DB Cooper

[JerryThomas 0]

Vicki Pictures are the best info for us right now. See I told you what a person would post and what Lies each post may hold so maybe the PM thing is the best way of communication for vital info. That way no one will get new story ideas.Jerry

[Robert99 50]

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This is the reason for wanting a copy of that certificate. Just playing the waiting game. Until I get it the military can not find his records as I do not have anything but his name and birthdate.

Vicki

Vicki, Do you know the location where your father entered military service? Do you have the approximate date of his entrance? Did he volunteer or was he drafted? As I am sure Jerry will agree, once you have entered the military's record system you are there forever.

Have you considered contacting an organization such as the American Legion for assistance in this? In this computer age, a veterans assistance organization can access information that you can't as an individual. Perhaps Jerry could put you in touch with such a group.

And don't believe any stories about all the millitary records burning up in a fire in St. Louis, MO a few decades back. They didn't! But you need to get in touch with an ex-military group of people who know how the system works.

Robert Nicholson

[EVickiW 0]

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This is the reason for wanting a copy of that certificate. Just playing the waiting game. Until I get it the military can not find his records as I do not have anything but his name and birthdate.

Vicki

Vicki, Do you know the location where your father entered military service? Do you have the approximate date of his entrance? Did he volunteer or was he drafted? As I am sure Jerry will agree, once you have entered the military's record system you are there forever.

Have you considered contacting an organization such as the American Legion for assistance in this? In this computer age, a veterans assistance organization can access information that you can't as an individual. Perhaps Jerry could put you in touch with such a group.

And don't believe any stories about all the millitary records burning up in a fire in St. Louis, MO a few decades back. They didn't! But you need to get in touch with an ex-military group of people who know how the system works.

Robert Nicholson

Nothing...That is what I have. Just his full name and birthdate. My mother told me he ran away from home and entered the Navy, but there is one thing we all know.......He lied about his past to my mother.

He left my sisters family when the oldest of the girls was 3yo. Melvin's mother died in 1994.

My niece has the photo album. She is terrible at communicating with me. I originally asked for her to look for the certificate back in the middle of December. I have sent her two reminders and she can't seem to remember exactly where she put the book.

in two weeks I have mu Spring Break from school. I will contact a local veterans organization and start there.

Melvin Luther Wilson - Missing Person since September 1971:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03QLnFvk8Fs

[JerryThomas 0]

Robet 99. True on the military.Ralph is a member of some of these organizations I know he is 2nd generation military maybe even third,I'll ask him to do some research if he hasn't started already. On what asistance other organizations can supply. The one's im involved with have already started. Just got a phone call from a friend of mine he has been my side kick in alot of my searches. This new info has sparked his interest. He will be logging on to Drop Zone soon and start posting. He has been monitoring it for 2yrs so he is very familliar with every one on here. He has watched the old program on unsolved mysteries. He has discussed this with most the truckers from florida to seattle( He's a truck driver and computer geek).Most have viewed the same program. My understanding is that most can't understand how the FBI missed this guy They have compaired the composites with the pictures off the program and believe it to be an exact match and all feel this is the best candidate they have ever seen . That is the result of over 2 thousand comments. Still one needs to be carefull on claiming any one is the real cooper untill the final results are in. Jerry

[Robert99 50]

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If you watch the Unsolved Video....at 8:59 there is a copy of Melvin's Naval Certificate and his Naval pic.

I put them on a word document, but they are too big for DZ.

Jerry...I will e-mail to you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpE1oyHWpG0

Vicki and Jerry, I have taken another look at the above link and at 8:57 and 8:58 the certificate is reasonably visible to the camera. However, the image on youtube is not readable, at least to me.

But if Vicki could send the better e-mail version to someone with photographic type skills, perhaps at least part of that certificate could be enlarged and read.

If that certificate is a commendation or such, it almost definitely will include his serial number. But I am not familiar with the way Navy serial numbers were set up.

Robert Nicholson

[georger 244]

I will be back later to repost my 25 Reasons We Think KC was the Hijacker stuff. You asked for it.

Oh, here we go. I found them.

25 Best Reasons We Believe Ken Christiansen Could Be D.B. Cooper

I have taken the liberty of reorganising your 25
points into a more cohesive whole, with a few
restatements and a few comments (in blue)
added.


RobertMBlevins 25 points:

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:

1) The Description - One of the strongest pieces of
evidence favoring Kenny has been the eyewitness
descriptions. Although the eyewitness descriptions
varied a bit, most people thought Cooper was 5’ 10”
to 6’ ft tall and weighed about 180 lbs. Kenny was 5’
8” tall and weighed about 170 lbs.

Also, the hijacker had hair while Kenny was very thin on top, but in her 2010 interview, 'Dawn J', testified that Kenny sometimes wore a toupee, not on the job, just socially. She added she never saw Kenny wear his toupee again after the hijacking in 1971.

A 1972 article from the Bremerton Sun said that the
F.B.I. had reason to believe Cooper was bald,
although they wouldn't say why. The FBI fanned out
around Bremerton questioning people and
investigated a local wig and toupee shop. When no
good leads surfaced they abandoned the effort and
moved on with the investigation. But, for a time the
FBI thought Cooper was bald and wore a toupee.

As far as the general description of Cooper, there are a few things to consider. First, it might be tricky to tell someone's true height and weight unless you see them out in the open, not in the confines of a jet airliner. Second, we think Kenny looks a lot like the hijacker and that the witnesses were just off, by a little.

*Blevins does not mention eye color: KC’s eyes were Hazel while all witnesses agreed Cooper’s eyes were dark brown, or ‘dark piercing brown’.


FINANCIAL

2) The House - Kenny made an average of $6,000 a year or less prior to the hijacking. He paid $16,500 in cash for a house eight months later. A year later he bought the adjoining lot for an additional ten dollars.

3) The Loan – Bernie Geestman’s sister (Dawn J) received a $5,000 cash loan from Kenny five months after the hijacking.

