1 00:00:04,533 --> 00:00:06,467 and may contain mature subject matter. 2 00:00:06,467 --> 00:00:11,633 Viewer discretion is advised. 3 00:00:11,767 --> 00:00:15,367 - Tonight on History's Greatest Mysteries: and may contain mature subject matter. 4 00:00:18,100 --> 00:00:19,333 ERIC: Ready to find D.B. Cooper? 5 00:00:19,467 --> 00:00:20,600 WOMAN: Do you think that he could be 6 00:00:20,734 --> 00:00:22,333 -D.B. Cooper? -Yeah, I do. 7 00:00:22,467 --> 00:00:24,633 ERIC: I think I've pinpointed where it is. 8 00:00:24,767 --> 00:00:27,200 ERIC: This could be our smoking gun. 9 00:00:27,333 --> 00:00:29,600 WOMAN: They've got to take this back and reopen it. 10 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:35,233 - It's a mystery that's confounded law enforcement 11 00:00:35,367 --> 00:00:37,000 for 48 years. 12 00:00:37,133 --> 00:00:40,333 [♪♪] 13 00:00:40,467 --> 00:00:43,867 On November 24th, 1971, 14 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:46,767 a man who would become known as D.B. Cooper 15 00:00:46,900 --> 00:00:49,800 hijacks a plane and then jumps out, 16 00:00:49,934 --> 00:00:53,533 taking with him a ransom of $200,000. 17 00:00:55,300 --> 00:00:58,300 I'm Laurence Fishburne and tonight; 18 00:00:58,433 --> 00:01:00,734 Who is D.B. Cooper, 19 00:01:00,867 --> 00:01:02,400 and how did he escape? 20 00:01:03,633 --> 00:01:08,600 Neither his identity nor his body has ever been recovered. 21 00:01:08,734 --> 00:01:10,066 It's impossible. 22 00:01:10,967 --> 00:01:11,867 Or is it? 23 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:12,900 (helicopter blades chop) 24 00:01:13,033 --> 00:01:15,934 - Can investigator Eric Ulis finally close 25 00:01:16,066 --> 00:01:20,600 the only unsolved skyjacking in US history? 26 00:01:20,734 --> 00:01:22,934 Eric and his team will reexamine 27 00:01:23,066 --> 00:01:25,066 the plane's alleged flight path. 28 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:28,467 They'll search alternate landing sites for fresh clues 29 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:31,200 and profile a possible suspect. 30 00:01:32,100 --> 00:01:34,700 Tonight, a search for new answers 31 00:01:34,834 --> 00:01:37,266 to one of history's greatest mysteries. 32 00:01:38,500 --> 00:01:40,834 Who is D.B. Cooper? 33 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,400 [♪] 34 00:01:59,700 --> 00:02:02,400 FISHBURNE: D.B. Cooper investigator Eric Ulis 35 00:02:02,533 --> 00:02:04,633 is on his way to Washington State, 36 00:02:04,767 --> 00:02:07,100 but his research and investigation started 37 00:02:07,233 --> 00:02:10,600 12 years earlier in Arizona. 38 00:02:10,734 --> 00:02:13,533 ERIC: I've always had a fascination with aviation, 39 00:02:13,667 --> 00:02:14,767 which is what I believe 40 00:02:14,900 --> 00:02:16,467 ultimately drew me into the case. 41 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:19,633 Here was a man who developed a cult-like following 42 00:02:19,767 --> 00:02:21,033 over the years, 43 00:02:21,166 --> 00:02:23,433 despite the fact that nobody really knew 44 00:02:23,567 --> 00:02:25,300 anything about the guy at all. 45 00:02:25,433 --> 00:02:28,233 He became a legend overnight. 46 00:02:28,367 --> 00:02:31,367 MAN: I think D.B. is like coolest guy in America. 47 00:02:31,500 --> 00:02:33,066 He did the ultimate crime. 48 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:35,667 ERIC: Eventually, I found the case was being hijacked 49 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:38,567 by conspiracy theories and so forth, 50 00:02:38,700 --> 00:02:40,767 and I just ended up getting sucked in 51 00:02:40,900 --> 00:02:43,200 to this D.B. Cooper vortex. 52 00:02:43,333 --> 00:02:45,300 And, ultimately, I decided that I was gonna undertake 53 00:02:45,433 --> 00:02:48,500 an investigation of my own into the case. 54 00:02:48,633 --> 00:02:50,400 MAN: Over the years, more than 1,000 suspects 55 00:02:50,533 --> 00:02:51,934 have been scrutinized. 