WA WA - D.B. Cooper Hijacking Mystery, 24 Nov 1971 #4

[kemo]

Ted Braden pushes a lot of button. He was a skilled military parachutist with a reputation as a “ dare devil” who engaged in criminal activity as a civilian. His backstory is interesting reading. He was the right age and lived in the Vancouver Wa area at the time. Photos I have seen aren’t exactly a match but are not clearly inconsistent. The big problem with him is that he was only 5’8” and had blue eyes. Witnesses, including Tina Mucklow, all had DB as brown eyes and between 5’10” and 6’1” (on the tall side). 5’8” is definitely “on the short side”. I don’t see multiple people being wrong on these two points.

 

[george14]

Splitting the height down the middle means DB was around 5'11.5". That is a far cry from 5'8" and not something people would be that far off on especially given the timeframe where 5'8" was average male height; 6'0" would be considered tall.

 

[dub]

Splitting the height down the middle means DB was around 5'11.5". That is a far cry from 5'8" and not something people would be that far off on especially given the timeframe where 5'8" was average male height; 6'0" would be considered tall.

I’m conflicted on this.

On one hand, like Braden I am exactly 5’8 in bare feet, and I for sure have been mistaken for 5’10 in shoes, but I can’t see anyone ever mistaking me for 5’11.5.

On the other, I do a lot of Israel Keyes research, and I’ve noticed in that case the vast majority of sightings/interactions with him by strangers eyeballed his height as 5’10, when in reality he was 6’2. So through that lens the Braden discrepancy does at least seem possible.

 

[kemo]

I’m conflicted on this.

On one hand, like Braden I am exactly 5’8 in bare feet, and I for sure have been mistaken for 5’10 in shoes, but I can’t see anyone ever mistaking me for 5’11.5.

On the other, I do a lot of Israel Keyes research, and I’ve noticed in that case the vast majority of sightings/interactions with him by strangers eyeballed his height as 5’10, when in reality he was 6’2. So through that lens the Braden discrepancy does at least seem possible.

There is also the eye color issue. All of the witnesses were pretty sure DB had brown eyes. Braden had blue eyes (see the photo above). It isn’t clear from the above picture but even during his days in Vietnam he was clearly balding and by DB was never described as balding. There isn’t a lot of information out there on the FBI’s investigation of Braden but I get the impression he was identified pretty quickly as a Person of Interest. He was possibly reported by someone he served with.

Apparently Braden was involved in the MACVSOG program in Vietnam which was run by the CIA and was highly classified in 1971. It has been speculated that the CIA may have “intervened” to keep him out of the investigation. By the end of the decade however, information regarding the program had been made public and there would have been no reason to cover up his involvement. The CIA does not appear to have helped him when he was arrested for property crimes involving the trucking industry in the mid 1970’s.

 

[Nate_Bro]

I came here to say he reminds me of this missing man from 1970, but the more I read up about D B Cooper the more I think that McCoy is the one.

Canada's Missing | Case details

www.services.rcmp-grc.gc.ca

 

[Sweetluv]

I assume DB would have needed a ride to the airport. Since 1971, no one has ever came forwarded to say they gave him a ride . One would think a man in a suit, dress shoes, and a briefcase would stand out if hitchhiking and with all the publicity, no taxi cab driver has ever came forward either. So no report of an abandoned car at the airport leads me to think he had an accomplice to drop him off. But, after he jumped, because there could be no pinpoint accuracy as to where he was going to land, how was he planning to leave...it would be pretty conspicuous walking around with a bag of money. This was well planned..and I'm sure DB had this all figured out ahead of time. Whether he made it or not, nothing ever found except for a stack of money in the sand..which is interesting because it was stacked..that says to me it was put there.

 

[Breezymcdreamypants]

hey how about Ralph cooper? his brothers name was Dan and he got shot when they were young by the FBI, then he was working at a lab in Tennessee and got laid off...usually I don't agree with ulis on much but this one is intriguing

 

[Bounceycat]

hey how about Ralph cooper? his brothers name was Dan and he got shot when they were young by the FBI, then he was working at a lab in Tennessee and got laid off...usually I don't agree with ulis on much but this one is intriguing

Can you share some links to read more? Thanks

 

[Breezymcdreamypants]

Can you share some links to read more? Thanks

Nuclear bombshell could FINALLY crack infamous DB Cooper case

On November 24, 1971, a well-dressed, middle-aged man identifying himself as Dan Cooper hijacked Northwest Airlines Flight 305 during a flight takking off from Portland, Oregon.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Obituary for Ralph "Weary" R.E. Cooper at Holley Gamble Funeral Home -Clinton I think this is his obituary

I know it's daily mail but this is still a relatively knew thing I never heard about him until about 6 months ago, I'm looking to find some stuff about the brother who was killed in 1960 the story was they were looking for a cop killer on the run and a police man shot Dan and his dad by mistake, the dad lived Dan died and the family sued the police for wrongful death seeking 200,000 dollars (quite a coincidence)
edit: the lawsuit was thrown out by the state too which would be a hell of a motive

 

[lonewanderer]

I was watching an Unsolved Mysteries rerun and...did I hear this correctly? 10,000 feet??

I was an Army paratrooper and high for us was 3,000 feet on a static line.

Highly specialized skydivers (HALO/HAHO) jump between 15-35,000 feet, requiring equipment for oxygen.

So....a theory that just hit me. Maybe nothing has ever been found of him because he is buried 10 feet in the ground face or feet first.

