Sunday, August 20, 2017

New potential evidence emerges in D.B. Cooper hijacking case




A team of sleuths said the FBI has accepted new evidence that could be linked to D.B. Cooper’s 46-year-old cold case.

The potential evidence, described by private investigators as “an odd piece of buried foam” is believed to be one of the key materials that made up Cooper’s parachute backpack.

The discovery comes weeks after investigators uncovered what they believe are remnants of a parachute strap once worn by Cooper — an airplane hijacker who demanded a $200,000 ransom before jumping out of the back of a Northwest Boeing 727.

In 1980, some of the ransom cash was recovered on the Columbira River, between Washington and Oregon. But authorities never arrested the man claiming to be Dan Cooper.

The FBI received three other “unknown” fabric samples, too, according to a statement issued Friday.

The materials were found near where the alleged parachute strap was uncovered on Aug. 3.

Thomas Colbert, a former media executive and police trainer spearheaded the efforts behind the discoveries. He and his wife, Dawna, organized a 40-member Cooper cold case team (CCT) overseen by former FBI supervisor Hadley McCann.

 The CCT established the dig site after a credible source said they’d been given details about Cooper’s escape — which allegedly ended at the site. The Colberts obtained FBI field notes and memos that substantiated the story.

The Colberts also turned over the names of two potential Cooper accomplices, who they believe helped Cooper bury evidence and escape.

Colbert, who runs a website dedicated to the investigation, has long believed — and still maintains — that Vietnam veteran Robert Rackstraw, now in his 70s, is the criminal.

However the onetime FBI suspect was released, and in 2016, the FBI said it was no longer actively pursuing its investigation into the notorious case.

The Colberts maintain a website called DBCooper.com dedicated to documenting developments in the case.

Read more here ➤ http://www.nydailynews.com

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