SAC Los Angeles to Director re NORJAK suspect Raymond Torrey Heald, with investigative results and leads
This copy: Part 95 pp. 341–346Also filed at Part 104 pp. 392–397 (primary)
This copy’s own title
SAC Los Angeles to Director re NORJAK suspects Pete Picciolo and Raymond Torrey Heald
Document date 6 August 1973
Another copy of this document is the primary, most legible copy: Part 104 pp. 392–397.
Copies may differ in what was redacted.
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Id: Cooper-Part-95:341-346
Subject: Cooper Files: Cooper-Part-95:341-346 Document: Airtel SAC Los Angeles to Director re NORJAK suspects Pete Picciolo and Raymond Torrey Heald Id: Cooper-Part-95:341-346 Page: https://cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-95%3A341-346 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 95 pp. 341–346 (DB Cooper-42757–42762), Airtel, dated 6 Aug 1973, serial 245-52-6089 (as read from the transcript) — cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-95%3A341-346
FD-36 (Rev. 5-22-64)
FBI
Date: 8/6/73
Transmit the following in _______________ (Type in plaintext or code)
Via AIRTEL AIR MAIL (Priority)
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TO: DIRECTOR, FBI (164-2111) ATTN: IDENTIFICATION DIVISION
FROM: SAC, LOS ANGELES (164-497) (P)
RE: NORJAK
OO: SEATTLE
Re New Suspect: RAYMOND TORREY HEALD, Born 3/30/39
PETE (NMN) PICCIOLO, born 6/7/36, was recently referred to the Los Angeles Division as a possible suspect in this matter as a known parachutist who had seriously injured himself about one and one-half years ago. PICCIOLO's whereabouts on 11/24/71, was positively established through payroll records at his place of employment, Weber Air- craft Company, Burbank, California, where examination of time cards revealed he was at his employment the entire day of 11/24/71.
On 8/1/73, PICCIOLO, an avid parachutist who travels widely and writes articles concerning parachuting, was interviewed at his residence, 626 East Angeleno, Apartment I, Burbank, California. PICCIOLO studied the artist's conception and advised he believed it resembled
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3 - Bureau (AM) 2 - Portland 2 - Seattle (164-81) 2 - Los Angeles crs/kah (G)
Approved: _______________ Sent ________M Per ________ Special Agent in Charge
DB Cooper-42757 GPO: 1972 0 - 402-735
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b6 b7C
LA 164-497
a parachutist named RAYMOND T. HEALD. He noted that HEALD would probably not be considered in his mid forties unless disguised and recalled him to be in his early thirties. He knew HEALD to have been familiar with the Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon areas and believed him capable of such a crime. He advised he had last seen HEALD about two years ago in Antioch, California, at which time HEALD indicated he was training to be an air controller. The only specific information he knew was that [REDACTED] had worked for awhile at [REDACTED] PICCIOLO, had also been employed.
On the same date, records of [REDACTED] [REDACTED] was employed as [REDACTED] at [REDACTED]. She had furnished her prior employments as [REDACTED] Portland, Oregon, during 1962 and the [REDACTED] [REDACTED], Auburn, Washington, from February to October 1963. [REDACTED] RAYMOND T. HEALD, born 3/30/39, and former addresses were indicated as [REDACTED] Van Nuys, California, and [REDACTED] Panorama City, California.
On 8/2/73, [REDACTED] [REDACTED], Van Nuys, California, advised they were [REDACTED] [REDACTED], and recalled [REDACTED] RAY HEALD. They advised about April 1971, HEALD had some type of trouble at the Air Control Center for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at Palmdale, California, and was transferred to the Santa Monica, California Airport as an air controller. He had then applied for a position in Denver, Colorado, but something happened at the last minute and he did not get the job in Denver. Sometime shortly after [REDACTED] indicated they were moving to Seattle or Portland where it was their
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DB Cooper-42758
LA 164-497
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understanding RAY was to work at an unknown airport. They had assumed that he was working as an air controller until receipt of a Christmas card from [REDACTED] in December 1972, at which time [REDACTED] advised that RAY was attending college and working as a part-time disc jockey in Ashland, Oregon. He was studying to be a television sportscaster. A return address on the card displayed by [REDACTED] indicated [REDACTED] resided at [REDACTED] Ashland, Oregon [REDACTED] [REDACTED] advised, after viewing the artist's conception, that the eyes, nose and mouth of the artist's conception were similar to those of RAY HEALD. [REDACTED] could note no similarity. They described HEALD as a white male in his early thirties, 5'11", 180 pounds, dark brown hair, rugged, outdoor, well-tanned complexion, well spoken, polite, and handsome appearing. They recalled that almost the entire time they knew HEALD from mid 1970 to about April 1971, he was clean shaven; however, just prior to his departure he was noted to be growing a beard.
