DB Cooper Sleuth Thinks He's Cracked the Case

The FBI has officially given up trying to figure out the identity of the legendary 1971 hijacker known as DB Cooper. But amateur sleuths remain very much on the case, and one is putting forth a new suspect, reports the Oregonian. Eric Ulis says analysis of the tie left behind by Cooper on the plane shows traces of an unusual titanium alloy that was in use by only one US company at the time of the hijacking: Crucible Steel of Pittsburgh, formerly Rem-Cru Titanium. Lab researchers at the company wore ties at work, and only one of those employees matches the general description of Cooper—the late Vince Petersen.

"All roads seem to indicate that Mr. Petersen was DB Cooper," Ulis tells the Columbian. Petersen doesn't appear to have been on the FBI's radar in connection with the case, and no evidence links him to it. On top of that, Petersen's son doesn't think his father is the famous hijacker. Still, "I think the evidence clearly points to him and he is definitely worthy of serious consideration," says Ulis, who's among the better-known Cooper sleuths. Such consideration might come later this week at the annual CooperCon, a three-day convention in Vancouver devoted to the case that begins on Friday. (Read about two other suspects here and here.)