56 00:02:52,066 --> 00:02:54,600 GEOFFREY: When this case happened in the 1970s, 57 00:02:54,734 --> 00:02:57,100 the era of DNA was not upon us, 58 00:02:57,233 --> 00:03:01,500 and agents really didn't look out to preserve 59 00:03:01,633 --> 00:03:03,567 this evidence in the way that we do now. 60 00:03:03,700 --> 00:03:06,834 ERIC: In order to identify where the FBI and others 61 00:03:06,967 --> 00:03:08,834 went sideways with this case, 62 00:03:08,967 --> 00:03:11,834 I knew that I was going to have to personally read 63 00:03:11,967 --> 00:03:15,834 all 20,000 pages of redacted FBI files 64 00:03:15,967 --> 00:03:17,500 regarding the case. 65 00:03:17,633 --> 00:03:19,467 FISHBURNE: Thanks to a Freedom of Information Act 66 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,533 lawsuit filed in 2016, 67 00:03:22,667 --> 00:03:25,200 every few months, the FBI releases files 68 00:03:25,333 --> 00:03:27,633 from the case in chronological order. 69 00:03:27,767 --> 00:03:30,266 This constant drip of new information 70 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:33,266 and new sources is key to Eric's theory 71 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:37,600 about what really happened on Northwest Flight 305. 72 00:03:37,734 --> 00:03:40,567 [JET ENGINE HUMS] 73 00:03:40,700 --> 00:03:42,300 ERIC: The night of the skyjacking, 74 00:03:42,433 --> 00:03:46,266 we know a man boarded Northwest Orient Flight 75 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:49,000 in Portland destined for Seattle. 76 00:03:49,133 --> 00:03:52,500 He bought the ticket with a $20 bill at the airport. 77 00:03:52,633 --> 00:03:54,100 There was no ID required. 78 00:03:54,233 --> 00:03:58,033 And he gave the name Dan Cooper to the ticket agent. 79 00:03:58,166 --> 00:03:59,367 He would end up taking a seat 80 00:03:59,500 --> 00:04:02,333 in the very back row of the jet, 81 00:04:02,467 --> 00:04:05,066 18E to be exact. 82 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:07,333 The flight attendants recall D.B. Cooper 83 00:04:07,467 --> 00:04:09,100 being a guy who is in his mid-40s, 84 00:04:09,233 --> 00:04:12,066 dressed as a business person wearing a black suit, 85 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:14,533 wearing loafers with a skinny black tie, 86 00:04:14,667 --> 00:04:16,200 and a raincoat. 87 00:04:16,333 --> 00:04:19,066 And he would later put on a pair of dark sunglasses 88 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:22,100 as the jet was about to take off. 89 00:04:22,233 --> 00:04:25,700 By his side, he had a black attache case. 90 00:04:25,834 --> 00:04:28,100 As the plane starts taxiing toward the runway, 91 00:04:28,233 --> 00:04:30,867 D.B. Cooper hands one of the flight attendants, 92 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:33,767 Florence Schaffner, a note. 93 00:04:33,900 --> 00:04:37,200 Which says that he has a bomb. 94 00:04:37,333 --> 00:04:39,100 MAN: Thirty-six passengers got off the jetliner 95 00:04:39,233 --> 00:04:40,600 in Seattle last night. 96 00:04:40,734 --> 00:04:42,734 Left aboard four crew members and the hijacker, 97 00:04:42,867 --> 00:04:45,834 dressed in a business suit, demanding $200,000 98 00:04:45,967 --> 00:04:48,633 with the full ransom collected from the Seattle banks, 99 00:04:48,767 --> 00:04:50,300 and four parachutes aboard. 100 00:04:50,433 --> 00:04:51,900 The plane headed for Reno. 101 00:04:52,033 --> 00:04:53,700 ERIC: What many people don't know was that 102 00:04:53,834 --> 00:04:56,367 Reno was not the intended destination. 103 00:04:56,500 --> 00:04:59,200 Cooper actually requested that the plane fly 104 00:04:59,333 --> 00:05:01,667 to Mexico nonstop. 