Electronic communication Las Vegas to Seattle et al. re NORJAK suspect Franklin John Painter, interviews and leads

(Rev. 08-28-2000)

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Precedence: PRIORITY Date: 10/26/2000

To: Seattle Attn: SA [redacted] Laboratory Attn: LFPS, SA [redacted] Salt Lake City Attn: Kalispell RA St. Louis Attn: Military Records Center Las Vegas Attn: Carson City RA SA [redacted]

From: Las Vegas VCMO, Squad #5 Contact: SA Joseph A. Dushek (702) 366-7229

Approved By: [redacted]

Drafted By: Dushek Joseph A:jad [redacted]

Case ID #: SE 164A-81 (Pending)

Title: NORJAK; CAA - Hijacking

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Synopsis: To set leads to interview possible suspects' sister, Lucinda Reyes, at Yerrington, Nevada; confirm suspects military record in U. S. Army as paratrooper; and to compare original partial latent fingerprints of "D.B. Cooper" at LFPS with suspect, Franklin John Painter, FBI # 828046B, who is currently residing at Polson, Montana.

Reference: SE 164A-81 Serial 9349

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Administrative: Per current case agent, SA [redacted], at Seattle, [redacted] telephoned Seattle Division on [redacted] regarding her suspicions that D.B. Cooper is identical to an unidentified [redacted] which has been known to [redacted] for years.

[redacted] Nevada was interviewed by the FBI on 10/17/2000 and confirmed [redacted] suspects Cooper is identical to [redacted] Frank Painter, nee, Nick Leuis, who is alive and resides at 1000 B Cherry Hill Court, in Polson, Montana.

[redacted] stated [redacted] Lucinda Reyes, who is Frank Painters' sister, residing at 320 Reyes Way, Yerrington, Nevada, was previously interviewed by the FBI in the early 1970's but escaped detection. Reyes can provide additional photographs of Painter and advised full name of her brother is Franklin John Painter, date of birth 4/27/1936 or 1937.

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37831.00

DB COOPER-54447 SE 164A-81-9355-3

To: Seattle From: Las Vegas Re: SE 164A-81 , 10/26/2000

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SA [REDACTED] confirmed previous sub-file # 766 reporting brief investigation of Franklin John Painter in 1975 and 1976 but no positive investigation was developed to confirm Painter as identical to Dan Cooper. On 5/21/75 a law clerk for U.S. District Court Judge Robert F. Peckham at San Francisco, California advised that an acquaintance, Mary Painter, of Reno, Nevada, who died in 1974, told her that the composite she had seen in the newspapers of D.B. Cooper looked very much like her son, who was a paratrooper in Germany in the U.S. military. She also reported that the FBI also checked her other son, Joseph Painter, but cleared him of being identical to D.B. Cooper.

A physical review of photographs of Franklin Painter compared to the artists rendering of Cooper then, and now, indicate there is a very close resemblance.

It is noted that Franklin John Painter is described as a White, male, American, age 35 in 1971, 5'11" to 6'2", 160 to 170 pounds in 1971, had dark brown or black hair, was born on April 27, 1936 in California and of 7/29/1975 (in interview by (former) SA [REDACTED] of [REDACTED] at Farson, Wyoming) smoked moderately, Winston, Marlboro, Camel filters, Raleigh filters, and Pall Mall cigarettes.

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Enclosures: Enclosed here with for the Seattle Division, are the following items:

1) The orginal and two copies of an FD-302 interview of [REDACTED] Nevada on 10/17/2000 and 1A interview notes from SA Dushek.

2) One color photograph fairly current of Franklin John Painter, with beard and mustache.

3) One copy of computer printout of FBI rapsheet for FBI # 828046B for Franklin John painter.

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Details: On 10/18/2000, SA [REDACTED] FBI Laboratory, Latent Fingerprint Section, advised he has made previous comparisons of several partial latent fingerprints obtained in Reno in 1971 from Northwest Orient flight 305 following hijacking and retains a copy of these latents.