4) The Balance Sheet - Christiansen spent $21,500 within nine months of the crime while his annual income was only $6000 per year, and his records show he had little or nothing in the bank and did not use his bank for these transactions.

5) Coins and Stamps - Kenny had in his estate a large collection of stamps and gold coins. It was valued at around $300,000 (in 1994 dollars) and left to his family in Minnesota. The authors discovered that most of it was ordered by mail over the years through a P.O. box he rented in Sumner, Washington, although Kenny had moved to Bonney Lake shortly after the hijacking in 1971. Kenny died in 1994.

6) 'Kenny Left Us HOW Much?' - When Kenny's estate was settled after his death in 1994, he had $186,276 in savings and an additional $24,501 in a checking account, at the West One Bank in Sumner, Washington. His tax records after 1971 show that although he was making more money than before, he never claimed more than $20,000 a year income on his tax returns and yet within 9 months after the hijacking Christiansen spent $21,500 of unexplained income. The authors don't think these funds were the actual ransom, but more from land investments Kenny had made using the money he extorted from the airline.

*Somebody needs to do an audit of Kenny’s financial affairs.


PHYSICAL EVIDENCE

7) The Tie-Tac - Dawn J, Bernie Geestman’s sister and the recipient of the $5000 dollar loan from Christiansen, identified the FBI tie-tac picture as the one she had seen Christiansen wear sometimes. She identified it before she was told that Kenny was being investigated for the Cooper hijacking. In addition, when the tie was found by the F.B.I. they noticed the tie tac had been slipped across the tie from the left side, indicating the wearer was probably left-handed. Christiansen was left-handed.

*A NWA photo of Kenny shows Kenny’s tie clip having been put on from the right side! (see Appendix)

8) The Picture - A strange picture was discovered in
one of KC’s photo albums, hidden behind another
picture. It shows Kenny walking in through the front
door of his apartment dressed similarly to the
hijacker, carrying a briefcase and a paper bag, the
same type of items carried on flight No. 305. A time
stamp on the front by the developer reads 'February
1972'. The wreath on the door indicates it was
probably snapped around Christmas 1971 - or about
three weeks after the crime. We believe it is a kind
of staged memento (or perhaps even a declaration).

*It may also be a remarkable coincidence, a photo
of an average working guy of the era – exactly what
Cooper tried to convey he was?

9) Smoking Is Bad For You - Helen Jones, who
knew Kenny very well said she remembered Kenny
smoked Raleigh cigarettes. 'I know because he
saved the coupons….’ the same brand of cigarettes
smoked by the hijacker.

*Raleighs were a common popular brand.




CIRCUMSTANTIAL SOCIAL

10) The Lost Weekend - Helen Jones of Sumner,
WA and friend of Kenny and Bernie’s family,
testified that Kenny and Bernie were supposed to
come to Thanksgiving dinner in 1971 along with
Bernie's wife Margaret, but only Margaret showed
up and she was highly pissed at her missing
husband. When Bernie returned a few days later
he said he had been out camping but would not
say where or with whom. Helen found out later that
he was with Kenny Christiansen. When Bernie was
interviewed by Decoded he refused to answer who he
was with or where he was.

11) It's For Camping, Dear - Shortly before the
hijacking, Bernie purchased a station wagon from a
car lot in Elma, Washington and an Airstream trailer
at a bank repo sale. He used the trailer once and
that was when he and Kenny vanished on
Thanksgiving weekend 1971. The trailer sat on
Bernie’s property until the following year, when
Bernie lent it to Helen Jones' family to use after
they had a house fire. When the Jones' house was
repaired, Bernie sold the trailer to a buyer who took
it to Arizona.

12) Don't Piss Off Your Ex - Part 2 - In her second
interview Bernie’s wife, Margaret Miller, pulled out a
box of tugboat logs that came from a tug her ex-
husband worked on, from about 1968 to 1975. The
log from 1971 is missing. Margaret told Blevins,
Bernie broke into her home a few weeks after
Kenny's death in 1994 and stole the 1971 log,
along with some photo albums and personal papers.
The log could show that Bernie was not at work the
weekend of the hijacking in 1971. Bernie drove \
nearly 400 miles each way to steal the log and the
other documents. Margaret Miller still has hasps
and padlocks on some of the interior doors of her
house, even today.

13) I Have An Alibi - During the first half of his interview with Robert Blevins, the alleged accomplice thought Blevins was only doing a general bio on Christiansen and not investigating the hijacking. When Blevins revealed the true nature of the book, Bernie claimed that when he worked for Foss Tugs he was gone 'ten or eleven months' out of the year. A senior executive at Foss Tugboats Inc. says most employees were only out for a week or two at a time, and no more than two or three months on ocean-going tugs. In that case of the ocean-going tugs, those employees then received substantial time off after they returned. Watson never work on the ocean tugs. We checked.


SPECULATIVE:

14) An Airline Employee? Certainly not! - At the beginning of the Cooper investigation the F.B.I. arbitrarily decided it could not have been done by an airline employee, so they never investigated NWA employees. Back in 1971, airline employees were viewed like the people who worked for Pan Am in the film Catch Me If You Can. It just never occurred to the Bureau that anyone from the airline could have been involved. Even Helen Jones said she was surprised Bernie and Kenny were never questioned. It was this scenario that allowed Christiansen to escape.

15) The Role of the Accomplice - On the Decoded program, we demonstrated how Bernie and Kenny may have pulled off the crime. Bernie and Kenny drove the newly purchased Airstream to Portland using the station wagon Bernie had just purchased, and Bernie dropped Kenny off at the airport. Then Bernie returned and camped right off the freeway at Paradise Point State Park near Battleground, Washington and he waited for Kenny to hike out of the woods following his parachute escape from the airplane. Most of the drop zones the FBI estimated are less than twenty miles from the interstate and there are scores of Forest Service roads, paved roads, and river trails leading back to the freeway. Coincidentally, the place where the money was found in 1980 is just a bit downriver from the Paradise Point State Park where Bernie waited in their trailer.

