By Tim Binnall
A parachute found on the family property of a longstanding D.B. Cooper suspect has drawn interest from the FBI, which seized the intriguing item that some contend could be a breakthrough clue in the legendary cold case. As detailed in a lengthy piece by Cowboy State Daily, the remarkable discovery was made by researcher and YouTuber Dan Gryder, who believes that the skyjacker was a man named Richard McCoy II. Permitted to search the family's property a few years ago, Gryder unearthed the parachute from a crate in a shed. Last week, he revealed that his videos about the discovery had caught the attention of federal authorities, who asked to speak with the researcher.
According to Gryder, he and McCoy's son met with the FBI in September of last year wherein agents seized the curious canopy that could be connected to the Cooper caper. The following month, the agency conducted an extensive search of the property where the parachute had been found. Musing that "it's a good sign that they're taking this seriously," McCoy's son revealed that the FBI also collected a DNA sample from him with the suggestion that they may eventually have to exhume his father's body should it prove necessary. To date, however, the agency has given no indication as to what their recent investigation has uncovered, though paperwork furnished by Gryder confirms that they did confiscate the parachute.
As to why he believes that the find could be the proverbial missing puzzle piece sought for decades by authorities and researchers, Gryder points to an array of alterations that seemingly match those made by the man who provided the parachutes during the skyjacking. Should the evidence confirm that McCoy was behind the event, it would not be a huge surprise. He has long been bandied about as a possible suspect because he pulled off a similar heist around six months after the Cooper caper. That said, many seasoned researchers of the skyjacking have expressed skepticism over this latest development as they have seen countless 'breakthroughs' turn into busts over the years.