SAC Newark to Director and SACs Portland, San Francisco, Seattle re NORJACK suspect, with leads and Bureau authority request
Document date 18 October 1991
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Id: Cooper-Part-50:102-111
Subject: Cooper Files: Cooper-Part-50:102-111 Document: Airtel SAC Newark to Director and SACs Portland, San Francisco, Seattle re NORJACK suspect, with leads and Bureau authority request Id: Cooper-Part-50:102-111 Page: https://cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-50%3A102-111 What is wrong (title, date, type, which pages belong together, copies)? What does the scan show?
A person reads every report. Corrections are made by hand, to the data — titles, dates, names, which pages belong together — never to the scans, and they can take a while to appear.
FBI 164-81, Vault Part 50 pp. 102–111 (DB Cooper-20702, DB Cooper-20704, DB Cooper-20705, DB Cooper-20706, DB Cooper-20707, DB Cooper-20708, DB Cooper-20709, DB Cooper-20710, DB Cooper-20711), Airtel, dated 18 Oct 1991, serial SE 164-81-9123 (as read from the transcript) — cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-50%3A102-111
FD-36 (Rev. 8-29-85)
FBI
TRANSMIT VIA: PRECEDENCE: CLASSIFICATION: FOIMS [stamp] ☐ Teletype ☐ Immediate ☐ TOP SECRET/CONFIDENT ☐ Facsimile ☐ Priority ☐ SECRET ☒ AIRTEL ☐ Routine ☐ CONFIDENTIAL ☐ UNCLAS E F T O ☐ UNCLAS Date 10/18/91
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TO: DIRECTOR, FBI (164-2111) (PRIORITY) SAC, PORTLAND (164- ) (PRIORITY) SAC, SAN FRANCISCO (164-A-0220) (PRIORITY) SAC, SEATTLE (164-A-81) (PRIORITY)
FROM: SAC, NEWARK (164-A-402) (P) (GMRA)
SUBJECT: NORJACK; C.A.A. - HIJACKING (OO:SEATTLE)
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164A-81 164A-87-
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ARMED & DANGEROUS
Re: Seattle Airtel to Bureau 1/23/90. NK telcalls to San Francisco 7/13/91
For information of the Bureau and receiving offices, the following is a summary of the investigation conducted by the Newark Division in regard to suspect [REDACTED]
On 4/29/87 [REDACTED] Sparta, New Jersey, advised that in the summer of 1985 she needed someone to do repair work around her house as she had just broken up with her ex- boyfriend [REDACTED] described her ex-boyfriend [REDACTED] who was always telling stories about his alleged wartime activities as a [REDACTED] in Vietnam.
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2 - Bureau 2 - Portland 2 - San Francisco 2 - Seattle 2 - Quantico (Attn: Behavioral Science Unit) 2 - Newark
TAC/sl (12)
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Approved: [signature] Transmitted [signature] (Number) (Time)
164A-81-9123 Per [illegible] SEARCHED_____ INDEXED_____ SERIALIZED: 1987 FILED 193-749
DB Cooper-20702
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INDICES MANUAL [illegible]
[REDACTED] advised that she saw an advertisement in a local newspaper for an individual that did [REDACTED] work. [REDACTED] called the telephone number that was in the newspaper and left a message on the answering machine that she was interested in hiring a handyman. [REDACTED] advised that the telephone number she called in 1985 was [REDACTED]
[REDACTED] advised that in response to her message on the answering machine an individual by the name of [REDACTED] (LNU) contacted her and stated that he does [REDACTED] [REDACTED] advised that she hired [REDACTED] (LNU) and gave him directions to her house.
[REDACTED] advised that [REDACTED] (LNU) worked around her house for approximately [REDACTED] and during this time they would engage in casual conversation. [REDACTED] in one of the conversations told [REDACTED] (LNU) about her ex-boyfriend, [REDACTED] and that he was a [REDACTED] in Vietnam and had been in a lot of battles and had won some medals.
[REDACTED] advised that in response to this, [REDACTED] (LNU) told her that [REDACTED] and that he [REDACTED] [REDACTED] (LNU) stated that [REDACTED] and fought in those battles.
[REDACTED] asked [REDACTED] (LNU) how he knew those things and [REDACTED] then told her that he, [REDACTED] had been in the military and had received specialized training.
According to [REDACTED] was not bragging about himself and was very low key when he spoke of his own military experience.
In a subsequent casual conversation, [REDACTED] asked [REDACTED] if she heard of the incident years ago where a guy jumped from an airplane with a lot of money and got away with it. [REDACTED] told her that [REDACTED]
[REDACTED] stated that she recalled the incident from either seeing a movie or reading a book. [REDACTED] then [REDACTED]
[REDACTED] keeping in mind all the false bragging that her ex-boyfriend did about his exploits.