*Blevins is using ‘estimated drop zones’ identified by the FBI through the years after the hijacking was over – not before! The original estimate was Merwin Lake, not further south!
And, how would Bernie and Kenny know what route #305 would fly given Cooper asking for Mexico City, then changed to Reno due to fuel capacity? How would Bernie and Kenny know #305 was going to take Victor 23, and does this
matter? Why did Kenny not know how to open the rear door and operate the stairs on #305 which he may very well have done before?

How does Kenny assure himself the opportunity of getting back to Bernie at Paradise Point Park, or at any other location?

16) Chute Selection - Just before the hijacker jumped he made a choice between a newer sport chute and an older military-type NB-6 chute. He chose the NB-6, which points more to a man who hadn't jumped in a very long time, and who probably was ex-military.

*Why would an experienced person reject
instructions sent along and select a ‘dud’ chute to take along?

17) The Clippings Folder – The Christiansen family found a folder full of newspaper clippings about Northwest Airlines after Kenny's death in 1994. The clippings begin with Kenny’s early days on Shemya Island but end abruptly in the summer of 1971, about five months before the hijacking. Although the Cooper hijacking was the biggest thing to ever happen to the airline, Kenny clipped and saved nothing about it.

18) Dear Mom and Dad - Kenny's wrote letters home to Minnesota indicating he was very unhappy with the airline. He was broke all the time. He was out on strike again (near the time of the hijacking?). He was digging ditches or picking apples to make ends meet.

19) Easy Money - A lot of people have asked how come the ransom money hasn't turned up except for the $5,800 found at Tena Bar in 1980. Easy answer: No one was actually looking for it. In a radio interview in 2008, SA Larry Carr admitted that most banks found it overwhelming to compare their incoming twenties with the 34-page list of 10,000 non-sequential serial numbers from the Cooper ransom. The majority of banks abandoned the effort within three-to-six months after the hijacking. This means the money was more-or-less cold, and would be easy to launder after that time. (Kenny must have laundered the ransom money
and spent the procedes as cash?)

20) Kenny & Bernie knew the flight dynamics? - How did the hijacker know that dropping the rear stairs in flight would not change the flight characteristics and cause the jet to roll, invert, or crash? Because Boeing Aircraft tested this before the 727 was released and Bernie worked at Boeing during this time of testing the 727. Before that, he worked for Northwest Airlines and later went to Northwest again for a while. And at the time of the hijacking he was working for Foss Tugs, but he may have offered Kenny a little advice on how a mid-flight escape could actually succeed.

*Kenny flew on 727 and knew how to open the rear door and lower the stairs?

21) Kenny Who? - We allege that Bernie was Christiansen's accomplice. Although Bernie gave extensive details on the relationship between himself and Christiansen to the authors, he tried to change his story after the History Channel contacted him. He told The History Channel he hardly knew Kenny and thought he was a dishwasher. He then called his sister 'Dawn J' and asked her to deny her testimony for our book. When the producers of Decoded presented our photographs and other evidence to Bernie, he then admitted he was friends with Christiansen, for more than thirty years, and he even stated Kenny had attended his wedding to Margaret Miller in 1968. But, he called Robert Blevins a liar, our book 'a work of fiction,' and refused to reveal his whereabouts over the Thanksgiving of 1971.

22) The Lifestyle Change - Before the hijacking Kenny dressed neatly and conservatively and always paid attention to his appearance. After the crime, for the rest of his life, he mostly dressed in coveralls when off-duty and not working at the airline. Most people in Bonney Lake thought he was a farmer.

*Didn’t Kenny work as an independent contractor and handiman, in his off-duty time while working for NWA? For example, Blevins has stated Kenny did specific pieces of work for named individuals.
And how has that extra income been accounted for?

23) The Silent One - For the next year after the hijacking, 1972, everyone at Northwest Airlines was abuzz about the taking of Flight 305. Everyone except Kenny, that is. Interviews with his co-employees have a common theme: He never said a word about the hijacking and stopped attending union meetings also.


EXTRANEOUS

24) Don't Piss Off Your Ex - Part 1 - We allege that Bernie Geestman was Christiansen's accomplice, and at the time of the crime was married to Margaret Miller. Margaret is a veteran of the Iditarod and was the first woman to ever drive four draft horses abreast by herself. In five interviews between January and August of 2010, she consistently pointed to Bernie as an accomplice in the hijacking. However, she was very good friends with Ken Christiansen, and denied that he could have been involved. But after Robert Blevins presented her with a photo collage that contained famous pictures of the hijacking combined with pictures of Christiansen, Margaret hung the photo in her kitchen (indicating that she believes Kenny was the hijacker?).

25) Just Doing His Job - When Margaret Miller finally saw the book and realized the extent of the evidence against Christiansen, she sent a strange letter to the office of Adventure Books of Seattle. In one paragraph, she claims that even if Kenny were aboard Flight 305 that day, he wasn't hijacking the plane, but was probably just doing his normal job as the purser. The AB staff has no clue what to make of her statement.

26) No, Margie...We're Not - At the end of her second interview Margaret Miller, Bernie’s ex wife,
ran out to Robert Blevins' car as he was leaving. She stopped him and said: 'You're not going to make Kenny look bad, are you? No matter what he may
have done, he was still a nice guy...'

We didn't. We considered Christiansen a basically nice guy who had taken enough from the airline, and just decided to stick it to his employer.


BLEVINS CONCLUSION:

Even with all these things which only cover a portion
of the evidence against Kenny, we cannot say with certainty that Ken Christiansen was D.B. Cooper. But when people ask us how much chance there is that Kenny was Cooper, we say we're about 85-95% sure Kenny was D.B. Cooper.

