SAC Los Angeles to SAC Seattle re traced anonymous caller demanding $20,000 for Cooper's identity, with interview and leads
This copy: Part 61 pp. 117–122Also filed at Part 35 pp. 257–262 (primary)
This copy’s own title
SAC Los Angeles to SAC Seattle re NORJAK suspect developed from source in Oregon-Washington area
Document date 23 December 1974
Another copy of this document is the primary, most legible copy: Part 35 pp. 257–262.
Copies may differ in what was redacted.
Also filed separately as sections:
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Id: Cooper-Part-61:117-122
Subject: Cooper Files: Cooper-Part-61:117-122 Document: Airtel SAC Los Angeles to SAC Seattle re NORJAK suspect developed from source in Oregon-Washington area Id: Cooper-Part-61:117-122 Page: https://cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-61%3A117-122 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 61 pp. 117–122 (DB Cooper-25283–25288), Airtel, dated 23 Dec 1974 — cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-61%3A117-122
FD-36 (Rev. 5-22-64)
FBI
Date: 12/23/74
Transmit the following in _______________ (Type in plaintext or code)
Via AIRTEL AIR MAIL (Priority)
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TO: SAC, SEATTLE (164-81)
FROM: SAC, LOS ANGELES (164-497)(P)
RE: NORJAK OO: Seattle
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On 12/19/74, in cooperation with officials of the Pacific Telephone Company, Los Angeles, one of a series of telephone calls received by Northwest Airlines, Los Angeles, from an anonymous male requesting $20,000 in exchange for information regarding the identity of "D. B. COOPER," was traced to a telephone booth in Hawthorne, California. Bureau agents dispatched to the location of the booth, detained [REDACTED] leaving the booth. [REDACTED] a white male, born [REDACTED] and currently residing at [REDACTED] Inglewood, California, telephone number [REDACTED] voluntarily accompanied Bureau Agents to the Los Angeles Office and advised as follows:
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He made a series of anonymous telephone calls to Northwest Airlines, Los Angeles, requesting $20,000 in exchange for information concerning the identity of the hijacker of Northwest Airlines plane in Seattle, Washington in 1971. [REDACTED] admitted he was interested in a reward and [REDACTED] in Oregon and Washington.
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He stated he has no first hand knowledge concerning the identity of the hijacker in this matter; however, related a series of circumstances which he believes indicated the
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2 - Seattle 2 - Portland (2)- Los Angeles
CRS/sam (6)
Approved: [signature] Special Agent in Charge
[STAMP] OFFICE OF [illegible]
164-497-79[illegible] SEARCHED INDEXED SERIALIZED /[illegible] FILED
DB Cooper-25283
[sent] _____ M Per _____
* U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1969 O - 345-090 (11)
LA 164-497
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perpetrators of the hijacking were [REDACTED] [REDACTED] who have spent their entire lives in the Oregon - Washington area.
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He stated details concerning the hijacking first came to his attention about three weeks ago while he was reading an article in the Los Angeles Herald Examiner. After reading the article he recalled a series of facts which convinced him it was entirely possible [REDACTED] were involved in the hijacking.
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He was of the opinion [REDACTED] a white male, [REDACTED] 5'9", medium build, medium complexion, dark/brown straight receding hair, was possibly the parachutist and [REDACTED] could be involved.
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[REDACTED] and [REDACTED] [REDACTED] with the first name of [REDACTED] (last name unknown) were described as very close associates. [REDACTED] believes if one was involved in a crime, all would have knowledge of it.
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He gave the following reasons why he believed [REDACTED] could be involved in the hijacking:
1) [REDACTED] was an enlisted man in the United States Air Force in about 1956-1957, and he was stationed [REDACTED]
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2) [REDACTED] was a long time employee of Boeing Aircraft in Seattle, having been terminated during a massive layoff a short time prior to the hijacking. He was believed involved in computer programming with Boeing.