105 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:04,266 But the problem is, is that he wanted the jet to fly 106 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:05,767 with the landing gear down. 107 00:05:05,900 --> 00:05:08,033 He wanted the jet to fly with the flaps down. 108 00:05:08,166 --> 00:05:10,333 He wanted the jet to fly at a very slow speed, 109 00:05:10,467 --> 00:05:13,600 and not fly over 10,000 feet in altitude. 110 00:05:13,734 --> 00:05:15,266 So there was simply no way 111 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:18,133 that they could fly nonstop to Mexico City. 112 00:05:18,266 --> 00:05:20,433 They would need to refuel somewhere. 113 00:05:20,567 --> 00:05:22,133 And they decided Reno. 114 00:05:22,266 --> 00:05:23,834 - According to Eric, 115 00:05:23,967 --> 00:05:27,967 Cooper's request to be flown to Mexico was a ruse. 116 00:05:28,100 --> 00:05:30,800 Seven minutes after the plane left Seattle, 117 00:05:30,934 --> 00:05:33,033 the flight crew received an alert. 118 00:05:33,166 --> 00:05:35,834 The rear airstairs were activated. 119 00:05:35,967 --> 00:05:38,000 ERIC: The Boeing 727 was unique 120 00:05:38,133 --> 00:05:40,133 in that it had airstairs that would deploy 121 00:05:40,266 --> 00:05:44,800 from the back bottom of the fuselage. 122 00:05:44,934 --> 00:05:46,433 In fact, it's these air stairs 123 00:05:46,567 --> 00:05:50,433 that the passengers actually boarded the jet with. 124 00:05:50,567 --> 00:05:52,166 FISHBURNE: Roughly 27 minutes 125 00:05:52,300 --> 00:05:54,500 after the airstairs' deployment alert, 126 00:05:54,633 --> 00:05:58,300 the crew experienced a cabin pressure disturbance. 127 00:05:58,433 --> 00:06:03,266 ERIC: At approximately 8:12 PM, the pilots experienced 128 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:07,533 what they described as a pressure bump on the plane. 129 00:06:07,667 --> 00:06:10,367 What felt like a popping in the ears. 130 00:06:10,500 --> 00:06:12,400 This pressure bump was created 131 00:06:12,533 --> 00:06:15,667 when D .B. Cooper jumped off the back airstairs 132 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:18,533 and the airstairs snapped back up 133 00:06:18,667 --> 00:06:20,333 into the bottom of the fuselage. 134 00:06:20,467 --> 00:06:24,200 That bump holds the key to everything. 135 00:06:24,333 --> 00:06:25,834 - Estimating where and when 136 00:06:25,967 --> 00:06:28,166 that bump took place is key. 137 00:06:28,300 --> 00:06:31,100 It determined the area in which FBI, Air Force, 138 00:06:31,233 --> 00:06:34,834 and local law enforcement members looked for Cooper 139 00:06:34,967 --> 00:06:38,367 in a coordinated ground search that lasted for months. 140 00:06:42,133 --> 00:06:44,567 ERIC: The FBI never found anything 141 00:06:44,700 --> 00:06:46,767 in their original search area. 142 00:06:46,900 --> 00:06:48,266 And my research indicates 143 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:50,200 that the reason they came up empty-handed 144 00:06:50,333 --> 00:06:53,767 was because they were actually searching in the wrong place. 145 00:06:53,900 --> 00:06:55,800 Why were they searching in the wrong place? 146 00:06:55,934 --> 00:06:58,066 Because the flight path was off. 147 00:06:58,200 --> 00:06:59,867 Understanding that pressure bump 148 00:07:00,066 --> 00:07:02,967 and identifying the correct search area 149 00:07:03,100 --> 00:07:07,233 will allow us to ask the basic fundamental questions. 150 00:07:08,734 --> 00:07:11,200 - To test his theory about the plane's path, 151 00:07:11,333 --> 00:07:13,433 Eric is meeting with the person charged 152 00:07:13,567 --> 00:07:15,433 with tracking Flight 305 153 00:07:15,567 --> 00:07:17,300 on the night of the hijacking. 154 00:07:17,433 --> 00:07:21,100 The air traffic controller on duty, Cliff Ammerman. 155 00:07:21,233 --> 00:07:23,266 CLIFF: My name is Cliff Ammerman. 156 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:25,266 And, uh, I'm a retired air traffic controller. 