[JerryThomas 0]

Geoger Outstanding post.Great comments. Jerry

[smokin99 0]

I still haven't found out if any witnesses noticed whether Cooper favored right or left hand (smoking, drinking, etc), so not sure where Blevins gets that -- The tie tac could have been moved by someone else after Cooper left it or Cooper might have re-tacked it after taking it off - if it was even his to begin with......but for purposes of the 25 reasons, I wonder if the tie tac is even relevant anyway.

I think it depends on whether one is using the tie tac to hold the tie to the shirt or not.

Some men clip the tie to the shirt so that it stays in place. I can't tell if kenny is doing this or not but it makes sense that he would do this in his job.

Don't most men's shirts have buttons on the right? -- I think women's do too -- now that most of us have to dress ourselves This means the edge with the button hole is toward the right and that's the side you would have to put it on in order to clip the tie to the shirt. So really wouldn't be an indication of anything in that case.

but....A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.....Winston Churchill

[skyjack71 0]

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I still haven't found out if any witnesses noticed whether Cooper favored right or left hand (smoking, drinking, etc), so not sure where Blevins gets that -- The tie tac could have been moved by someone else after Cooper left it or Cooper might have re-tacked it after taking it off - if it was even his to begin with......but for purposes of the 25 reasons, I wonder if the tie tac is even relevant anyway.

In 15 yrs I never found anything that said any witness stated which hand Cooper favored and I have asked the FBI many times, because Duane was Left Handed.

I believe the LEFT hand thing was only stated when CARR noted the clip was on the left side. This leaves the question of who put the clip on the tie after it was DNA'd and all of that good stuff. Did the FBI place the tie back in the same place it was in? Did they photograph the tie before anyone messed with it and after?

The tie was NOT found until 4 hours after the plane was on the ground in Reno. It was found neatly folded over and between the two seats. It could have been left there by one of the passengers on prior legs of the flight. As I was told it was the typical tie worn by the pilots and other who worked for the airlines.
Also used by restaurant, hotel staff and service occupations.

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Don't most men's shirts have buttons on the right? -- I think women's do too -- now that most of us have to dress ourselves

Women button to the left and men button to the right. If the clip was on the left side the man was NOT clipping it to his shirt. I have never know a man to put his clip on the left side as that voids the reason for using a clip making it senseless.

I have been married to 2 southpaws and both of them used clip-on ties and neither ever put the clip on the left side. SOUTH PAWS speak up if you do so. Oh, my brother is a southpaw. I believe the clip was placed back on the tie by someone who examined the tie.
The clip being on the left side is illogical.

If the clip was on the left side and had emblems on it or an initial (we know this one did not) - the wearer would have to clip it to the right.

The clip being on the left side of the tie - MAKES NO SENSE except that the owner placed the clip on the tie after he took it off to keep it safe and not loose the clip. In this situation the clip might have been attached to the left side IF HE WAS LEFT HANDED. If he was that careful - WHY did he leave the tie?

If Cooper actually left that tie - it was a message. Nuttall claims pearl is the birthstone for June. Duane's birthday was June 18, 1924. His family told the TIE story for yrs - because Duane claimed to have a tie belonging to Bobby Kenney he stole from a tall glass tower hotel in Jefferson after he was released prison. The family shared this story many yrs after Duane was NO longer a PART of that family - ask yourself WHY? The FBI did NOT show that tie to MJ. BUT, the tie story had been told for yrs by the family. None of them were aware that a tie with a pearl tac was part of the Cooper story until 2 yrs ago.

There are still individuals alive the FBI could ask about the TIE story - but they have never been approached. June 17, 1970 was the date a child was born making Duane a Step-Grand Father... the baby did NOT wait for his birthday as the mother of the child wished.

I tried NOT to talk about Duane in this post, but because of what I do know - I find that very difficult to do.

Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

[JerryThomas 0]

Smoking 99 call me stupid or slap me silly but one would think that you are a woman. However A good point about Buttons. Shellys blouses have the buttons on the left my shirts have buttons on the right. As for the tie clip. I never realy gave it much thought when I wore one which has only been 2 or 3 times, as long as it held my tie in place I realy didn't care about it. The military does not use tie clasps when wearing uniforms that require ties. I never was isued one. Only civillians wore them. So as for the Hijacker wearing a tie clasp he had to be from the old school and not a Military Lifer. Chances are he only served 2yrs or less. and didn't like ties.The tie and clasp actually belonged to Cooper.Cooper the name. Now that is a subject that has alot of theories. A lot of people have relitives with the last name of Cooper I do. I bet there is 2 or 3 others on this thread that has relatives named Cooper. So what is the most popular theory of why the Hijacker picked the name Cooper. Jerry

[georger 244]

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Smoking 99 call me stupid or slap me silly but one would think that you are a woman. However A good point about Buttons. Shellys blouses have the buttons on the left my shirts have buttons on the right. As for the tie clip. I never realy gave it much thought when I wore one which has only been 2 or 3 times, as long as it held my tie in place I realy didn't care about it. The military does not use tie clasps when wearing uniforms that require ties. I never was isued one. Only civillians wore them. So as for the Hijacker wearing a tie clasp he had to be from the old school and not a Military Lifer. Chances are he only served 2yrs or less. and didn't like ties.The tie and clasp actually belonged to Cooper.Cooper the name. Now that is a subject that has alot of theories. A lot of people have relitives with the last name of Cooper I do. I bet there is 2 or 3 others on this thread that has relatives named Cooper. So what is the most popular theory of why the Hijacker picked the name Cooper. Jerry

Jerry, Jo makes a good point. If the tie was found
between the seats on the floor vs on a seat, and
unless some witness id'd the tie as the one
Cooper had on, there really is no guarantee the
tie was Cooper's.

[smokin99 0]

.