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b6 b7C
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DB Cooper-25284
LA 164-497
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3) [REDACTED] was financially in dire circumstances, would not let the legality of anything stand in the way of making money, and was intelligent enough to concoct plans for the hijacking.
4) About one and a half years ago [REDACTED] visited at his home in Redlands, California, for over a month. During a discussion of finances [REDACTED] made a comment, [REDACTED]
5) [REDACTED] legally changed his name about two years ago to [REDACTED] [REDACTED] asking for a letter of recommen- dation to cover the last one and a half years. [REDACTED] wanted [REDACTED] for the year and a half. In the letter [REDACTED] stated he had graduated from Portland State University in [REDACTED] and at the time the letter was written, [REDACTED] [REDACTED] recalled that sometime in late 1971 or early 1972 [REDACTED] [REDACTED] in Oregon with [REDACTED]
6) From telephone conversations [REDACTED] [REDACTED] in Oregon, he had gathered the financial circumstances [REDACTED] had improved greatly in 1972 and 1973. He had heard that [REDACTED] after being terminated at Boeing in Seattle, had obtained a position with Burroughs Corporation in Portland for a short period of time, but was not believed regularly employed after that.
7) [REDACTED] noted that the name "COOPER" used by the hijacker is [REDACTED] possibly [REDACTED] in Lakeside, Oregon.
8) He has heard that [REDACTED] (last name unknown) [REDACTED] owns considerable
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DB Cooper-25285
LA 164-497
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acreage believed on the Washington side of the Oregon - Washington border. He does not know the exact location of this acreage, but it has been described as second growth timber on which cattle is grazed and could possibly be used for a jump site along the plains route.
[REDACTED] admits his purpose in furnishing this information is for money and [REDACTED]
[REDACTED]
the Veterans Hospital, Westwood, California.
He added that he has not seen [REDACTED] for seven years and [REDACTED] [REDACTED] was an occasional telephone call usually while [REDACTED]
He states the above information came to him through [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Lakeside, Oregon. He does not know the exact location of [REDACTED] had indicated in August 1974 that he was in the Seattle-Tacoma, Washington area.
[REDACTED]
[REDACTED] bearing Oregon license plates had been seen at the warehouse. From information he received he believes [REDACTED]
[REDACTED]
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DB Cooper-25286
LA 164-497
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[REDACTED] openly admits he wants [REDACTED] [REDACTED] but added he sincerely believes [REDACTED] is a likely suspect in this hijacking.
He observed an artist's conception and stated it does not resemble [REDACTED] also known as [REDACTED] however, the hair, eyebrows, and forehead of the artist's conception appear similar to features he recalls of [REDACTED] whom he last saw seven years ago.
He has no knowledge of any parachuting experience on the part of [REDACTED]
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LEADS
SEATTLE
AT SEATTLE, WASHINGTON: In view of statements by [REDACTED] indicating [REDACTED] is a United States Air Force veteran, terminated by Boeing Company in Seattle prior to the hijacking and [REDACTED] it would appear all logical investigation should be conducted to ascertain if he should be considered a suspect in this matter.
The setting forth of specific leads to establish the validity of statements made by [REDACTED] to establish the whereabouts of, and possible interviews of [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] will be left to the discretion of Seattle with exception of the following requests of Portland.
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PORTLAND
AT PORTLAND, OREGON: (1) Conduct credit and criminal checks regarding [REDACTED] also known as [REDACTED] [REDACTED] reportedly a student at Portland State University until 1973.
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DB Cooper-25287
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LA 164-497
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2) Through logical sources at Portland State University, attempt to establish whereabouts of [REDACTED] during pertinent period noting he allegedly was hospitalized [REDACTED] sometime in late 1971 or early 1972. [REDACTED] reportedly was a runner in track and a football player at the school, who in 1973 claimed to have had a "bout with hard narcotics."
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3) Furnish results of above inquiries to Seattle.
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ARMED AND DANGEROUS
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DB Cooper-25288
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b6 b7C
Serials: LA 164-497, SE 164-81