157 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:28,266 I worked at the Seattle Center Air Route Traffic Control 158 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:31,333 from 1969 till 1998. 159 00:07:31,467 --> 00:07:35,467 ERIC: Did the FBI or law enforcement at all 160 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:37,600 ever reach out to you? 161 00:07:37,734 --> 00:07:38,967 Never did. 162 00:07:39,100 --> 00:07:40,600 I never got a request like that at all. 163 00:07:40,734 --> 00:07:44,000 What did you know about 305? 164 00:07:44,133 --> 00:07:46,900 I mean, I assume you knew it was a skyjacked jet? 165 00:07:47,033 --> 00:07:48,700 CLIFF: We knew it was a hijacking. 166 00:07:48,834 --> 00:07:50,934 We didn't have a flight plan on it 167 00:07:51,066 --> 00:07:54,000 because nobody knew exactly what the routing was gonna be, 168 00:07:54,133 --> 00:07:56,400 so we were told, "Just follow him. 169 00:07:56,533 --> 00:07:58,200 Keep everybody else away from him." 170 00:07:58,333 --> 00:08:02,166 It became fairly obvious that he was on Victor 23. 171 00:08:02,300 --> 00:08:06,467 Victor 23 is one airway in a low-altitude airway structure 172 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:08,300 that's nationwide. 173 00:08:08,433 --> 00:08:12,200 It's a system of ground-based navigational aids 174 00:08:12,333 --> 00:08:13,834 that pilots can follow, 175 00:08:13,967 --> 00:08:17,800 and it allows them to hold a track over the ground. 176 00:08:17,934 --> 00:08:20,400 Just like when you're on Interstate 5 in a car, 177 00:08:20,533 --> 00:08:22,433 Victor 23 is a highway in the sky. 178 00:08:22,567 --> 00:08:26,133 ERIC: The first priority here when tackling this case 179 00:08:26,266 --> 00:08:29,500 is trying to figure out the path that the jet took. 180 00:08:29,633 --> 00:08:33,033 Can you gauge how precisely you could identify 181 00:08:33,166 --> 00:08:35,633 the exact location of Flight 305? 182 00:08:35,767 --> 00:08:38,300 Yeah. What I'm looking at is a map 183 00:08:38,433 --> 00:08:40,166 on a video screen. 184 00:08:40,300 --> 00:08:42,567 Aircrafts are being presented in 185 00:08:42,700 --> 00:08:44,834 what would look to you like an equal sign. 186 00:08:44,967 --> 00:08:46,867 And on the leading slash, 187 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:49,633 the aircraft itself could be anyplace on that line. 188 00:08:49,767 --> 00:08:51,834 So it could be in the center, it might be at the left side 189 00:08:51,967 --> 00:08:54,667 of the line, it might be at the right side. We don't know. 190 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:57,000 Any idea of roughly what kind of distance 191 00:08:57,133 --> 00:08:58,867 you're looking at there? 192 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:01,900 I would guess four to five nautical miles long, 193 00:09:02,033 --> 00:09:03,600 that line is. 194 00:09:03,734 --> 00:09:07,066 How do you know that he's actually within Victor 23 195 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:08,467 if you've got sort of that much 196 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:10,333 -play there? -CLIFF: Sure. Sure. 197 00:09:10,467 --> 00:09:14,333 It's very uncertain just exactly where the airplane was 198 00:09:14,467 --> 00:09:18,066 within that target area that we're seeing. 199 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:20,734 So, uh, where's the airplane actually? 200 00:09:20,867 --> 00:09:23,533 ERIC: There's quite a bit of variance in there. 201 00:09:23,667 --> 00:09:27,400 Indeed, the jet could have actually been a handful of miles 202 00:09:27,533 --> 00:09:31,433 outside of this Victor 23 airway, 203 00:09:31,567 --> 00:09:34,467 and not have been noticed by anyone. 