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So what is the most popular theory of why the Hijacker picked the name Cooper. Jerry

I'll bite. I still think the canadian Dan Cooper comic series makes sense. Not to start any thing but I read that the creator of Dan Cooper, Weinberg, also introduced another character for TinTin in 1970. She was a blonde haired tour guide named Vicky. Dan Cooper met Vicky in the spy-oriented "L'Affaire Minos" (#21)


Didn't Melvin have a special fondness for all things Canadian? Seems like I remember something to that effect from Unsolved. So was he pretending to be French Canadian or just trying to sound British? Did he know zee French language? Hmmmmm..... can we add this to farflung's list?

but....A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.....Winston Churchill

[smokin99 0]

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I tried NOT to talk about Duane in this post, but because of what I do know - I find that very difficult to do.

Jo,
I meant to ask you this the other day and then forgot. A long time ago you posted something to the effect that the composite artist had a difficult time portraying a feature of the hijacker that the witnesses told him. I've searched but you know how this forum kind of rambles in many different directions. It went from the ears to the sagging eye, broad forehead, widows peak, etc. etc. etc. I got tired.

I can't remember if you said that this was something to do with Cooper's mouth expression or his forehead. Do you remember this discussion? What was the feature that he had a hard time portraying?

but....A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.....Winston Churchill

[JerryThomas 0]

Geoger. I agree with your statement. However To my understanding it was ID'd as Coopers thats why the FBI still has it. Jerry

[skyjack71 0]

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:

1) Duane Weber was between 5'11" 6'01" depending on which drivers license or criminal record you are using.

Duane Weber had hair and it was not thin on top, but with a slanted forehead that would be different depending on if the person describing him was standing over a seated Weber or stand face to face with him. This description also change depending on the height of the person who saw him.

Weber dyed his hair in 1971, but returned to his salt and pepper after the crime. Before and after pictures verify his hair was salt and pepper before and after, but the picture made in the FALL of 1971 show dyed hair.

Duane Weber had dark brown piercing eyes. The lids had the same contours the composites did and something else few notice - the right eye seems to be dominant.


FINANCIAL

2) Duane Weber purchased 2 new cars and bought a mobile home in a subdivison on a lot and put central air into it. He loaned his boss $5,000 on an IOU.

For the first time in his life he takes a job he keeps in sales - not because he is making a lot of money, but salemen can write off a lot of expenses. He ate at expensive restaurants and spent lots of money wooing his new wife.

A house he lives in late summer of 1972 with his new wife was broke into and set on fire by 2 men looking for something they thought Duane had.

3) Duane loaned $5000 to his boss.

4) Weber always seemed to have money even when he wasn't making a lot of money, but then he was also a thief who got caught all the time ( but he never got caught after 1971).

5) Weber left behind a few Coins - some gold but a lot of other coins in sets all dated 1971. There were also 2 rolls of Silver Dollars dated 1971.

6) Webers illness during his last yrs depleted his savings which he used to supplement his income after going on disability.

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE

7) The Tie-Tac - Duane family claimed he had a tie he stole from Bobby Kennedy in 1968 in Jefferson after Duane was released from a Prison in Jefferson. This was a family story told for many yrs after he was no longer part of that family.
But fondly remembered by the ex-wife and her daughter and sons.

The Ex-wife nor her daughter where ever shown pictures of this tie and were not aware that a tie was part of the Cooper story.

It has been said the tie indicates Cooper was left handed, but this evidence is questionable. Weber was left handed. The parted hair is more evidence of Cooper being left handed than a questionable tie.

8) A strange picture was sent to the widow of Weber by his ex-wife. This photo (dated 1971) shows a look alike Cooper with his dyed hair getting ready to go out on the town. The pictures shows they are wearing fall colors and clothes.

Another unusal picture is another one sent by the ex-wife showing her holding the very same glasses that Cooper wore. The wife claimed to have sent the picture so the widow could see her when she had blond hair yet(this picture was NOT a flattering photo and other really good photos were sent). Therefore the explanation for the photo showing the glasses seemed weak. The ex-wife laughs when the widow asked about the glasses - saying they both had a pair.


9) Raleighs were a common popular brand....Weber often changed brand so cigarettes.


CIRCUMSTANTIAL SOCIAL

10) Duane's ex-wife claimed she left Duane in early November of 1971 and went back to him in February of 1972. She said she was in Lawrence, Ks with her family...not Lorraine as the widow mistakenly has stated...and disavowed what the FBI supposedly stated - that Weber was with family in November of 1971.

He calls her begging her to come back in Jan. 1972, but turns out he is seeing another woman who he decides to leave the ex to marry. The ex is so distraugh she attempts to harm herself and they are divorced in May or June of 1972 and he remarries shortly thereafter.

Making an average living he has funds to buy 2 new cars, move the ex-wife and her children to Lawrence and later paid for her move to CA. He also pays alimony. Yet, his income does NOT substanciate his having income to woo another wife, but he and the new wife buy a very nice home and make lots of major repairs. The ROCKY off and on marriage ended as financial problems loomed around 1976.

Little is know about those yrs except he met his Atlanta friend in 1973 who helped him move a damn hideabed sofa many times
during the off and on marriage.


11) Little is known about that Thanksgiving of 1971 other than the wife and Duane were separated and another story on tape the FBI needs to hear - because they claim the ex said he was with her and yet she states to me several time they are separated and she was in Lawrence and other members of that family also told me Duane was NOT with them that Thanksgivng.

12) The FBI contacted the ex-wife to make an appointment with her - and before they arrive there is a little fire. Unlike Blevins I can't go into these things because all I have are tapes and notes of the things I was told...did she lie to me or to the FBI?.

13) The ex-wife denied having ever been in Portland, but during 1971 - 2 of her sons were stationed in WA. I just know there are lots of secrets about Nov and Dec until mid January about where either one of them were...but she did love playing games with me. She would always say to me "That Johnnie he was something else". I believe he was the one true love of her life - but, I have no answers.

She told me about their being in N.Y for New Yrs....1972. But, they were supposed to be separated and how could they afford to go to N.Y. I know the story about N.Y. is true because Duane also told me about a New Yrs. in N.Y. at Times Square with that particular wife.

There were supposedly some letters sent to writers in N.Y. during this time frame that supposely came from Cooper.
I wonder if any of them kept the orginal contact information and if it is was written or typed.