On 10/18/2000, SA [REDACTED] Carson City RA, confirmed that he and SSRA [REDACTED] interviewed Lucinda Reyes at Yerrington, Nevada on 10/17/2000 and obtained other photographs and a handgun left with her by Franklin Painter in

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2

DB COOPER-54448

To: Seattle From: Las Vegas Re: SE 164A-81 , 10/26/2000

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1971. She also believes he is identical to D.B. Cooper and advised that Franklin in 1971 had told their mother, Emila Grefer (deceased), of Ely, Nevada, that he "could be" Cooper and displayed a small black suitcase burned on one corner to her.

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On 10/18/2000 an E-Mail summary of above was forwarded to FBI Seattle, Salt Lake City, the Kalispell and Helena RA's and to the FBI Laboratory, to the attention of [REDACTED] who identified criminal fingerprints of Franklin John Painter, aka Nick Leuis and Nick Lewis, FBI number 828046B, listing an arrest in 1952 by the Landers County Sheriffs Office in Wyoming for investigation for horse theft. He was found guilty on 8/8/1952 and parolled to his parents. [REDACTED] was unable to locate any military fingerprints for Franklin Painter at the Identification Division at this time.

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3

DB COOPER-54449

To: Seattle From: Las Vegas Re: SE 164A-81 , 10/26/2000

LEAD(s):

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Set Lead 1:

LABORATORY

AT WASHINGTON, DC

It is requested that examiner [redacted] compare any and all partial or full latent fingerprints developed in NORJAK from the hijacked airplane on 11/24/1971 to the fingerprints of FBI # 828046B, of Franklin John Painter, date of birth 4/27/1936 and advise Seattle and Las Vegas of the results. The cigareete butts obtained by Reno RA as evidence where not located in Las Vegas by the evidence clerk and nothing was noted in any evidence files but was believed to have been forwarded to FBI Seattle.

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Set Lead 2:

ST. LOUIS

AT ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

Is requested to conduct an inquiry with the military records center to confirm the military service in the United States Army (or any service) of Franklin John Painter, aka Nick Leuis, a White, male, born 4/27/1936 or 4/27/1937 at Bakersfield, California, 5'11" to 6'0", 160 to 190 pounds, brown eyes, black hair, who claims to have been a paratrooper, AS-17429308, and FBI # 828046B.

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Set Lead 3:

LAS VEGAS

AT YERRINGTON, NEVADA

Is requested to interview Mrs. Lucinda Reyes, 320 Reyes Way, Yerrington, Nevada, telephone (775) 463-5562, regarding her suspicions and knowlege that her brother, Franklin John Painter could possibly be identical to D.B Cooper. Also, obtain the handgun left with her by Franklin painter in the 1970's for possible fingerprint examination and firearm ownership trace. She also is holding color photographs of Franklin Painter taken near the date of 1971 for the FBI. (It is noted that she was interviewed around 6/12/1975 at the Sprouse Ritz Store in Yerrington by (former) SA Robert J. Rodefer, who ascertained that Franklin Painter had last been seen by her in Central Ely, Nevada at their grandmothers home, Mrs. Emila Grefer. She claimed Franklin had been living with [redacted] in

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4

DB COOPER-54450

To: Seattle From: Las Vegas Re: SE 164A-81, 10/26/2000

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Yerrington between thanksgiving 1971 or 1972 and Christmas, the same year. She described Franklin painter then as: White, male, age 40 years, 6'1" to 6'2", 160 pounds, slender build, with dark, short crew cut hair and who always dressed in western clothes and who changed his name officially to Nick Leuis in August 1967 in Rock Springs, Wyoming. They were divorced in 1973.

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Salt Lake City, at Kalispell RA: Is requested to ascertain the residence of Franklin John Painter, as Nick Leuis, at 1000 B Cherry Hill Court, Polson, Montana 59860. Also, if possible, obtain a Social Security Account Number (SSAN) for Leuis (Franklin John Painter) from local or State records and any vehicles registered to him. He should be 64 years of age now.

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5

DB COOPER-54451