WA WA - D.B. Cooper hijacking mystery, 24 Nov 1971 - #1

[scandi]

A bunch I bet! They're on it like white on rice, and I hope that means they know exactly where he is right now. I think our friends here have done all the work, all the FBI has to do now is put it together for a court ready case!

Adnoid I bet even a lot of the info you gave to Left will be appreciated by the FBI.

I bet KOIN has been busy today too. lol I've got it on KOIN now for the 5pm newscast in case they have this last spot included.

Scandi

 

[lorann]

I'm just thinking, if the local FBI is really all over this, I wonder if they have contacted the individuals involved during the hijacking. But I bet they would be surprised to hear that many of us are concerned about them too.

It would be great for you two fellows to be on CNN or FOX, and get recognition for all of your work in catching this bum. But after reading how much money is paid by ET and the likes, after the FBI pays you a reward (?), after CNN, go for the big bucks.

Just curious, the show was taped ahead of time and you were there. But after editing, were you aware of what would actually be shown? I hope the whole thing was kept by KOIN for when you all get really famous for taking down Dan Cooper!

 

[JDB]

I'm just thinking, if the local FBI is really all over this, I wonder if they have contacted the individuals involved during the hijacking. But I bet they would be surprised to hear that many of us are concerned about them too.

It would be great for you two fellows to be on CNN or FOX, and get recognition for all of your work in catching this bum. But after reading how much money is paid by ET and the likes, after the FBI pays you a reward (?), after CNN, go for the big bucks.

Just curious, the show was taped ahead of time and you were there. But after editing, were you aware of what would actually be shown? I hope the whole thing was kept by KOIN for when you all get really famous for taking down Dan Cooper!

.
You know that is the part that has bothered me from the get-go.If they are so sure they have solved D.B. Cooper. Why not go to the big networks to begin with? I feel D.B is dead and got away with this one.

 

[Mysticchic]

I believe Left is talking to a pretty big news show right about now and he and his partner is being interviewed.

 

[lorann]

JDB, we might be surprised how many stories started out on smaller networks. I think the cable stations all report the very same news every night, at 7, then the next one at 8, etc. Then flip to another station, same stories. They rotate - bash Bush, Anna Nichol, Paris Hilton, I guess they call that competition. But every once in a while, someone does something different and they only do that when someone lets them know - perhaps a watcher alerts them to a story say - about an unsolved mystery. I have read everything here, finally got to watch the videos, this is disgusting and if he in fact is the hijacker, deserves to be arrested for his crime. If not, further investigation will eliminate him.

Gosh, I feel like I know these guys and am very proud of them.

 

[scandi]

JDB, we might be surprised how many stories started out on smaller networks. I think the cable stations all report the very same news every night, at 7, then the next one at 8, etc. Then flip to another station, same stories. They rotate - bash Bush, Anna Nichol, Paris Hilton, I guess they call that competition. But every once in a while, someone does something different and they only do that when someone lets them know - perhaps a watcher alerts them to a story say - about an unsolved mystery. I have read everything here, finally got to watch the videos, this is disgusting and if he in fact is the hijacker, deserves to be arrested for his crime. If not, further investigation will eliminate him.

Gosh, I feel like I know these guys and am very proud of them.

Hi Lorann, Somtimes Cowbows are wrong, right? I agree about news often starting out locally, and KOIN is a local station for this story as the hijacking is a Portland crime, with the local Feds working on the case.

There is something else I pointed out earlier that I think means a lot. KOIN thought it was a fascinating 'people' story or they wouldn't have gone to the expense of making this 3 spot series. But they had to have approval from their bank of attorneys in order to put it on the air. Make sure they couldn't be sued, especially outing the hijacker by using his given name to the public.

That says not only do their investigators feel there is a 99% chance the case of D.B. Cooper is solved, but they must feel what they dug up is most likely the truth. IMHO

Scandi

PS Lorann, I agree with you about the rest of your post too. I hope they are being wined and dined tonight! Left is a CPA I believe, and they don't work nights usually, and he has been gone for just hours. ;|

 

[scandi]

I believe Left is talking to a pretty big news show right about now and he and his partner is being interviewed.

Hi Mysticchic, I hope you're psychic! LOLOLOLOLOL Gee, he thinks CNN. When I called the station this afternoon the gal in news did tell me that Katie Couric is a CBS gal. Maybe CNN and CBS are affiliated. Boy, I would love to see Anderson Cooper do the story. Would that be like Kharmaic! YaYa

 

[AlwaysShocked]

I went to the TV station's website, but can't find a link to the reports. Are the videos available on their website and if so, could someone please post a link here? Thanks a lot!

 

[lorann]

scandi, when the guys go on the big network to chat, they ought to take you along too - you can tell how you got all the gang from websleuths help cheer them on! Ya know, people of the same ILK!