SPECULATIVE:

14) Later Max Gunter would receive communications for a woman who claimed she was the Widow of Cooper. Max and I discussed the possibilities that the ex and the woman who contacted him yrs before could be the same.

Max made up 98% of his book although through a very long dialogue and the exchanging of many letters. Max and I thought maybe the woman I was talking to and the woman he talked to could be one and the same. I still have the letters.


14) Boeing seems to be very much in the background of Duane because of his relationship with his brother who banished him from his mothers house in 1957 and that was the last time Duane would see his mother or his brother. The brother was some kind of consultant for Boeing during the war for 6 yrs. This was disputed the thread. All I have is the brother's verbage he gave to me.
Also the connection between Boeing and Shewin Willimas.


15) Accomplices - anything I said about this would surely be speculative, but I do believe that Cooper had help from one other person and that may have been after the fact...after the crime was done. An enquiry was made of a family member who was involved in law enforcement about what could happen to someone who was involved after the fact and they were advised if any of the stolen monies where spent knowingly on that person that person could be implicated in the crime.

What Duane told me in WA in 1979 - leads me to believe there was someone else involved. The places he took me which I leter found without the aid of the FBI or JT have only further convinced me that Weber was Cooper.

The places he took me - places I was told did not exist and places that should have been obivous to others - well, use your own judgement there!

Duane and the ex both worked for a catering company that provided the meals for and airline and they also where part of the cleaning crew on the planes. Duane knew every kind of plane and what it was capable of. He had explained to me the door on the plane on 2 different occasions. One was from inside of a 727 on our way to St. Thomas and the other time was while we were waiting for a flight and while the crews were doing the cleaning...as we watched out of the windows. Did anyone ever think that Cooper might have done work for a subcontractor cleaning planes - they would know about the aft stairs?

Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

[JerryThomas 0]

My computer is up and runing again.Does things its never done before. Did you get your car fixed. Any more info on your new Jump Status. Jerry

[georger 244]

Quote

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:

1) Duane Weber was between 5'11" 6'01" depending on which drivers license or criminal record you are using.

Duane Weber had hair and it was not thin on top, but with a slanted forehead that would be different depending on if the person describing him was standing over a seated Weber or stand face to face with him. This description also change depending on the height of the person who saw him.

Weber dyed his hair in 1971, but returned to his salt and pepper after the crime. Before and after pictures verify his hair was salt and pepper before and after, but the picture made in the FALL of 1971 show dyed hair.

Duane Weber had dark brown piercing eyes. The lids had the same contours the composites did and something else few notice - the right eye seems to be dominant.


FINANCIAL

2) Duane Weber purchased 2 new cars and bought a mobile home in a subdivison on a lot and put central air into it. He loaned his boss $5,000 on an IOU.

For the first time in his life he takes a job he keeps in sales - not because he is making a lot of money, but salemen can write off a lot of expenses. He ate at expensive restaurants and spent lots of money wooing his new wife.

A house he lives in late summer of 1972 with his new wife was broke into and set on fire by 2 men looking for something they thought Duane had.

3) Duane loaned $5000 to his boss.

4) Weber always seemed to have money even when he wasn't making a lot of money, but then he was also a thief who got caught all the time ( but he never got caught after 1971).

5) Weber left behind a few Coins - some gold but a lot of other coins in sets all dated 1971. There were also 2 rolls of Silver Dollars dated 1971.

6) Webers illness during his last yrs depleted his savings which he used to supplement his income after going on disability.

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE

7) The Tie-Tac - Duane family claimed he had a tie he stole from Bobby Kennedy in 1968 in Jefferson after Duane was released from a Prison in Jefferson. This was a family story told for many yrs after he was no longer part of that family.
But fondly remembered by the ex-wife and her daughter and sons.

The Ex-wife nor her daughter where ever shown pictures of this tie and were not aware that a tie was part of the Cooper story.

It has been said the tie indicates Cooper was left handed, but this evidence is questionable. Weber was left handed. The parted hair is more evidence of Cooper being left handed than a questionable tie.

8) A strange picture was sent to the widow of Weber by his ex-wife. This photo (dated 1971) shows a look alike Cooper with his dyed hair getting ready to go out on the town. The pictures shows they are wearing fall colors and clothes.

Another unusal picture is another one sent by the ex-wife showing her holding the very same glasses that Cooper wore. The wife claimed to have sent the picture so the widow could see her when she had blond hair yet(this picture was NOT a flattering photo and other really good photos were sent). Therefore the explanation for the photo showing the glasses seemed weak. The ex-wife laughs when the widow asked about the glasses - saying they both had a pair.


9) Raleighs were a common popular brand....Weber often changed brand so cigarettes.


CIRCUMSTANTIAL SOCIAL

10) Duane's ex-wife claimed she left Duane in early November of 1971 and went back to him in February of 1972. She said she was in Lawrence, Ks with her family...not Lorraine as the widow mistakenly has stated...and disavowed what the FBI supposedly stated - that Weber was with family in November of 1971.

He calls her begging her to come back in Jan. 1972, but turns out he is seeing another woman who he decides to leave the ex to marry. The ex is so distraugh she attempts to harm herself and they are divorced in May or June of 1972 and he remarries shortly thereafter.

Making an average living he has funds to buy 2 new cars, move the ex-wife and her children to Lawrence and later paid for her move to CA. He also pays alimony. Yet, his income does NOT substanciate his having income to woo another wife, but he and the new wife buy a very nice home and make lots of major repairs. The ROCKY off and on marriage ended as financial problems loomed around 1976.

Little is know about those yrs except he met his Atlanta friend in 1973 who helped him move a damn hideabed sofa many times
during the off and on marriage.


11) Little is known about that Thanksgiving of 1971 other than the wife and Duane were separated and another story on tape the FBI needs to hear - because they claim the ex said he was with her and yet she states to me several time they are separated and she was in Lawrence and other members of that family also told me Duane was NOT with them that Thanksgivng.

