was also balder; but his brother claims he wore a toupée routinely prior to the Cooper hijacking, and never wore it again afterward. Another witness, a longtime friend, confirmed that Christiansen ceased wearing his toupée after the hijacking, and claimed (as have proponents of other suspects that she recognized the hijacker's tie clip as one belonging to Christiansen. Christiansen smoked (as did the hijacker), and displayed a particular fondness for bourbon (Cooper's preferred beverage). He was also left-handed. (Evidence photos of Cooper's black tie show the tie clip applied from the left side, suggesting a left-handed wearer. Flight attendant Florence Schaffner told a reporter that photos of Christiansen fit her memory of the hijacker’s appearance more closely than those of other suspects she had been shown. (Tina Mucklow, who had the most contact with Cooper, has never granted a press interview.

Christiansen reportedly purchased a house with cash a few months after the hijacking. While dying of cancer in 1994, he told Lyle, “There is something you should know, but I cannot tell you.” Lyle said he never pressed his brother to explain. After his death family members discovered gold coins and a valuable stamp collection, along with over $200,000 in his bank accounts. They also found a folder of news clippings about Northwest Orient which began about the time he was hired in the 1950s, and stopped just prior to the date of the hijacking, despite the fact that the hijacking was by far the most momentous news event in the airline's history. Christiansen continued to work part-time for the airline for many years after 1971, but apparently never clipped another Northwest news story.

Despite the recent flurry of publicity, the FBI is standing by its position that Christiansen cannot be considered a prime suspect. They cite a poor match to eyewitness physical descriptions (despite Lyle’s toupée theory), a level of skydiving expertise above that predicted by their suspect profile, and an absence of direct incriminating evidence.

[Vertnut]

I believe Kenneth Christiansen was D.B. Cooper





In 2003 a Minnesota resident named Lyle Christiansen, after watching a television documentary about the Cooper hijacking, became convinced that his elder brother Kenneth was D. B. Cooper. After repeated futile attempts to convince first the FBI, and then the author and film director Nora Ephron (who he hoped would make a movie about the case), he contacted a private investigator in New York. In 2010 the detective published a book theorizing that Christiansen was indeed the hijacker. In early 2011 a History Channel documentary also summarized the circumstantial evidence linking Christiansen to the Cooper case.

Christiansen enlisted in the Army in 1944, and was trained as a paratrooper. The war had ended by the time he was deployed in 1945, but he did make occasional training jumps (for bonus money) while stationed in Japan with occupation forces in the late 1940s. After leaving the Army he joined Northwest Orient in 1954 as a mechanic in the South Pacific, and subsequently became a flight attendant, and then a purser, based in Seattle. Christiansen was 45 years old at the time of the hijacking, but he was shorter (5 ft. 8 in.), thinner (150 pounds), and lighter-complected than eyewitness descriptions. He was also balder; but his brother claims he wore a toupée routinely prior to the Cooper hijacking, and never wore it again afterward. Another witness, a longtime friend, confirmed that Christiansen ceased wearing his toupée after the hijacking, and claimed (as have proponents of other suspects that she recognized the hijacker's tie clip as one belonging to Christiansen. Christiansen smoked (as did the hijacker), and displayed a particular fondness for bourbon (Cooper's preferred beverage). He was also left-handed. (Evidence photos of Cooper's black tie show the tie clip applied from the left side, suggesting a left-handed wearer. Flight attendant Florence Schaffner told a reporter that photos of Christiansen fit her memory of the hijacker’s appearance more closely than those of other suspects she had been shown. (Tina Mucklow, who had the most contact with Cooper, has never granted a press interview.

Christiansen reportedly purchased a house with cash a few months after the hijacking. While dying of cancer in 1994, he told Lyle, “There is something you should know, but I cannot tell you.” Lyle said he never pressed his brother to explain. After his death family members discovered gold coins and a valuable stamp collection, along with over $200,000 in his bank accounts. They also found a folder of news clippings about Northwest Orient which began about the time he was hired in the 1950s, and stopped just prior to the date of the hijacking, despite the fact that the hijacking was by far the most momentous news event in the airline's history. Christiansen continued to work part-time for the airline for many years after 1971, but apparently never clipped another Northwest news story.

Despite the recent flurry of publicity, the FBI is standing by its position that Christiansen cannot be considered a prime suspect. They cite a poor match to eyewitness physical descriptions (despite Lyle’s toupée theory), a level of skydiving expertise above that predicted by their suspect profile, and an absence of direct incriminating evidence.

I saw this also, and I concur.

[Ruffdaddy]

He's not dead. They've always said that no one could survive the jump from a 727 at 200knots, yet there's a club that re-creates his jump every year to commemmorate what he did. There's a bunch of them that do it, and not a one has died. Witnesses even said he had 2 chutes, and knew which one to use for a short, fast jump.

In heavy storms with a crappy parachute?

[Grimpala]

Guys, Dax, Seth, and Matt already put this one to bed, DB cooper was in a mine shaft dead, and now Burt Reynolds has his bones so that he can bury them properly.

[Treasure Chest]

I saw this also, and I concur.

They have a DB Cooper DNA sample. Why haven't they attempted to match it to Christianson's brother instead of saying, 'He doesn't appear to meet the physical description of DB Cooper.'

[lowthreeohz]

Christiansen's brother died in 94, and the family may not want him exumed? or perhaps he was cremated?

[Treasure Chest]

Christiansen's brother died in 94, and the family may not want him exumed? or perhaps he was cremated?

I saw where it said that Christiansen died in 94, but it doesn't say that his brother is dead. If he's blood, they'd be able to compare DNA markers between the brothers.

[lowthreeohz]

I saw where it said that Christiansen died in 94, but it doesn't say that his brother is dead. If he's blood, they'd be able to compare DNA markers between the brothers.

Ah. Was confused about which Christiansen we were talking about. And I'm not sure that they have DNA, but rather fingerprints from articles left on the plane.

[Treasure Chest]

Ah. Was confused about which Christiansen we were talking about. And I'm not sure that they have DNA, but rather fingerprints from articles left on the plane.

They have a DNA sample from DB Cooper's tie, and used it to rule one guy out, but they ruled out Christiansen by saying he didn't match the physical description. You'd think they'd use DNA rather than just saying, 'He was bald and two inches shorter than the height the flight attendants gave us.'

[Vertnut]

In heavy storms with a crappy parachute?

It was raining, and he had two chutes, one of which was made for "adverse conditions". Do paratroopers never jump in the rain?

[Ruffdaddy]

It was raining, and he had two chutes, one of which was made for "adverse conditions". Do paratroopers never jump in the rain?

I know most of the skydive places won't let people jump if it's windy...but I can't answer if skydivers ever jump in heavy storms. I'm pointing out that your example proves nothing unless they did the test jumps in a heavy storm.

And he had four parachutes, 2 of which he cannibalized for the chords. Of the two he jumped with, one was a dummy used for training that would not open. The second was less advanced and inferior to the ones he cannibalized.

Even if he survived...he probably wouldnt have made it far alive.