204 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:37,734 It seems to indicate that the jet indeed took a path 205 00:09:37,867 --> 00:09:39,734 that was more along the western side, 206 00:09:39,867 --> 00:09:42,700 that lines it up with the money find and all that good stuff, 207 00:09:42,834 --> 00:09:44,433 that is not at all consistent 208 00:09:44,567 --> 00:09:47,900 with the official version of the flight path. 209 00:09:48,033 --> 00:09:50,767 The pilot of Northwest 305 also said 210 00:09:50,900 --> 00:09:53,266 that they were not looking far enough west. 211 00:09:55,066 --> 00:09:56,367 ERIC: Well, that confirms it for me. 212 00:09:56,500 --> 00:09:58,567 -Yeah. -That's an area that 213 00:09:58,700 --> 00:10:01,200 they should have looked, but they didn't look. 214 00:10:02,867 --> 00:10:05,667 [♪] 215 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:08,400 FISHBURNE: Convinced the plane was actually eight miles 216 00:10:08,533 --> 00:10:10,967 west of the original FBI search zone, 217 00:10:11,100 --> 00:10:14,400 Eric and his team head up to a remote wilderness refuge 218 00:10:14,533 --> 00:10:16,433 that's never been searched. 219 00:10:16,567 --> 00:10:19,567 They're looking for any evidence of D.B. Cooper, 220 00:10:19,700 --> 00:10:22,967 including possible remains of his parachute. 221 00:10:23,100 --> 00:10:24,367 -Hey. Hey. How's it going? -How's it going? 222 00:10:24,500 --> 00:10:26,233 -Eric Ulis. -Hey. Ryan. 223 00:10:26,367 --> 00:10:28,734 FISHBURNE: To maximize the time he'll have on the ground, 224 00:10:28,867 --> 00:10:30,934 Eric first takes to the sky 225 00:10:31,066 --> 00:10:33,233 to see how closely his search lines up 226 00:10:33,367 --> 00:10:36,400 with an area known as Tina Bar. 227 00:10:36,533 --> 00:10:40,700 In 1980, the FBI found important evidence there. 228 00:10:40,834 --> 00:10:43,567 MAN: A child has led the FBI to the start of a trail 229 00:10:43,700 --> 00:10:45,100 it hopes it'll help them solve 230 00:10:45,233 --> 00:10:47,934 the eight-and-a-half-year-old mystery of skyjacker 231 00:10:48,066 --> 00:10:49,400 D.B. Cooper. 232 00:10:49,533 --> 00:10:51,000 The first break in the only unsolved 233 00:10:51,133 --> 00:10:53,867 airplane hijacking in United States history 234 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:55,367 came on a Columbia River beach, 235 00:10:55,500 --> 00:10:57,533 along the Oregon-Washington border 236 00:10:57,667 --> 00:10:58,934 where an eight-year-old boy 237 00:10:59,066 --> 00:11:02,500 dug up the shreds of $3,000 on Sunday. 238 00:11:02,633 --> 00:11:04,600 The money was found about 20 miles 239 00:11:04,734 --> 00:11:07,467 from the FBI's original search zone. 240 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:10,166 Also, it was found about eight or nine miles 241 00:11:10,300 --> 00:11:13,300 against the current along the Columbia River. 242 00:11:13,433 --> 00:11:16,166 So there was no possible way 243 00:11:16,300 --> 00:11:18,433 that the money just washed ashore. 244 00:11:18,567 --> 00:11:20,333 The bundles of 20s were found 245 00:11:20,467 --> 00:11:22,967 just below the surface of the sand, 246 00:11:23,100 --> 00:11:24,767 neatly stacked upon each other 247 00:11:24,900 --> 00:11:28,100 with the original rubber band still intact. 248 00:11:28,233 --> 00:11:30,000 So by all appearances, 249 00:11:30,133 --> 00:11:32,934 it looks like somebody actually buried 250 00:11:33,066 --> 00:11:36,467 those three packets of 20s. 251 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:39,300 FISHBURNE: Since it's impossible to know the precise 252 00:11:39,433 --> 00:11:41,667 altitude at which Cooper pulled his parachute ripcord, 253 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:46,133 Eric plans to search a wide area the FBI missed. 254 00:11:48,100 --> 00:11:52,133 The first is an island a few miles north of Tina Bar. 255 00:11:54,734 --> 00:11:57,800 [HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRRING] 256 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:12,166 - The second zone is an extended meadow 257 00:12:12,300 --> 00:12:16,867 along the tree line on the west side of the train tracks. 