 

[leftcoast]

Hey ya

Just did get back from a "meeting". The story will probably going national either tomorrow or Friday, if the "show" decides the air.

I did mention earlier the show was going national, somepeople are good detectives.

thanks for contacting the Feds. I want more than anything to have this case solved.

When it comes to the FEDs, I can guarantee you have done the right thing related to notifying them. But, when someone has already been cleared, sometimes the FEDS don't take a case seriously until they see the case on tv.

thanks to all

left

 

[leftcoast]

Who said I don't work nights. I work 24 hours a day.

Anyway, the war has started.

It seems our suspect has told others that we "asked him to lie and tell everyone he was Cooper".

Too bad he doesn't know that we taped every single conversation we had with him.

I guess we will have to chalk this up to another one of his lies.

left

 

[scandi]

Hi Left, I didn't really think of calling the FBI to notify them, you know, just to see if they were aware of the KOIN airing about DB. I was totally amazed at their response, from the gal who answered the phone to the agent she put on the line. I just talked to him literally seconds, as it was like he was all prepared to talk to people. This was at 4:45, and that was the other thing that amazed me, that they had live people answering a FBI telephone, and I wouldn't have been surprised if I would have had to leave a message.

They were already hot on it Left, and maybe they are involved with what is going on now in this war you speak of. I am so glad you had the forethought to record everything. And I think our local FBI has had a major wake up call, to be so 'outed, with Jeff Gianola saying "Hoovers FBI agents coldn't solve it. Two local amateur . . ." Maybe the retired agent told them about what KOIN was doing, and didn't you meet with another agent?

Why wouldn't they decide to air the 'show'? It would all depend on how they approach the crime and then qualify what they say about Mayfield, right?

Well please keep us posted. I am anxious to hear the last spot tonight. Anything that can be done, just hollar, OK? Scandi

 

[scandi]

Hi Always Shocked, Here is the link: http://www.koin.com/

On the right half of the page you will see a little box that says TOP VIDEO. Under that is a listing of videos, and the 4th one down is the one about D.B. Cooper. Make sure it is checkmarked, and at the bottom of the list there is another box that says something like 'play all checked'. I think it is the promo for tonights show, but after it is done it might play another video of yesterdays spot.

Scandi

PS:L There are two other videos there about DB Cooper if you run on down that list of videos. Did he survive, and DB Cooper Unmasked. The show promo for tonight is 'Tonight at 11 - Eyewitnesses describe DB Cooper.

 

[KarlK]

One reason you may want to request chutes, is to give the impression that you don't own a parachute or have access to chutes. Since he was a rigger, wouldn't the FBI focus more on active skydivers, riggers, if they knew Cooper had his own chute?

Wouldn't they still focus on those anyway? They would likely figure that a man choosing to use a parachute to leave an aircraft probably knows how to use one. Also around 1970 there were still many thousands of former paratroopers in the US most of whom would likely have known where to procure a parachute. In fact this possibility was evoked very early on by the investigators and this is something Cooper would have known would happen. That's why I don't think he had any reasons to create the impression that he didn't have a parachute when indeed he had one. Back then fancy backpacks were not a common sight so I imagine it wouldn't have been that simple to bring a bulky parachute aboard a flight without it being noticed.

 

[leftcoast]

Tonights show just aired. They concluded that Mayfield was probably too young to be Cooper. Mainly because the guy who sold Cooper his ticket said Cooper was about 47 years old. Actually, the range of age of Cooper varied from 30 to 50. that is according to H-bach's book.

According to the actual FBI website, Cooper is described as between 40-50, 5 ft 10- 6 ft tall.


Throughout H-bach's book, he describes Cooper as stocky, compact. How can somebody be compact at 6 ft tall? How tall is compact?

Anyway, the piece states Mayfield is too stocky and short. He is 5"8, and was wearing dress shoes and a black suit. However, he sat down the entire flight, except at the end.

by the way, the guy who sold Cooper his ticket, is quoted in H-bach's book at stating the guy was middle-aged. He sold hundreds of tickets that day, and was reached at home at about 7pm that night. How he remembered the exact age of someone who bought a ticket, among hundreds that day, is hard to believe.

Himmelsbach gave the following information"

He stated the range of the hijacker was from age 45-55. Not TRUE. We interviewed one of three eyewitnesses, who told us the hijacker was about 40. She is the witness who Cooper gave his ransom note to.

H-bach also thinks he didn't do anything wrong in the investigation.

Hmm

He never interviewed the flight attendants

He allowed a convicted felon to assist him in the investigation

He never did catch Cooper

H-bach thinks 'Cooper wore sunglasses because his eyes were sensitive to light

H-bach never considered cooper might have been wearing a disguise.

He never did find the body.