12) The FBI contacted the ex-wife to make an appointment with her - and before they arrive there is a little fire. Unlike Blevins I can't go into these things because all I have are tapes and notes of the things I was told...did she lie to me or to the FBI?.

13) The ex-wife denied having ever been in Portland, but during 1971 - 2 of her sons were stationed in WA. I just know there are lots of secrets about Nov and Dec until mid January about where either one of them were...but she did love playing games with me. She would always say to me "That Johnnie he was something else". I believe he was the one true love of her life - but, I have no answers.

She told me about their being in N.Y for New Yrs....1972. But, they were supposed to be separated and how could they afford to go to N.Y. I know the story about N.Y. is true because Duane also told me about a New Yrs. in N.Y. at Times Square with that particular wife.

There were supposedly some letters sent to writers in N.Y. during this time frame that supposely came from Cooper.
I wonder if any of them kept the orginal contact information and if it is was written or typed.


SPECULATIVE:

14) Later Max Gunter would receive communications for a woman who claimed she was the Widow of Cooper. Max and I discussed the possibilities that the ex and the woman who contacted him yrs before could be the same.

Max made up 98% of his book although through a very long dialogue and the exchanging of many letters. Max and I thought maybe the woman I was talking to and the woman he talked to could be one and the same. I still have the letters.


14) Boeing seems to be very much in the background of Duane because of his relationship with his brother who banished him from his mothers house in 1957 and that was the last time Duane would see his mother or his brother. The brother was some kind of consultant for Boeing during the war for 6 yrs. This was disputed the thread. All I have is the brother's verbage he gave to me.
Also the connection between Boeing and Shewin Willimas.


15) Accomplices - anything I said about this would surely be speculative, but I do believe that Cooper had help from one other person and that may have been after the fact...after the crime was done. An enquiry was made of a family member who was involved in law enforcement about what could happen to someone who was involved after the fact and they were advised if any of the stolen monies where spent knowingly on that person that person could be implicated in the crime.

What Duane told me in WA in 1979 - leads me to believe there was someone else involved. The places he took me which I leter found without the aid of the FBI or JT have only further convinced me that Weber was Cooper.

The places he took me - places I was told did not exist and places that should have been obivous to others - well, use your own judgement there!

Duane and the ex both worked for a catering company that provided the meals for and airline and they also where part of the cleaning crew on the planes. Duane knew every kind of plane and what it was capable of. He had explained to me the door on the plane on 2 different occasions. One was from inside of a 727 on our way to St. Thomas and the other time was while we were waiting for a flight and while the crews were doing the cleaning...as we watched out of the windows. Did anyone ever think that Cooper might have done work for a subcontractor cleaning planes - they would know about the aft stairs?

It surpasses all understanding.

[georger 244]

What Duane told me in WA in 1979 - leads me to believe there was someone else involved. The places he took me which I leter found without the aid of the FBI or JT have only further convinced me that Weber was Cooper.
?

[JerryThomas 0]

jo will never show any proof. Jerry

[skyjack71 0]

Georger said:

Quote

Jo. You have never presented any proof that
the 1979 trip to WA with Duane ever happened.

Could you please present any proof now?
Lodging tickets, receipts ... anything.

G.

The trip was a Managers meeting with Family Life Insurance of Seattle. Wa. We stayed at the Men's Club. I have the tax reports, but not the back-ups. This trip was paid for by Family Life Insurance and our expenses where paid for by them.

I remember a couple of the other managers at that meeting but don't know if they are still alive.

I will pull the 1978 tax report - all I have is the actual report and since this was an all expense paid trip I doubt I have any more than the actual tax report.

I have pictures we made in Salt Lake City and then pictures made in Tahoe - there was NO reason to take pictures at the meeting. One of the managers and his wife who stood up for us at our wedding were there - but I lost all contact with them. Last I knew they were in Spokane in 1980. I think he may have died and I long ago got rid of a lot of information.

If I can produce evidence we where in WA in 1979 - will this even remotely change your mind?
It might take a lot of research and I may need some help finding the names of the managers and any contacts...I am not going to this trouble if it will PROVE nothing to you or the FBI.

Bet Snow could find something!

Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

[skyjack71 0]

Quote

Jo. You have never presented any proof that
the 1979 trip to WA with Duane ever happened.

Could you please present any proof now?
Lodging tickets, receipts ... anything.

G.

I pulled the tax reports for 1979.
All of the back-up (road expenses) has long been gone.
But, there was 2 items only they do not give a location.

Weber Night on Town Reimbursement for "Night on the Town" contest award. $50.00

Also another contest award
stateing " Bud Mills Contest". $325.00

There are account numbers on them but NO date nor mention of the trip they were for...but this would be the extra - I am surprised to even find this.

The only other trip that yr was to VAIL and there was no "Night On the Town" in Vail...as that was a 2 night deal...I have all the pictures from Vail showing the agents there. That was the trip that Mac Milan with his wife and Duane and I played golf instead of going river rafting...both Duane and Mac Milan were older than the rest of the group.

These were with the 1979 tax report. All of the other back-up has long been gone. I know I personally reduced all of this to the reports only after that first yr. Duane died in 1995. Had I know at that time Who DAN COOPER was I would have kept everything.

I am being as honest and straight-forward with you as I can be. I don't think there is anything else.

I will pull the album, but I reduced that over the yrs. Seems like there were some pics of The Market in Seattle, but I took those out. I could still have negatives, but will pictures of the Market prove anything? Would have to dig through 50 yrs of negatives.

I know that one of the men who was there is deceased lived in WA. His name was Mac Milan and he lived out on the Island and had to get to Seattle by ferry because the bridge had collapsed. I remember the conversation because Mr. Milan was surprised Duane was so familiar with the area. Their conversation included other things about the area. but this one part of the discussion I remember. It was very obvious Duane was very familiar with the area.