258 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:18,500 If Cooper landed there, 259 00:12:18,633 --> 00:12:20,900 Eric believes he could have walked south 260 00:12:21,033 --> 00:12:22,400 along these train tracks 261 00:12:22,533 --> 00:12:24,266 crossing over from the mainland 262 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:27,333 at the River S Bridge to Tina Bar. 263 00:12:27,467 --> 00:12:30,667 Eric thinks Cooper might have buried the ransom here 264 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:33,667 temporarily, and then fled. 265 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:36,233 The third zone, private properties 266 00:12:36,367 --> 00:12:38,500 across from the refuge provide access 267 00:12:38,633 --> 00:12:40,567 to a large untouched ravine 268 00:12:40,700 --> 00:12:44,100 which could have given perfect cover for D.B. Cooper. 269 00:12:47,266 --> 00:12:48,900 ERIC: Part of what has guided me 270 00:12:49,033 --> 00:12:51,667 to these three specific search areas 271 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:54,900 is that they're pristine and largely untouched 272 00:12:55,033 --> 00:12:57,233 in the last 50 years. 273 00:12:57,367 --> 00:12:59,066 Eric Ulis. Good to meet you. 274 00:13:00,900 --> 00:13:02,633 I'm thinking about, you know, 275 00:13:02,767 --> 00:13:04,567 the 12 years of research 276 00:13:04,700 --> 00:13:07,233 I have put into this case. 277 00:13:07,367 --> 00:13:09,000 This is what I have been waiting for, 278 00:13:09,133 --> 00:13:13,667 the opportunity to actually get boots on the ground 279 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:15,133 and dig through the brush 280 00:13:15,266 --> 00:13:17,934 and look for those missing parachutes, 281 00:13:18,066 --> 00:13:21,734 look for any sign of D.B. Cooper. 282 00:13:23,266 --> 00:13:24,467 FISHBURNE: Coming up. 283 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:25,767 Eric Ulis and his team 284 00:13:25,900 --> 00:13:28,433 put 12 years of research to the test 285 00:13:28,567 --> 00:13:30,500 as they battle the Pacific Northwest... 286 00:13:30,633 --> 00:13:32,967 [GRUNTS] The search just got real 287 00:13:33,100 --> 00:13:34,367 when you draw a little bit of blood. 288 00:13:34,500 --> 00:13:35,400 - ...and time. 289 00:13:35,533 --> 00:13:36,433 ERIC: Fighting our way 290 00:13:36,567 --> 00:13:37,767 through that stuff 291 00:13:37,900 --> 00:13:40,133 really, really slows us down. 292 00:13:40,266 --> 00:13:42,800 I'm aware that we're marching against time here. 293 00:13:42,934 --> 00:13:44,734 FISHBURNE: Later, Eric gets his hands 294 00:13:44,867 --> 00:13:48,100 on possible DNA taken from D.B. Cooper's tie. 295 00:13:48,233 --> 00:13:49,800 ERIC: The tie knot seems like 296 00:13:49,934 --> 00:13:51,734 the most logically place to look. 297 00:13:51,867 --> 00:13:54,600 The place that would have been touched the most by D.B. Cooper. 298 00:13:54,734 --> 00:13:57,467 - Will Eric finally be able to reveal the identity 299 00:13:57,600 --> 00:14:00,800 of history's most mysterious skyjacker? 300 00:14:02,133 --> 00:14:05,333 [♪] 301 00:14:19,100 --> 00:14:20,800 FISHBURNE: Eric Ulis has investigated 302 00:14:20,934 --> 00:14:23,700 the D.B. Cooper case for 12 years. 303 00:14:23,834 --> 00:14:26,000 CLIFF: The pilot of Northwest 305 304 00:14:26,133 --> 00:14:28,633 also said that they were not looking far enough west. 305 00:14:28,767 --> 00:14:30,967 FISHBURNE: Convinced the FBI misjudged 306 00:14:31,100 --> 00:14:32,800 the hijacked plane's flight path, 307 00:14:32,934 --> 00:14:35,767 Eric's assembled a team to look for new evidence. 308 00:14:35,900 --> 00:14:39,900 They hope to find something to reopen this cold case. 309 00:14:42,100 --> 00:14:43,233 ALEX: Hey. 310 00:14:43,367 --> 00:14:44,734 ERIC: Hey, you guys. How you doing? 