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New Suspect on the horizon. It may very well be the same suspect that was presented to me about 4 yrs ago by an attorney in the N.E, but it never made the media. I would assume he felt he didn't had enough to go public. I didn't go public for 5 yrs with what I had...I just chewed on it and kept researching along with the help of several individuals.
I feel used! I gave a lot of information to this person who contacted me, but he NEVER provided what he promised me (a picture)....sounds like the Cooper trolls or groupies who pestered this thread for a long time. Watch the newspapers and magazines - I do not get the N.E. news - dribbles slowly in the South if it moves at all.
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If anyone knows how to get the old Las Vegan article please let me know. That needs to go on-line with a link to it, but I have never found it. All I have is a photo copy of the article - the journalist who got the article for me I think has deceased..
I am sorry I can't do it get the link in here. Just type in search - NY.magazine.com
quade 4
Orange1 0
One thing that appears similar in this story to Jo's is the complete lack of interest by the FBI...
Jo, a question. You say
QuoteThe picture printed in the NewYork Magazine shows a man who looks much like the old composite - but surprisingly enough if Shaffner believe this man is Cooper - she needs to see photos I have never made public.
Are you implying that you have photos of Duane that resemble the composite but have not made them public? If so what is the reason for this, given that it could surely only strengthen your case?
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Jo, a question. You sayQuoteThe picture printed in the NewYork Magazine shows a man who looks much like the old composite - but surprisingly enough if Shaffner believes this man is Cooper - she needs to see photos I have never made public.
QuoteAre you implying that you have photos of Duane that resemble the composite but have not made them public? If so what is the reason for this, given that it could surely only strengthen your case?
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Zing 2
Its another part of the answer you sought, though, and I hope there is some consolation in that for you.
Orange1 0
I'm very sorry that all your efforts appear to have led to this dead end, but hope it gives you some kind of closure.
JerryBaumchen 1,451
A partial DNA works like a partial fingerprint. You can say that Person A is somewhat like Person B if a portion of their fingerprints are the same (NOTE: I said a portion). However, if nothing of the partial fingerprint of Person A matches nothing of the fingerprints of Person B, then you can say Person B is not Person A.
Therefore, they have ruled Duane out of the group that could be Cooper.
Such is life,
JerryBaumchen
It has to be said before I close the door on this.
The statement:
DNA EVIDENCE
I have to question the validity of DNA testing done to exclude individuals concerning the D. B. Cooper incident in 1971.
In the past 36 years the evidence may have been compromised. Considering that the study of DNA did not exist until the late 1980’s, it is highly unlikely that the evidence was preserved in a manner that would have protected the DNA. I therefore, would question any DNA evidence that excluded anyone without further investigation in what items were used to extract DNA and VERIFICATION that the CHAIN OF CUSTODY was maintained throughout the last 36 yrs, when dealing with and handling this item.
The only DNA evidence I consider valid would be the cigarette butts. BUT, the FBI can’t find them. There are too many questions unanswered.
My own limited research and what Duane told me - leaves me with little doubt he was D.B. Cooper.
October 27, 2007
Jo Weber
Copyright 2007 Jo Weber
However, the odds are pretty good that the DNA is probably from Cooper. We just don't know how many sources of DNA the FBI found, in what place on the tie, and if there were any other traces of DNA.
If there were multiple "skin cells" from the same person, and not one from anyone else, then I believe the FBI has the corrrect DNA.
Don't forget the FBI does not have a DNA profile, but simply what I believe is Mitochondrial DNA, which can exclude or include suspects according to their DNA.
I'd like to know how many people in the US would test positive for the DNA the FBI obtained. IS it 1 in 1,000, or 1 in 10,000, or 1 in 100,000?
Regardless, I think it is prudent for the FBI to test the DNA from the tie against Christiansen and other suspects. I'm not an expert in DNA, but from what I know, I would think that only a small handful of the 1,000 suspects would match the DNA profile.
I will say, that based on what I know about this investigation, I would not exclude "anyone" as a suspect, until I found a suspect who fits the DNA from the tie. It is still possible the tie was contaminated while laying on the seat, or from the salesman who sold the tie, or the tie could have been borrowed or stolen from somebody else.
Who's to say Cooper bought the tie, and used it once?
Given this, I still think it is most likely that the DNA on the tie belongs to Cooper. I'd much rather the FBI had a piece of hair, or DNA from the cigarett butts, than skin cells from the tie. We know that nobody tried to smoke the cigarettes after Cooper, and that a rogue hair could fall on the tie is unlikely.