I wonder if he died before he hit the ground or if he could not get his parachute to deploy (or both) effectively becoming a lawn dart at 120+ miles per hour.

 

[Vern]

I was watching an Unsolved Mysteries rerun and...did I hear this correctly? 10,000 feet??

I was an Army paratrooper and high for us was 3,000 feet on a static line.

Highly specialized skydivers (HALO/HAHO) jump between 15-35,000 feet, requiring equipment for oxygen.

So....a theory that just hit me. Maybe nothing has ever been found of him because he is buried 10 feet in the ground face or feet first.

I wonder if he died before he hit the ground or if he could not get his parachute to deploy (or both) effectively becoming a lawn dart at 120+ miles per hour.

10-12k feet is normal for freefall without requirement for HALO. Certainly doable and routine. They even have a tandem happening in the pic linked below from 12k feet.

On a Weather day? That's the great debate.

Canadian Forces Parachute Demonstration Team

SkyHawks Canada

SkyHawks Canada. 24,854 likes · 35 talking about this · 21 were here. The SkyHawks are Canada's only military parachute team | Les SkyHawks sont la seule équipe de parachutistes militaires de...

www.facebook.com

.

 

[Caring1]

April 16, 2025

Cove City, Craven County — The mystery of D.B. Cooper, the infamous hijacker who vanished with $200,000 after leaping from a plane in 1971, may be closer to being solved. The FBI is examining a parachute rigging discovered in a barn in Craven County, which could potentially identify Cooper.

North Carolina evidence could finally unmask D.B. Cooper

The case, the FBI's only unsolved air piracy incident, has intrigued the nation for over 50 years.

wlos.com

 

[JustinW]

April 16, 2025

Cove City, Craven County — The mystery of D.B. Cooper, the infamous hijacker who vanished with $200,000 after leaping from a plane in 1971, may be closer to being solved. The FBI is examining a parachute rigging discovered in a barn in Craven County, which could potentially identify Cooper.

North Carolina evidence could finally unmask D.B. Cooper

The case, the FBI's only unsolved air piracy incident, has intrigued the nation for over 50 years.

wlos.com

Unfortunately that parachute does not match the original description.

 

[Defis]

Analysis: Linking John List to D.B. Cooper

This analysis is based on documented evidence from FBI records, including the FBI Vault (NORJAK case files) and historical reports. No new physical evidence is introduced; instead, new correlations are drawn from existing data.

Note: The following is a summary and rough summary of my initial analysis (21,151 characters, 3,048 words). For the full version, see the attached PDF document. Read the summary if you're short on time, or dive into the full document to learn all the details!

1. Timeline and Chronology​

The critical period is November 9–24, 1971. On November 9, John List murdered his family in Westfield, New Jersey, staging the scene to delay discovery. On November 24, D.B. Cooper hijacked Northwest Orient Flight 305, parachuting with $200,000. This 15-day window suggests a premeditated escalation from murder to hijacking, leveraging the time to plan an escape (Page 3).

2. Deceptive Tactics​

Both cases feature misdirection. List left a note implying the family had left, delaying police action. Cooper demanded a Mexico City flight path, a feint to mislead the FBI. This consistency in deception points to a shared strategy (Page 7).

3. Psychological Profile​

List’s methodical execution of the murders—planned over months, executed without panic—mirrors Cooper’s calm demeanor during the hijack. Both avoided violence when unnecessary, suggesting a calculated mindset. List’s religious justification for the killings aligns with a moral framework that could rationalize the hijacking (Page 5).

4. Financial Motivation​

List sold assets before disappearing, leaving only ~$50,000 in liquid assets. This financial strain could have driven him to seek a larger sum via hijacking, funding a new identity for 18 years (Page 4).

5. Conclusion​

The 15-day interval, deceptive tactics, and psychological fit propose John List as a plausible D.B. Cooper. This hypothesis offers a fresh perspective for further investigation, supported by FOIA requests (Page 10).


Attachments:
- [Cooper_List_Analysis.pdf] (full document)
- [Cooper_List_Collage.jpg] (image)

 

[Defis]

Inside the document under discussion, there is an explanation of where the information comes from. The main data discussed is the publicly available database for two cases. If we're talking about the original source of the viewpoint, it's original.

 

[LinasK]

There was supposed to be a brand new Expedition Unknown show broadcast tonight on DB Cooper, but the episode that I taped was on shipwrecks. Anybody know any more as to whether Josh Gates solved the mystery finally?

 

[Sweetluv]

There was supposed to be a brand new Expedition Unknown show broadcast tonight on DB Cooper, but the episode that I taped was on shipwrecks. Anybody know any more as to whether Josh Gates solved the

The Expedition Unknown episode pointed towards Richard McCoy.

 

[Sweetluv]

Expedition Unknown basically focused on 3 cases last night..Cooper, Rockefeller, and James Dean. The only suspect that was focused on regarding D.B. Cooper was Richard McCoy.

 

[LinasK]

Expedition Unknown basically focused on 3 cases last night..Cooper, Rockefeller, and James Dean. The only suspect that was focused on regarding D.B. Cooper was Richard McCoy.

Thank you. What Discovery Channel broadcast in my area when it was supposed to air was not the episode that they advertised. It was on shipwrecks. I specifically taped it to catch the DB Cooper episode and missed it.

 

[snarast]

I guess the Zodiac must have been suggested before.

Another crypto/military adrenaline junkie.

But there were a lot of people going out with a bang in the 70s, so not likely.