Interview of confidential source re statements by Jerry Cooper

781 [handwritten mark, illegible] 1/15/76

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FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Date of transcription __________

[redacted], Virginia, advised she [redacted] JERRY COOPER, when they were both [redacted].

[redacted] advised that [redacted] has told h[er] that when the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) interviewed her in regards to [redacted] on Thanksgiving Day, 1971, she advised them that he was deer hunting. She has since advised [redacted] that he was not hunting at that time. [redacted] stated he was supposedly hunting with [redacted], [redacted] and others.

[redacted] advised that on or about the [redacted] [redacted] Virginia, advising [redacted] that COOPER had told her that he was the hijacker and that the money that is left from the hijacking is in a safety deposit box. [redacted] advised that there is no knowledge of where this safety deposit box is at this time, but that JERRY COOPER at different times has been going away for two or three days at a time to a destination unknown by anyone [redacted].

[redacted] advised that COOPER had told [redacted] that he carried an attache case onto the airplane which he hijacked in 1971, at which time he had a white parachute in the attache case. [redacted] was also advised that there was a stewardess, who might have been on the plane, but that is not definitely so, involved and another man was supposed to met him on the ground. COOPER advised [redacted] that he then jumped from the plane, but that the man who was supposed to met him on the ground did not meet him and he landed in snow and had to hide from the hunters in the area for approximately four hours under the snow. COOPER advised [redacted] that he buried the money and had to go back and get it, which he did at

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Interviewed on 1/5/76 at Roanoke, Virginia File # Richmond 164-74 [handwritten: 5T or similar, illegible]

SA GARY L. LANGAN/llt by [signature, illegible] Date dictated 1/9/76

This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency.

164-81-[illegible] 781 DB COOPER-54611

another time and placed it in a safety deposit box. COOPER had told [REDACTED] that he had also walked out of the woods since the individual did not meet him at the pick up time. COOPER had advised [REDACTED] that he had to pay $25,000.00 to the man who was supposed to pick him up and that [REDACTED] feels this is blackmail of one source or another.

[REDACTED] advised she was under the impression that when COOPER returned from the hijacking he was very sick and took off from work a few days.

[REDACTED] advised she has been told that COOPER is very nervous and would not let anyone, especially his wife, drive their van.

[REDACTED] advised that both [REDACTED] and COOPER have recently gone to Texas and that [REDACTED] [REDACTED] after COOPER had advised him that he was the hijacker in this matter after having been out drinking with [REDACTED] for the evening. She advised that [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] further advised that COOPER telephonically contacted [REDACTED] and stated he was in an automobile accident, but supposedly when he returned he had a look of being beat-up and was quite nervous.

[REDACTED] advised that [REDACTED] has told her that D. B. COOPER was the name of COOPER's father and that he possibly used his father's initials for some psychological reason.

[REDACTED] further advised that it is her understanding that JERRY COOPER and [REDACTED] feel that [REDACTED] [REDACTED] who was an [REDACTED] who used to reside in [REDACTED] was the so called anonymous tipper in regards to JERRY COOPER. [REDACTED] advised that [REDACTED] telephone number is [REDACTED]

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DB COOPER-54612

RH 164-74

[REDACTED] advised that COOPER has stated to [REDACTED] that by the end of 1976, he was going to be a very wealthy man, because of the movie and book rights to this story. She further advised that since his encounter with the FBI, COOPER has been to see a psychiatrist and has been very depressed, and has taken time off from work.

[REDACTED] stated that [REDACTED] told her that she had advised COOPER that he was lucky he did not buy the vehicle he was going to purchase for cash the day before the FBI interviewed him.

[REDACTED] further stated that [REDACTED] told her that she had gone through photograph albums and was definitely positive that COOPER was not on the hunting trip in 1971 and that [REDACTED] has even told her that he assumed he was with a woman at that time.

[REDACTED] stated that COOPER is a crane operator and has been off from work for numerous months, but always has money and, in fact, on his trip to Texas, sometime after October 15, 1975, he took $1,200.00 with him.

[REDACTED] further advised that [REDACTED] had told her that the things the hijacker supposedly said on the plane to the stewardess were the things that JERRY COOPER says all the time and, in fact, one is his pet saying. [REDACTED] advised that she could not recall what this is supposed to be, but she does recall having heard COOPER use a certain type of saying all the time. She further stated that COOPER has always plenty of money and has at times offered to pay [REDACTED].

[REDACTED] further advised that COOPER is a very calm, cool, and collective individual, one who could lie without worrying about it and would get

RH 164-74

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away with it. She further advised she would be in fear of her life if COOPER found out that she was talking to the FBI in regards to this and requested that her identity be made a secret at this time.

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DB COOPER-54614