311 00:14:44,867 --> 00:14:46,567 ALEX: Alex Gall with Archeological Services. 312 00:14:46,700 --> 00:14:49,834 This area was home to thousands of Native American's villages. 313 00:14:49,967 --> 00:14:51,367 So in order for the project 314 00:14:51,500 --> 00:14:53,266 to have special access to the refuge, 315 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:55,567 it needed an archeologist to join the project, 316 00:14:55,700 --> 00:14:58,100 and, uh, that archeologist is me. 317 00:14:58,233 --> 00:15:01,133 Given the terrain, it's gonna be, uh-- 318 00:15:01,266 --> 00:15:02,567 require a lot of luck. 319 00:15:02,700 --> 00:15:04,633 FISHBURNE: Accompanying Eric on his mission, 320 00:15:04,767 --> 00:15:06,867 geophysicist, Colin Miazga, 321 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:08,967 who will help examine any ground disturbance 322 00:15:09,100 --> 00:15:12,867 or man-made materials left behind by the skyjacker. 323 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:14,667 COLIN: With my geoscience background, 324 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:17,533 you look for man-made objects. 325 00:15:17,667 --> 00:15:20,066 In this case though, there's a very small object 326 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:22,867 in a very big area, so it's incredibly challenging. 327 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:25,333 There's just so much ground to cover, 328 00:15:25,467 --> 00:15:28,500 and the only real best way to do that 329 00:15:28,633 --> 00:15:31,133 is by physically walking over the area. 330 00:15:31,266 --> 00:15:34,066 Who wouldn't wanna be the person responsible for solving, 331 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:36,834 uh, a 50-year-old case that the FBI gave up on, 332 00:15:36,967 --> 00:15:38,166 essentially? 333 00:15:38,300 --> 00:15:39,667 FISHBURNE: He's also enlisted the help of 334 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:41,633 local search and rescue volunteers, 335 00:15:41,767 --> 00:15:44,200 Jason Cole and Barry Wells. 336 00:15:44,333 --> 00:15:47,000 Both have a vast knowledge of the area. 337 00:15:47,133 --> 00:15:48,767 - I was here when the event happened, 338 00:15:48,900 --> 00:15:50,800 and there was a lot of theories going around. 339 00:15:50,934 --> 00:15:52,333 ERIC: So, today, what we're gonna be doing 340 00:15:52,467 --> 00:15:53,834 is getting on the boats. 341 00:15:53,967 --> 00:15:55,734 We're gonna be traveling along the Lake River 342 00:15:55,867 --> 00:15:57,033 up to the Columbia River. 343 00:15:57,166 --> 00:15:58,500 Then once we're on the Columbia River, 344 00:15:58,633 --> 00:16:00,700 we're gonna go upstream a little bit. 345 00:16:00,834 --> 00:16:02,066 This area we're talking about here 346 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:03,667 was not part of the original search area. 347 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:06,200 And obviously, the fact that it's a refuge as well 348 00:16:06,333 --> 00:16:08,033 and is off-limits to people, 349 00:16:08,166 --> 00:16:09,400 -essentially-- -Jason: Yeah. 350 00:16:09,533 --> 00:16:10,800 --provides a real opportunity 351 00:16:10,934 --> 00:16:12,767 where the stuff would have never been found. 352 00:16:12,900 --> 00:16:14,600 Ready to find D.B. Cooper? 353 00:16:14,734 --> 00:16:16,400 FISHBURNE: With restrictions in place 354 00:16:16,533 --> 00:16:17,734 to protect the local wildlife, 355 00:16:17,867 --> 00:16:20,233 Eric and his team must also contact 356 00:16:20,367 --> 00:16:21,934 the state environmental expert 357 00:16:22,066 --> 00:16:25,367 before they can begin their search on the island. 