New claims in the legendary DB Cooper mystery
Two North Carolina siblings, Chanté and Rick McCoy III, allege their late father, Richard McCoy Jr., was the infamous plane hijacker DB Cooper. The claim emerged after they reportedly discovered a parachute hidden in their family’s storage. The parachute believed to match the one used in the 1971 Boeing hijacking, has sparked renewed interest in the decades-old case.
Parachute discovery and expert analysis
The McCoy siblings revealed that they waited until their mother’s passing in 2020 to come forward, fearing legal repercussions for her potential involvement. Aviation expert and YouTuber Dan Gryder examined the parachute and concluded that it matched the rare, modified design prepared by skydiver Earl Cossey at DB Cooper’s request.
“That rig is literally one in a billion,” Gryder stated, asserting that the parachute is likely the one used in the infamous heist when Cooper leapt from a plane mid-flight with $200,000 in ransom money.
A link between Richard McCoy Jr. and DB Cooper
Richard McCoy Jr., a Vietnam War veteran and skydiving enthusiast, had been speculated as a possible DB Cooper suspect for years due to his own history of hijacking. Just five months after the DB Cooper incident, McCoy executed a similar heist in Utah, escaping with $500,000. He was apprehended, but later escaped from prison and was killed in a shootout with law enforcement.
The McCoy siblings claim their father’s resemblance to Cooper and his criminal history support their belief. Despite widespread speculation, McCoy was previously dismissed as a suspect in the Cooper case by the FBI.
FBI involvement and ongoing investigations
According to the McCoys, the FBI seized the parachute in 2023 and conducted a search of their property for additional evidence. Rick McCoy also provided a DNA sample, with investigators reportedly discussing the potential exhumation of Richard McCoy Jr.’s remains. However, the FBI has yet to make any public statements or confirm renewed activity in the case, which was officially closed in 2016 due to a lack of leads.
The enduring DB Cooper mystery
The 1971 hijacking remains one of the most iconic unsolved cases in U.S. history. The only clues linked to Cooper include a black tie he left behind and a portion of the ransom money found along the Columbia River in 1980. Whether Cooper survived the jump into the rugged terrain between Seattle and Reno remains unknown.
Next steps in the investigation
The McCoy siblings’ claims and the parachute discovery could reignite efforts to unravel the mystery. However, until the FBI confirms any findings, the case of DB Cooper remains shrouded in speculation and legend.