Georger I have NO reason to lie about this trip. The picture of Duane in his suit without the glasses doing the YAAAA thing was made in the hotel we stayed at. There was a picture of me made in that same suite that shows more of the room, but do not feel comfortable posting that picture.

I did NOT take the camera to the banquet that night. Attached are 2 photos I made before we went downstairs. The thread could NOT handle the full picture of Duane with his arms spread. He was late getting to the room and I had called the guys to see if they knew were he was. They said they had NOT seen him since noon. When Duane got to the room I was dressed and had his clothes laid out. The first thing I did was jump him accusing him of drinking and he breathed in my face - to prove he had not been drinking. Asked me to fix him a scotch and water while he freshened up and changed. In that one photo he with the spead eagle arms he has the drink in his hand...he was giddy and made this AHHHAAA sound when he did that action. We were late getting to the banquet.

This was our last night in Seattle and it would be the next day when we went to Vancouver and made the multiple stops. After we crossed bridge into Portland (the first time I had ever been in Portland in my life) we went East along the River until we had passed the Troutdale airport and a road that he said went to Mt. Hood. He mentioned a tressel on the other side of the river where there was a Marina and told me the boat story. I will never forget the look on his face telling that story.

It was not until he had turned around that he stated we were going to Tahoe. I questioned if we could afford to go to Tahoe. I have pictures made in Tahoe.

We traded the Cadillac for an Oldsmoblie went we got home.
It was NOT financed - but, in those days I never questioned Duane about money. He just told me he got a good trade on the Cadillac.

Strange that I have a picture of Duane with a pipe very similar to the one Blevins has of Christiansen. They even have the same stupid expression on their face.

Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

[JerryThomas 0]

CPT Ed Freeman United States Airforce Helicopter Pilot Passed away last Wenesday in Boise Idaho. He was awarded the medal of honor for his actions on Nov 11 1967 In the republic of Vietnam After all medivac helicopters in the area were ordered out of the area. He chose to take his Huey to LZ XRAY, 13 more times removing 29 wounded soldiers from the LZ while receiving hostile fire from 100 yards away. He was not a medivac pilot.All medivac choppers were ordered out of the area due to intense hostile fire It was not known until after he was finished that he had been hit 4 times in the legs and once in the arm. This is what true love of your fellow man is all about. I can honestly say I was proud to have met this man. I met him at the Boise VA he was truly a man of honor.I post this only to pay tribute to one of Americas Finest. Jerry

[georger 244]

Quote

Georger said:

Quote

Jo. You have never presented any proof that
the 1979 trip to WA with Duane ever happened.

Could you please present any proof now?
Lodging tickets, receipts ... anything.

G.

The trip was a Managers meeting with Family Life Insurance of Seattle. Wa. We stayed at the Men's Club. I have the tax reports, but not the back-ups. This trip was paid for by Family Life Insurance and our expenses where paid for by them.
!

That sounds legit. The reason I asked was
Safecracking's report of this trip: "In Fall of 1979, Duane took Skyjack71 to the NW for a sentimental journey..."

G.

[skyjack71 0]

Quote

Quote

Georger said:

Quote

Jo. You have never presented any proof that
the 1979 trip to WA with Duane ever happened.

Could you please present any proof now?
Lodging tickets, receipts ... anything.

G.

The trip was a Managers meeting with Family Life Insurance of Seattle. Wa. We stayed at the Men's Club. I have the tax reports, but not the back-ups. This trip was paid for by Family Life Insurance and our expenses where paid for by them.
!

That sounds legit. The reason I asked was
Safecracking's report of this trip: "In Fall of 1979, Duane took Skyjack71 to the NW for a sentimental journey..."

G.

That is because I have always referred to it as a Sentimental Journey. Duane wanted to go to Salt Lake before we went to Seattle. He had been to Salt Lake City and so had I when I was about 13 yrs old - maybe 14.

We went to the Vistors Center - there was chapel there. He said he would be back in just a few minutes. I was bored and walk back to the Hall up front and went to the restroom. Just about that time he shows up - and looks at the directory - looking for a specific name - then he told me to wait and he his goes back down the hall and comes right back and said "He is leaving". (I have never been able to find anyone who would give me the names on that directory in Sept of 1979...NO ONE. We quickly went outside and over to another building I now know is the Assembly Hall. He set me up to take a picture - telling me a man would be coming around the corner with a large briefcase and this man had to walk right past there to get to a parking lot on the other side.

He did NOT want this man to see him and I do not know where he went to - maybe down to the area just outside of the Assembly Hall were lots of people where milling around. I took the picture of the man he told me to...and when I did the man looked up at me when he saw I was taking pictures.

Duane came back real fast and we left...and we are on our way to The Dalles which is where he wanted to make it to for the 1st night.

Before getting to The Dalles, Duane is telling me all about this area and then the next day he leaves me at the motel and comes back 5 1/2 hours later.

From there we went to all of the other places and then the things he did in Seattle and on the return trip. Because of all of this I am the one who DUBBED it The Sentimental Journey and that was a song he used to sing (he was a really good singer). I have mentioned this in this thread and it had been called A Sentimental Journey by the media.

Also because it seemed like the memories were good ones. I now know that was because they may have been the only good memories he had of being a free man in the late 40's because from 1950 until 1968 he was in and out of prison or on the run.

Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

[BruceSmith 3]

The tie was NOT found until 4 hours after the plane was on the ground in Reno. It was found neatly folded over and between the two seats. It could have been left there by one of the passengers on prior legs of the flight. As I was told it was the typical tie worn by the pilots and other who worked for the airlines.
***

Jo, how do you know this? It is widely reported that Tina stated in the debriefing that she saw DBC take the tie off and place in on the seat next to him. In addition, Calame writes that the tie was not entered into the evidentiary collection in Seattle until four days after the skyjacking, and he has no information on where the tie was during that time.

In addition, Calame and Rhodes write that when they interviewed the FBI evidence retrieval team in the 1980s, no agent remembered seeing a tie or hearing any discussion about the tie at that time.