More than 50 years after D.B. Cooper parachuted into the night sky with $200,000 and disappeared without a trace, a new lead has emerged that could finally solve the only unsolved hijacking in U.S. history. The mystery of Cooper’s identity, which has spawned decades of speculation, books, and even a Netflix series, might now be closer to resolution thanks to retired pilot and investigator Dan Gryder.
Gryder, a seasoned skydiver and YouTuber, has uncovered a parachute that he believes ties Richard Floyd McCoy II—a former Green Beret and longtime suspect—to the infamous 1971 hijacking. This modified military bailout rig, found on McCoy’s family property in North Carolina, has drawn new attention from the FBI.
McCoy’s children, Chanté and Rick McCoy, support Gryder’s theory, alleging their late father was Cooper. They also claim their mother, Karen McCoy, who passed away in 2020, may have been complicit in the crime. Both siblings have provided key evidence to Gryder, including a skydiving logbook aligning with the timeline of the hijackings.
The FBI, which closed its investigation in 2016 after exhausting all credible leads, reopened inquiries last fall when Gryder and Rick McCoy delivered the parachute and logbook to agents in Richmond, Virginia. The agency followed up with a detailed search of the McCoy property, fueling speculation that they are seriously revisiting McCoy as a suspect.
Richard McCoy has long been a favorite among Cooper sleuths. In April 1972, just months after the D.B. Cooper heist, McCoy orchestrated a nearly identical hijacking. Disguised in a wig and sunglasses, he demanded $500,000 and parachutes before jumping from a plane over Provo, Utah. Unlike Cooper, McCoy was arrested within 72 hours due to fingerprints, a handwritten note, and eyewitness testimony.
McCoy was sentenced to 45 years in prison for the Utah hijacking but escaped in 1974, only to be killed in a shootout with the FBI. Though McCoy denied being Cooper, some investigators—including former FBI agents Russell Calame and Nick O’Hara—believe he committed both crimes. Their book, D.B. Cooper: The Real McCoy, argues McCoy’s military experience, parachuting skills, and access to equipment make him the prime suspect.
Not everyone agrees with the McCoy theory. Skeptics, including retired FBI agent Larry Carr, argue that Cooper was unlikely to survive the stormy jump or that McCoy, a non-smoker and non-drinker, would engage in the hijacker’s behavior, such as ordering a bourbon and soda. Witnesses also described Cooper as being in his mid-40s, while McCoy was only 27 at the time.
Gryder has countered these claims, noting that Cooper’s behavior and appearance could have been part of a deliberate disguise. He also refuted the stormy-weather narrative, pointing to historical weather reports showing mild conditions during Cooper’s jump.
The parachute’s unique modifications, confirmed by skydiving expert Earl Cossey as matching those used in the 1971 heist, could be the smoking gun. Gryder also replicated Cooper’s jump in 2021, demonstrating its survivability while noting the challenge of holding onto a rucksack of cash during freefall—possibly explaining why most of the money was never found.
With DNA samples from McCoy’s children and the possibility of exhuming McCoy’s body, the FBI may be on the cusp of solving this decades-old mystery. Gryder believes the evidence speaks for itself: “This will definitely prove it was McCoy.”