My theory, has always been that Cooper changed clothes, after sending Tina to the cockpit. I find it unlikely if he only took off his tie, that he would be that careless.
After reading the article from the Minn. st Paul paper from 11/26/71, I am convinced that Himmelsbach has made numerous mistakes in his investigation. He continually calls Cooper a foul mouthed, ex-con, when the girls said in the article that he was never cruel or nasty, and spoke intelligently.
In addition, the paper stresses that Cooper was wearing "dark" sunglasses. Dark sunglasses = dark eyes.
I think this case was not solved due to a an error on the part of the FBI, specifically the agent in charge. One agent should have interviewed the flight attendants, searched the plane, and interviewed passengers. Instead, agents from 3 offices conducted the work, and the information was all second hand.
For example, in every case, one witness will be a much better witness than another. When people are scared, they are thinking about saving their own lives, not about guessing height, weight, and eye color.
I agree that the FBI errored in eliminating people based on height, weight, eye color, etc. That is not how investigations should be done. It may work 99% of the time, but this is the exception.
People will appear taller when wearing black, and are standing on a plane, and you are afraid for your life. I have no clue if Cooper was 6', 5'10, 5'8, or 6'2. The fBI should have done a re-enactment, and had agents of different height, weight, and build sit in Cooper's seat, and ask the girls which agent was closet to Cooper's size. Also, in the 70's, a man's dress shoe adds at least 1 or 2 inches to the height. So, if the range was 5'10-6', then Cooper could have been as short as 5'8, like Christiansen.
For example, Mitchell says that Cooper was medium sized and medium build. Folks, that is not 6' tall. Back in 71, and even today, 6' tall is on the upper end of height for men. 5'10 is the average.
Also, men are better at guessing the age, height, and weight of men, and vice-versa. It's common sense. Also, the closer the suspect is to your own age, the easier it is to guess their age. When someone is seated, wearing dark glasses, with dyed hair, and possibly a hair piece, it makes it difficult to guess the height, and age.
Himmelsbach appears convinced Cooper was an ex-con who was exactly 47, 6' tall, 170 with an olive complexion. Himmelsbach broke every rule in the FBI handbook. YOu don't make guesses into facts. He turned assumptions into facts. Same way he assume the guy was not prepared for the jump, or couldn't see the ground (even though Cooper could spot Tacoma from the air at 6,000 feet )or didn't carry another bag on board.
Nobody paid Cooper any attention until he handed the note to florence. Yet, everybody is convinced Cooper didn't carry another bag on the plane. How? It is an assumption. Cooper knew there was an oxygen tank in the overhead bin above him. How did he know this, unless he opened the bin to put something in it before the flight?
As an investigator, you are supposed to assume the perp. had everything planned out, and work downward. in this case, the FBI, and specifically Himmelsback, assumed Cooper was an idiot, and the last laugh was on the FBi.
What to do now?
If I was the FBI, I would ask for DNA samples from the top suspects, and any suspect still alive. We are only talking about 20 or so people. Included should be Christiansen, McCoy, and others.
BTW, I thought the article in the NY Magazine was interesting. I've always mentioned that I believed the girls were probably scared to death that Cooper may come after them after the hijacking. Again, I was right. Florence mentioned this point. None of us was in the shoes of those flight attendants, and they did an excellent job. But, IMO, to eliminate suspects based on eyewitness accounts of young people, aged 22-25, is ridiculous. Eyewitness accounts are notoriously poor, just ask any cop. Did the FBI test the witnesses to see if Florence, Tina, or Alice were good or bad witnesses. This would be rather easy to do.
I will not eliminate Duane as a suspect in this case, until an arrest is made, or the fBI solves the case if Cooper is dead. Also, why is the FBI spending all of this time and money, when they think Cooper died during the jump? Seems to me, the FBI knows he made it, but, doesn't want to admit it.
jw
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-He is 5'10 to 6'1 (Mucklow is 5'8 and spent 5 hours with Cooper, she would know if he was her height or taller.
-He had dark hair, receding with sideburns (no wig, this would have been painfully obvious, if a man was wearing a wig with a receding hair line and side burns everyone would have noticed, especially Mucklow and Schaffner.)
-He was med built (no one put him over 190 lbs, in fact most put him 180 or under. Find a man 6 foot 180 lbs, thats a med to thin build.)
These are the facts on his physical make-up, if your suspect does not match these you may want to start looking at someone else.
. One of those people who has just enough knowledge to be dangerous.
.
Now that everything is out in the open, it is obvious that Ckret is no longer a "secret".
One of the quotes above, about "knowing enough to be dangerous", sounds rather familiar.