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On 8/3/73, [REDACTED] Santa Monica Airport Terminal Tower, Santa Monica, California, advised RAYMOND T. HEALD was personally known to him. In early 1971 he was advised by his superiors that HEALD, an air controller trainee at Palmdale, California, was being transferred to Santa Monica as a result of numerous problems he was involved in at Palmdale. [REDACTED] confidentially stated it was indicated to him that HEALD should be fired but due to the manner in which reams of evidence had been mishandled, his superiors did not feel a hearing at this time was feasible. He stated that among allegations was the fact that HEALD was involved in the sale of marijuana to trainees at the Air Control Center, Palmdale. Shortly after his arrival at Santa Monica, HEALD was known to be abusing the privilege of trainees wherein they were allowed to fly in the cockpits of aircraft to study traffic. On one specific
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DB Cooper-42759
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b6 b7C b6 b7C b7D
LA 164-497
occasion, HEALD traveled in the cockpit to Phoenix, Arizona, then called from Phoenix just prior to the time he was due on duty at Santa Monica stating he was sick. It was learned that actually HEALD was judging a parachuting contest in Phoenix.
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[REDACTED] stated HEALD had started as a trainee in Phoenix, was later transferred to Alaska, and in 1968 or 1969 was assigned as a trainee at Palmdale, California.
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HEALD had recently [REDACTED] whom [REDACTED] described as [REDACTED] [REDACTED]. At the time HEALD left due to his resignation on 4/17/71, he indicated he was going to Oregon and just relax. Several months later (believed to be eight or nine months) in early 1972, HEALD stopped briefly at the Santa Monica Airport and indicated [he] was doing real well in Oregon, but no specifics were discussed. HEALD was noted at the time of this brief appearance to be wearing a light beard and [REDACTED] recalled that just prior to his departure for Oregon in April he had very long hair and a long beard.
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[REDACTED] added that HEALD was a real "drum beater" and appeared to have a real grudge against the FAA or the government in general.
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On 8/6/73, [REDACTED] advised that [REDACTED] [REDACTED] concerning the suspicion that he was involved [REDACTED]. Specifically, that on 3/24/71, while a trainee air controller at Santa Monica, two aircraft carrying cargos [REDACTED] Santa Monica and [REDACTED]
[REDACTED] advised that [REDACTED] [REDACTED] is currently assigned with the [REDACTED] Los Angeles, and could possibly furnish additional i[n]formation concerning HEALD.
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DB Cooper-42760
LA 164-497
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The following description of RAYMOND TORREY HEALD was furnished:
Sex Male Race White Birth Data 3/30/39 Attleboro, Massachusetts Height 5'11" Weight 185 to 195 pounds Hair Brown Eyes Brown Complexion Ruddy, outdoor, well-tanned Military Service U.S. Army, August 1953 - December 1953; U.S. Air Force, June 1956 - May 1959; serial number 14496848 Social Security Number 245-52-6089
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REQUEST OF THE BUREAU
The Identification Division is requested to compare available known fingerprints of RAYMOND TORREY HEALD, born 3/30/39, with unidentified latent fingerprints in this matter.
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LEADS
SEATTLE
AT SEATTLE, WASHINGTON: Check indices, conduct credit and criminal and other logical investigation to ascertain if HEALD should be considered a logical suspect in this matter.
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PORTLAND
AT ASHLAND, OREGON: Through last known address of RAYMOND T. HEALD, 901 Beach Street, conduct all logical investigation in an effort to establish his whereabouts on 11/24-25/71, noting he was a part-time disc jockey and attending college during December 1972.
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b6 b7C
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DB Cooper-42761
LA 164-497
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LOS ANGELES
AT BURBANK, CALIFORNIA: Will recontact PETE PICCIOLO in an effort to obtain color photograph of HEALD and furnish to Seattle.
AT LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Will contact [REDACTED] b6 [REDACTED], and conduct any other b7C logical investigation to ascertain if HEALD should be b7E considered a logical suspect in this matter.
UNSUB SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS.
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DB Cooper-42762
Serials: 164-2111, 245-52-6089, LA 164-497, SE 164-81