Despite closing their investigation into the case last year, the FBI may soon examine some potential new pieces of evidence from the infamous D.B. Cooper skyjacking.
Independent researchers Thomas and Dawna Colbert recently unearthed a number of tantalizing items from a location in the Pacific Northwest which they believe could be connected to the case.
Initially, their team discovered a piece of what they suspect was the parachute strap used by Cooper a few weeks ago.
Remarkably, their search subsequently yielded additional intriguing materials, including strange pieces of foam that could have been a part of Cooper's parachute backpack.
The fact that all of these items were discovered in a relatively remote location on a Pacific Northwest tree farm is seen by the Colberts as a strong indication that they came from the Cooper case.
And it would appear that the FBI is at least willing to entertain that idea as well, since they have accepted the potential new evidence from the investigators.
Whether the law enforcement agents can connect the materials to the Cooper case remains to be seen, but a confirmation of their authenticity could prove to be a breakthrough in the decades-old cold case.
It may also lead to some resolution to the mystery as the Colberts were made aware of the site by a secondhand source who was told the 'true' story of Cooper's escapade by one of his accomplices back in 1997.
Therefore, if the evidence is indeed from Cooper's parachute, it would strengthen the case that the independent investigators are on the right track and that their suspect for the skyjacking is sound.
While these latest developments sound quite promising, how things unfold now will likely depend on the FBI's true interest in the case and, should the evidence reveal that the agency somehow managed to let Cooper slip away, they may not wish to let the public know about their blunder.
As such, one would be wise to take a 'wait and see' approach, since the Cooper case seems poised to become yet another mystery which teases us with a potential solution every few years yet remains maddeningly unsolved in the end.
Source: Seattle Post-Intellegencer