Anyway, we know know the range of height of Cooper was 5"10-6'1. Given this, and that Cooper was dressed up, wearing shoes, this would add at least 1-2 inches in height.
So, Christiansen is only 1 inch away from the lower end of the range. For this, we are going to eliminate him? Whatever happened to asking suspects for an alibi, or checking company records, or talking to associates, friends, relatives, etc. How about comparing his brother's DNA with the DNA from the tie?
BTW: you also mentioned that some people put Cooper as young as 30, and as old as 55. Why isn't the range 30-55? Who determined the witness who put Cooper at 30, was not credible. You can't use an average age, since we have no idea how credible the other witnesses were.
For example, all the flight attendants were under 25 years old. At 25, everyone around 40, especially balding men, seem ancient. A witness, who was male, and about 40, would have been an ideal witness.
Regardless of the above, if the Bureau is so convinced that Cooper was 47, 6', swarthy, and brown eyes, why did the FBI investigate McCoy for this heist? why has a respected retired FBI agent written a book telling why he think McCoy was Cooper? IS he an idiot like us? why is Himmelbach telling the world that Cooper was exactly 47, when the range from witnesses was from 30-55, and his height estimate was from 5'10-6'. This is extremely misleading. Especially, since the number one witness, Florence told a news station that Cooper was about 40 years old, and a bit under 6 ft.
Mccoy was only 5'9, 150 lbs soaking wet, blue eyes, 29 years old, and not swarthy. Yet, the fBI thoroughly checked him out, and knew he was not in Oregon that day. Wasn't that a waste of resources? IMO, absolutely not. Plus, McCoy was an experienced diver, not what the FBI thought of Cooper.
Why would you check out the alibi of a man who didn't fit the profile, then not even interview suspects called in by the public, or even call the public back when they called in tips.
If someone robs a bank and the teller, customers, and everyone says he was about 6' tall. Yet, tips pour in about a guy who is only 5'9. do you investigate him? Then, you find out the guy's DNA matches DNA left at the bank. Will a jury convict this guy, or call him innocent since he was 3 inches too short?
Only 3 of the witnesses who knew cooper was hijacking the jet, even saw Cooper standing erect. Passengers were not told about the heist until they reached the foot of the stairs. The witnesses said Cooper was wearing dark sunglasses. Imagine that, wearing sunglasses at 6pm, on a rainy day, at night, in Seattle. He must have sensitive eyes.
Are we to believe that Cooper didn't put his glasses on until after he let Florence get a good look at him? Tina says that Cooper never took off his sunglasses.
If you read H-bach's book, he gives several examples of how poor citizens are at giving descriptions of perp's. In the McNally case, he wore a simple disguise of pencil lines, a wig, and outer clothing, and hitched a ride into town with a local sheriff who thought nothing of his scrapes on his face. McCoy wore a disguise, and we are to believe that Cooper didn't care if the Fa's got a good look at him? That makes no sense at all.
BTW: Just because Cooper took the chest chute with the "x" on it, doesn't mean he wasn't an experienced diver. Rumor has it, the chest chute could not be attached to the main since D-rings were not provided. Rumor has it, from a good source, that Cooper gutted the reserve chute, and used the knapsack to place the 200k in. He then used the shrouds to tie the knapsack to the harness from the main chute.
Better yet, The FBI is adament that Cooper jumped near Lake Merwin. Please explain to us how the 6k came to rest 30 miles south on the banks of the Columbia river, if Cooper died during the jump?
How would an inexperienced diver know a 727's aft stairs were safe to jump from, or that D-rings were missing, or where the USPA card was kept, or the difference between miliatary and civilian chutes, or smart enough to order two sets of chutes to test the chutes were in working order, not to mention the knowledge to limit the jet to under 10,000 feet, at 170 knots, which is above stall speed for a 727, but not too fast to insure a safe jump.
How do you know cooper didn't have a spot selected to jump? The route the jet took south, was the only low altitude route available from seattle south. According to the FBI back in 1971, there was a 99.9% chance the pilot would chose v-23, and Cooper knew this.
In this case, too many assumptions were made regarding Cooper, and his knowledge or lack thereof. If cooper was an idiot, his body would have been found within a week, or at least he would have been positively id'd.
I can't believe the new investigation is going to continue the same path as the old. Isn't that the definition of insanity. To keep on doing the same thing, over and over, and expecting a different result.
Follow the money. who bought property, who never worked again, who was in debt, who was mad at the governement. I can think of 5 people who fit this profile, and one of them is Cooper.

You assume too much . . . like I care about any of this for my sake.
However, you are banned for all the other abuse.
The World's Most Boring Skydiver
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