[REDACTED] advised that in response to this [REDACTED] sort of smiled and said that whoever did that would have to have had a specialized training like the training that he, [REDACTED] received
in the military. [REDACTED] also told her that whoever it was, would have to be able to survive in the [REDACTED] and would have to be very smart.
[REDACTED] stated that when [REDACTED] told her this, he was not bragging and he was very calm. [REDACTED] stated that [REDACTED] spoke of these things in the third person and it seemed to her that he just wanted to share a secret.
[REDACTED] then asked [REDACTED] and [REDACTED]
[REDACTED] stated that [REDACTED] then commented that he, [REDACTED] could say that it was him or he did it and no one, including the police, would ever believe him.
[REDACTED] thought that [REDACTED] was kidding and that neither she or [REDACTED] ever brought up the topic again.
[REDACTED] advised that this conversation with [REDACTED] always bothered her, especially the low key way in which he mentioned the incident.
[REDACTED] advised that she could not remember [REDACTED] last name, but that it began with the letter [REDACTED] described [REDACTED] as follows:
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Sex: Male Race: White Height: 6' Weight: 200 lbs. Age: 45 Hair: Light brown hair thinning on top, high forehead with receding hairline, balding in back. Face: Full beard; rugged face; no glasses Voice: [REDACTED], spoke with a [REDACTED] accent. Misc: Intelligent, very self-confident, former military service, possibly a pilot as he knew a lot about airplanes, low key and calm demeanor. Tel: [REDACTED]
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Investigation in regard to [REDACTED] determined that this number was disconnected and was no longer in service. A review of the 1984 Coles telephone number directory determined that telephone number [REDACTED] was listed to [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Rockaway, N.J. Also listed for [REDACTED] at that address in 1984 was telephone number [REDACTED] A check of
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DB Cooper-20704
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-3-
the 1986 New Jersey Bell Telephone directory determined that telephone number [REDACTED] was still disconnected, but that telephone [REDACTED] was listed to [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Denville, N.J.
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A review of the computerized N.J. Department of Motor Vehicles' records for all individuals having the last name that began with the letter [REDACTED] determined that a [REDACTED] white, male, DOB: [REDACTED] residing at [REDACTED] Denville, N.J., held a valid New Jersey driver's license.
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A review of the FBI Identification Division arrest records revealed that [REDACTED] DOB: [REDACTED] POB: [REDACTED] [REDACTED] SOC [REDACTED] had been assigned FBI [REDACTED] This arrest record disclosed that [REDACTED] has been arrested a total of eight times for [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] It is noted that two of these arrests were by the Sheriff's Dept., Clark County, Vancouver, Washington, on [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] This record also revealed that [REDACTED] was fingerprinted by the U.S. Army on [REDACTED]
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A review of [REDACTED] military personnel file disclosed that he was in the U.S. Army from [REDACTED] to [REDACTED] at which time he received an undesirable discharge. While in the Army, [REDACTED] was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky and was a qualified parachute jumper.
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Investigation at Denville, N.J. determined that [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Denville, N.J. is the former address of [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] Inquiry at the Denville, N.J. Police Department determined that on [REDACTED] a
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[REDACTED] This report indicated that [REDACTED] returned to California after [REDACTED] and that the whereabouts of [REDACTED] was unknown. The Denville P.D. had a valid arrest warrant outstanding for [REDACTED]
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At the request of the Newark Division, the Denville P.D. entered [REDACTED] into NCIC on the basis of their arrest warrant. The purpose of this was to attempt to determine the current location of [REDACTED]
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On [REDACTED] [REDACTED] was stopped by the Washington State Patrol in Clark County, Vancouver, Washington, for a [REDACTED] Due to the NCIC entry [REDACTED] was arrested and detained at the Clark County Jail.
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-4- DB Cooper-20705
Upon being informed of [REDACTED] arrest, a bureau agent from the Seattle Division was assigned to interview [REDACTED] under the pretext of the outstanding New Jersey Fugitive charges. The purpose of the interview was to obtain his background information and photograph.
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During the interview, [REDACTED] advised that he was currently living in Battleground, Washington, with [REDACTED].
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[REDACTED] advised that he first lived in the Vancouver, Washington, area in 1965 and stayed there until 1967 or early 1967 when he returned to North Dakota. In late 1967 he moved back to the Battleground-Vancouver area and lived and worked in that immediate area as a [REDACTED] since 1974 when he moved to the San Francisco Bay area.
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After moving to San Francisco in 1974 he met [REDACTED] [REDACTED] married [REDACTED] in Menlo Park, CA, and remained there [REDACTED]. While working in Redwood City, CA in 1980 he met [REDACTED] [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] lived in San Francisco until 1982 at which time they moved to New Jersey. They remained in New Jersey [REDACTED].
