G_Jones

I looked through the transcripts at Sluggo's site but never noticed anything redacted. Did I miss something? This just in: No DNA Match To Purported D.B. Cooper Hijacking Suspect http://news.opb.org/article/niece_no_dna_match_to_purported_d.b._cooper_hijacking_suspect/

Could there be any significance to the plain black clip-on tie? I've read it here suggested that a clip-on might make sense for somebody that was going to jump. Hard to get a good look at the fabric from the FBI photos and Special Agent Carr video, but it does not appear particularly decorative. I am not sure of the fashions of 1971, perhaps a plain black clip-on was a normal fashion accessory available in any department store, but it seems like it could be something that would be part of a uniform, like for police, a military dress uniform, or for uniformed security.

1. The plane was thoroughly searched when it reached the ground, if I recall correctly dogs were even used and those wouldn't miss a hidden person. There's only so many places to hide on a plane anyway, was he supposed to crawl up into the overhead bins? 2. Something heavy enough left the stairs of the plane which caused them to spring back up and close and create the noted pressure wave. This effect was recreated in later tests. I don't see how this could be spoofed unless some other 200lb object was missing from the plane. 3. If Cooper did hide on the plane, he would have had to have thrown out the parachutes and briefcase or kept them with him and later escaped with them. He would have to take the parachutes off, and untie anything secured by the ropes from the chute he dismantled. If planning on not jumping, would he really have bothered to go through the charade of cutting up the other chute? Then he would have had to either throw out the money as well, or go back several years later to plant some in a place where it was likely never to be found, but was.

Perhaps I missed this, but does anyone know if there are any actual published interviews with Tina or Flo? I assume there are recordings or transcript of their questioning after the hijack held by the FBI. The attendants were the only ones in a position to really get a read on the guy and all the info I have seen is extremely vague.

Who knows what else was going on in her personal life and what effect the incident had on that. One day this whole mess happened out of the blue, and I am sure was very frightening and stressful. But maybe her reaction hasn't been so much to do with the actual incident, disturbing as it must have been, but the ongoing un-asked-for and incurable condition of being associated with it. Not everyone would want that kind of attention, to be known for and defined as a person primarily by something like that, something completely out of one's control. Wanting to block things out, and hiding out somewhere could understandably be way to deal with something like that.

It is likely the FBI routinely held back some evidence from the public in order to be able to make a confirmation of any future claims. One might theorize that it was not physical evidence left behind in the hijacking, but some unique identifying physical characteristic noted only by the flight attendants, and left out of publicly circulated descriptions. This could help explain why the FBI were so quick to dismiss many seemingly viable suspects if available photographs were able to immediately rule out something like a mole, scar or tattoo that was not public knowledge. They would not be in a position to disclose this reason for why certain suspects were quickly ruled out without much investigation. It could be that LD got this scar logging or in Korea, or from a dirt bike accident or while "turkey hunting". He also could have had it before the hijacking. The scar may positively ID him as a serious suspect if he had it previous to the hijacking (had he committed it) and if such a scar was noted by the flight attendants and withheld by the FBI. I believe you are suggesting he may have acquired the scar during the jump while hijacking. Even if that were the case, it still wouldn't tie him to the crime unless he left a chunk of forehead behind on his way out of the plane that was not disclosed. LD may have simply acquired it in a car accident, running his pickup truck off the road after a few beers, whether or not he ever hijacked a plane. What I am getting at is unless he had the scar before the hijacking and it matched a physical description of the hijacker previously withheld from the public, then I don't see how it could help tie him to the crime. What we really need to see is a photo of LD posing next to his collection of imported European comic books! Also some indication of where he possibly picked up some knowledge of aviation would be helpful.

This case will not be solved anytime soon. If there were more substantial evidence about LD, it ought to have been submitted to the FBI up front, other than a forty year old strap that is unlikely to have fingerprints or DNA. If the guy died leaving a wad of mysterious antique $20 bills, then that perhaps should have been the first thing submitted, but that tells us the strap is the best they have got. In Marla's second ABC interview, she again pushes her memory of the Dan Cooper comics and Lynn thumb-tacking the covers to the wall as a clue of importance. The comic book theory was a stretch in the first place, and pretty much required the suspect to be Air Force stationed in Europe to have some exposure, and even then it is purely speculative. Why would a logger in rural Oregon be hanging up covers of a comic book not even in English? Even if the guy managed to acquire these comics or even know of their existence, why would he tear the covers off if he was a fan? Then we must believe the hijacker bought his airline ticket with an alias that shared his surname. Marla's mother was suspicious that her brother-in-law was "up to something". He probably was up to something, especially with those sideburns, but what man isn't up to "something" that they may not confess to a sister-in-law? Appearing suspicious to one's sister-in-law does not make one an airline hijacker or there'd be a lot more hijackings. Sure the FBI is looking at the evidence, its an open case and they are obliged to at least pretend to care. If any of us came in off the street with an ancient piece of "evidence" they would accept it, but don't hold your breath for anything other than inconclusive results. Hopefully they have his service prints and can be convinced to take the time to actually check them against what was lifted from the plane and rule this guy out. All they know for sure about Lynn is that he loosely fits the physical description, had no jump experience, apparently no relevant criminal record, lived in the geographical region, and happened to share a common last name with that of the hijacker's alias. Based on that, it is reasonable to conclude that they won't be putting many resources into this.

I'm not doubting that Marla had an odd uncle, and no doubt with that surname that there were running Cooper jokes in the family and among friends, but the way she stressed referring to him as just L.D. in the ABC interview as if everyone in the family normally addressed him as LD instead of Lynn seemed forced. I suspect if this guy did any jumps during his service; that is a detail that probably would have been mentioned up front. Marla remembering her uncle's Dan Cooper comics is far too convenient. Dan Cooper wasn't exactly Captain America or Batman; these comics were published in Europe and not even in English. I just don't buy that this 40 year old Korean War veteran living in Oregon was going to tear the covers off his imported French comic book and tack it to the wall. The guy is long dead, cannot be interviewed, and DNA or prints are going to be long gone; the only way this reasonably could be proved either way is if he has prints on file from being in the service and they can match up. An old photo of a average looking white guy, a common surname, and Marla gets to do the UFO TV show circuit and sell books. I don't know about anyone else but I can't recall Thanksgiving three years ago, let alone what gadgets my uncles were playing with when on a specific holiday when I was eight years old.