He never asked Mayfield where he was during the hijacking.

He never asked Mayfield what he did for a living.

He never looked into Mayfield's finances.

He never assumed Mayfield could have planned the crime.

He never talked to the victims of Mayfield's armed robbery to find out what happened.

He never talked to Mayfields boss. H-bach thought Mayfield had a skydiving business as a career. when he was in fact a truck driver.

He never found out Mayfield was divorced and had a child living in Seattle

He never found out Mayfield was having his Cessna repossessed.

He never found out Mayfield was buzzing his neighbors property in Donald because they were complaining about the noise of his planes, and that he was using their land as a runway.

He never found out the FAA was investigating Mayfield and shutting down his skydiving school.

He never asked Mayfield why he has been lying about the FBi calling him duirng the hijacking.

He never put two and two together in 1977 when Mayfield was popped for stealing an airplane, and figuring out the guy was a career thief. Not to mention stealing electricty conviction in 1988.

Himmelsbach even admitted Mayfield was callous, yet, he is calling in to help authorities find the hijacker.

Mayfield never did suggest any suspects to the FBi

Himmelsbach never talked to the FAA about their 20 year vendetta against Mayfield.

H-bach never did ask about the 13 people killed at mayfield's skydiving school, or how Mayfield changed the ownership of his business into his wives name and defied a judges order to stop skydiving lessons. Or that Mayfield continued flying an airplane without a pilots license.

Himmelsbach will never admit to screwing up this investigation that has cost two innocent women their chance at working as flight attendants.

He never solved the case.

Hmm. Why in the world in the case unsolved? Could it be because of human error?


I can't believe that people won't admit when they make a mistake.

Believe it or not, Cooper wore sunglasses to alter his appearance. He also wore dark clothing, and a long raincoat to conceal his height and weight. He also was known to have dyed his hair or have on a toupee. who is to say he didn't wear makeup to appear older, or that simply the witnesses were wrong in their identification which happens quite often.

Some experts, including a retired FBi agent in Salt Lake City, are 100% convinced that Richard McCoy is Cooper. Richard McCoy was only 29 years old at the time. He was only 5"8 and had blue eyes. I'll bet H-bach eliminated him sight on seen because he wasn't exactly 45, 5"10, and had dark skin.

Does anybody think that maybe the flight attendants were scared, and their main concern was their lives, not getting a good description. think about it, how accurate of a guess can a scared 22 year old have when it comes to guessing the age of a man in dark sunglasses, with dyed hair, dark suit, and somebody who is threatening to kill you. Hmm, some might think they were more interested in saving their own lives, than getting a good description.

Taxpayers wasted two million dollars on this case.

I'm very discouraged with some people's ability to put their pride ahead of what is right.


left

 

[leftcoast]

But...did he ever actually say that?

No, he never admitted to being Cooper.

l

 

[leftcoast]

Wouldn't they still focus on those anyway? They would likely figure that a man choosing to use a parachute to leave an aircraft probably knows how to use one. Also around 1970 there were still many thousands of former paratroopers in the US most of whom would likely have known where to procure a parachute. In fact this possibility was evoked very early on by the investigators and this is something Cooper would have known would happen. That's why I don't think he had any reasons to create the impression that he didn't have a parachute when indeed he had one. Back then fancy backpacks were not a common sight so I imagine it wouldn't have been that simple to bring a bulky parachute aboard a flight without it being noticed.

Actually, two weeks before the Cooper heist, a man had brought a parachute aboard a flight and tried to hijack the flight. the man was overpowered and Cooper got his idea from this.

left

 

[leftcoast]

Does anybody here think that H-bach should have asked Mayfield where he was during the hours of 2-8pm on 11/24/71?

does anybody think H-bach should have looked at Mayfield's finances?

Does anybody think a proud man will admit he made a mistake?

Does anybody think a News organization will try to keep from getting sued?

left

 

[leftcoast]

By the way, this war is just starting

Question:

If you were the FBI agent assigned to this case, and over 12 people called in on one particular suspect, would you at least give these people the courtesy of calling them back and asking them why they think he is the hijacker?

why? Because maybe, just maybe, one of them heard about the plan, or saw something, or was an accomplice.

Or, would you simply have tunnel vision, waste 2 million dollars, still have your pride, and act as if you did a good job investigating the case?

left

A smart man, Steve Rinehart, interviewed me last summer, and stated the following. "something must have been done wrong in the investigation since the crime is still unsolved", either the eyewitness account is not accurate, the drop zone is not accurate, or simply an investigator eliminated the wrong suspect. Food for thought.

 

[leftcoast]

doesnt' the FBI teach agents to ask people where they were when a crime was "committed"?

Or does the FBI teach agents to ask people where they were two hours after a crime was committed?

I forget.

left