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Investigation has determined that [REDACTED] was and that he [REDACTED] met [REDACTED] in North Dakota and then moved with her to the Vancouver, Washington area in 1965. [REDACTED] was married to [REDACTED] until approximately [REDACTED] is believed to still reside in the Vancouver, Washington, area and has never been interviewed in regard to captioned matter.
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[REDACTED] was released from local police custody on 5/21/87 when New Jersey authorities failed to extradite him on the theft charges.
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On 9/23/87 [REDACTED] was located and interviewed in Folsom, CA in regard to [REDACTED].
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[REDACTED] provided background information regarding how she met [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] and [REDACTED].
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Concerning the possibility that [REDACTED] might be identical to "D.B. Cooper", [REDACTED] recalled that [REDACTED] seemed to have a great and continuing interest in the folklore surrounding "D.B. Cooper". [REDACTED] advised that [REDACTED] was an avid fisherman and hunter and told her he was very familiar with the Mt. St. Helen's area of Washington. According to [REDACTED] always read a
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DB Cooper-20706
lot and paid attention to the media comments and stories about D.B. Cooper. She herself never went with [REDACTED] on any of his trips to the Pacific Northwest. [REDACTED] did tell her that he spent time in the 101st Airborne Division of the Army and that he did "night jumps" while in Europe.
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According to [REDACTED] smoked heavily and then quit in 1984. [REDACTED] smoked filter cigarettes such as Kent's. She did not know if he smoked Raleigh's. As a result of his smoking habit he had the usual stained teeth and fingers.
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[REDACTED] also commented that [REDACTED] always seemed "fascinated" about the D.B. Cooper legend, but he never initiated the conversation about it, but he always seemed to have a quick answer to whatever was brought up about the case. [REDACTED] sometimes bragged to her about a friend of his that owned an airplane.
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On 11/24/87 [REDACTED] was displayed the [REDACTED] arrest photo of [REDACTED] and the 1971 sketch of "D.B. Cooper" and she advised that there was an "uncanny strong resemblance" between the two.
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On 11/27/90 after extensive investigation, [REDACTED] [REDACTED] was located by the Newark Division and was interviewed at her office in Woodbury, New York. [REDACTED] [REDACTED] was advised that the purpose of the interview was to obtain general background information on [REDACTED] [REDACTED] was not told that this interview was related to captioned matter.
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[REDACTED] then advised that she was the [REDACTED] and was married to him from [REDACTED] [REDACTED] first met [REDACTED] in late 1972 when she was attending college in Portland, Oregon. [REDACTED] was introduced to [REDACTED] by [REDACTED] (PH) who worked for a local construction company. Prior to her marriage, [REDACTED] was married to [REDACTED] of Vancouver, Washington.
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[REDACTED] then provided extensive background information concerning [REDACTED] advised that [REDACTED] was a [REDACTED] but formerly worked for a gold mine company in South Dakota. [REDACTED] had a deep voice with a slight [REDACTED] accent. [REDACTED] was a heavy smoker and preferred Raleigh and Marlboro cigarettes. (It is noted that "D.B. Cooper" smoked Raleigh cigarettes during the hijacking). [REDACTED] liked to drink both beer and hard liquor and subsequently became an alcoholic.
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DB Cooper-20707
[REDACTED] advised that [REDACTED] liked bear hunting and salmon fishing and often went to the Mt. St. Helen's area. [REDACTED] possessed at least two rifles and one handgun. On one occasion [REDACTED]
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[REDACTED] told her that he was in the U.S. Army for two years and that he was in the Airborne Division. [REDACTED] told her that he received parachute training at Fort Campbell, KY and was on call during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
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[REDACTED] described [REDACTED] as [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] [REDACTED] always felt that he was smarter than everyone else and that he was above the law and that no one would catch him if he did something wrong. [REDACTED] favorite television shows were action type shows and police-type shows. [REDACTED] liked the movies, [REDACTED]
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[REDACTED] was then displayed the 1976[guess: 1] artist drawing of UNSUB, aka "D.B. Cooper". (It is noted that no name or other information was attached to this drawing). Immediately upon viewing the drawing [REDACTED] commented [REDACTED] referring to [REDACTED] stated that the drawing was a [REDACTED]
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[REDACTED] advised that upon viewing the artist's drawing of the unsub depicted wearing sunglasses, she recalled that [REDACTED] always wore sun glasses when he was driving. [REDACTED] was requested to recontact the Newark Division if she recalled anything else.
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On 12/4/90 [REDACTED] voluntarily contacted the Newark case agent and stated that she recalled additional information about [REDACTED]
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[REDACTED] advised that [REDACTED] liked to drink liquor with the brand name "V.O." [REDACTED] was also a very rugged individual that would be capable of surviving in the woods.
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[REDACTED] advised that she also recalled that [REDACTED] was very interested in the "D.B. Cooper Case". [REDACTED] advised that for some reason [REDACTED] "identified" himself with "D.B. Cooper".
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[REDACTED] advised that [REDACTED] seemed pleased with the fact that "D.B. Cooper" got away with the hijacking and that no one was hurt. [REDACTED] stated that at one time, [REDACTED] told her that no parachute was ever found.
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DB Cooper-20708
[REDACTED] advised that apparently [REDACTED] resembled a drawing of D.B. Cooper. [REDACTED] was never told that the drawing she was shown on 11/27/90 was the D.B. Cooper composite. [REDACTED] explained that occasionally she and [REDACTED] would go out socially and some of his friends would sometimes kid him about resembling the drawing of D.B. Cooper, and pointing out the fact that he [REDACTED] could also parachute because of his military training.
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[REDACTED] advised that [REDACTED] would respond to the suggestion that he is D.B. Cooper by saying [REDACTED] or [REDACTED]
[REDACTED] advised that [REDACTED] never told her or anyone else to her knowledge that he was in fact "D.B. Cooper" and committed the hijacking.
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On 1/7-9/91 the Newark Division case agent, who is also a bureau pilot, reviewed all the original files in regard to this matter at FBIHQ. These files contained extensive information regarding the characteristics and physical abilities of the unsub, as well as an excellent re-construction of the route of the aircraft when it was hi-jacked and the most probable point where the hi-jack bailed out with the money. The geographic and local maps in the file indicate that the most probable point of bail out was in Clark County, Washington, just southeast of La Center, Washington.
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It is noted that when a pilot's aeronautical chart is superimposed over this area, the point of bail out is in extremely close proximity to the "Portland Vortac" which is used for aircraft navigation. It is further noted that Battleground, Washington is less that five miles from the "Portland Vortac".
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As noted above, [REDACTED] lived in Battleground, Washington, during the time of the hijacking and was very familiar with the ground terrain and basic aircraft navigation. It is possible that the hijacked airplane, literally flew over [REDACTED] house or close proximity to it.
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[REDACTED] is a parachute jumper, that bears a strong resemblance to D.B. Cooper and at the time smoked Raleigh Filter cigarettes. [REDACTED] at the time was extremely familiar with the Portland-Seattle area and lived in Battleground, Washington when the hijacking occurred. [REDACTED] over the years has expressed an avid interest in the case.
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DB Cooper-20709
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-8-
Investigation by the Newark Division had determined that [REDACTED] has California driver's license number [REDACTED] [REDACTED] under his true name at [REDACTED] San Jose, California. On [REDACTED] [REDACTED] was arrested by the Santa Clara P.D. for [REDACTED] When the arresting officer asked [REDACTED] where he [REDACTED] replied, "at the wedding reception". It is possible that [REDACTED] is now married to [REDACTED]
On 10/16/91 it was determined that [REDACTED] had been living at [REDACTED] [REDACTED] San Jose, CA, [REDACTED] but that he recently moved out, but was still in the local area.
In view of the above information, and the fact that November 24, 1991 is the 20th anniversary of the hijacking, it is felt that this would be the opportune time to conduct a strategic comprehensive interview and if possible, a polygraph examination of [REDACTED] to determine if he is or is not "D.B. COOPER".
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Request of the Bureau
1. Bureau authority is requested to allow Newark Division SA's [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] to travel to San Jose, California to interview [REDACTED] on or about 11/24/91. Both SA's [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] are intimately familia[r] with all details of the aircraft hijacking and background of [REDACTED]
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Leads
San Francisco Division
at San Jose, CA
1. Will discretely attempt to determine the current address, employment, marital status and activities of [REDACTED] [REDACTED] in order that he can be interviewed on 11/24/91.
2. Will attempt to develop additional background information and associates of [REDACTED]
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Seattle Division
at Vancouver, Washington
1. Will locate and interview [REDACTED] and any other known associate of [REDACTED] after [REDACTED] is interviewed by Newark Agents.
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b6 b7C
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-9-
DB Cooper-20710
Quantico At Quantico
Behavioral Science Unit is requested to review this information in preparation for a telephonic contact from Newark regarding interview technique and suggestions.
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Newark Division
at Garret Mountain Resident Agency
1. Will prepare for interview and polygraph of [REDACTED]
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b6 b7C
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-10*-
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DB Cooper-20711
Serials: 164-2111, 164-87, SE 164-81, SE 164-81-9123