358 00:16:25,500 --> 00:16:27,133 Hey, Brent. How you doing? Um... 359 00:16:27,266 --> 00:16:28,166 BRENT: Good, Eric. 360 00:16:28,300 --> 00:16:29,567 We'll work our way north, 361 00:16:29,700 --> 00:16:31,433 see if we can actually get over to where you are 362 00:16:31,567 --> 00:16:34,100 because I think the refuge is where we wanna start 363 00:16:34,233 --> 00:16:35,834 versus the DNR land. 364 00:16:35,967 --> 00:16:37,266 -And then we'll, uh-- -BRENT: Right. 365 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:39,266 --we'll go from there. 366 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:42,233 Let's get these guys over on this shoreline here. 367 00:16:42,367 --> 00:16:45,033 -Landfall, here we go. -Right now, we're on, uh, 368 00:16:45,166 --> 00:16:47,633 Washington Department of Natural Resources land. 369 00:16:47,767 --> 00:16:50,367 And basically at the tree line there 370 00:16:50,500 --> 00:16:52,767 is where the wildlife refuge starts. 371 00:16:52,900 --> 00:16:55,567 - They'll be limited in the tools they can use, 372 00:16:55,700 --> 00:16:57,600 and are forbidden to dig anything up 373 00:16:57,734 --> 00:17:00,767 or remove any evidence from the refuge. 374 00:17:00,900 --> 00:17:03,667 If you wanna go over some of these, uh, 375 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:06,433 -maps that I pulled. -ERIC: This is 1970. 376 00:17:06,567 --> 00:17:08,166 ALEX: So this '70. 377 00:17:09,467 --> 00:17:11,700 Compared to now, the footprint... 378 00:17:11,834 --> 00:17:13,433 ALEX: It's pretty-- it looks pretty stable. 379 00:17:13,567 --> 00:17:15,433 ERIC: Looks pretty consistent. 380 00:17:15,567 --> 00:17:16,867 So the only-- the only thing 381 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:19,967 that might give us a little pause 382 00:17:20,100 --> 00:17:22,633 is the 1996 aerial. 383 00:17:22,767 --> 00:17:25,333 ERIC: I know there was quite a bit of flooding in '96. 384 00:17:25,467 --> 00:17:28,100 So it looks like to me that this area here 385 00:17:28,233 --> 00:17:29,600 is actually under water. 386 00:17:29,734 --> 00:17:31,500 In 1996, there was actually 387 00:17:31,633 --> 00:17:35,633 a very big flood in the area. 388 00:17:35,767 --> 00:17:38,300 In reality, if the parachutes were in that area, 389 00:17:38,433 --> 00:17:41,500 they could have easily been swept out to the Columbia River 390 00:17:41,633 --> 00:17:43,800 and out to the Pacific Ocean. 391 00:17:43,934 --> 00:17:45,467 I believe that the parachutes 392 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:48,000 were placed a little bit farther inland 393 00:17:48,133 --> 00:17:50,567 which wasn't affected nearly as much. 394 00:17:50,700 --> 00:17:52,266 ALEX: So you said the parachute was white and the-- 395 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:53,734 ERIC: The parachute itself was white. 396 00:17:53,867 --> 00:17:55,500 ---and the pack was green? -That's correct. 397 00:17:55,633 --> 00:17:56,867 ALEX: Always helps me to know what colors to be looking for. 398 00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:58,834 It's dark green. Yeah. Yeah. 399 00:17:58,967 --> 00:18:00,900 FISHBURNE: Eric's team is looking for D.B. Cooper's 400 00:18:01,033 --> 00:18:04,000 missing parachutes and other evidence, 401 00:18:04,133 --> 00:18:05,834 including his attache case, 402 00:18:05,967 --> 00:18:08,834 ransom notes, or unrecovered money. 403 00:18:08,967 --> 00:18:11,066 They must notify local authorities 404 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:12,700 and the FBI immediately 405 00:18:12,834 --> 00:18:15,533 if they find anything. 406 00:18:15,667 --> 00:18:17,367 But Eric's search permit for the refuge 407 00:18:17,500 --> 00:18:20,066 is limited and will expire. 408 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:22,266 - We'll just start working off from this direction 409 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:23,667 and work our way through. 410 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:26,600 [♪♪] 411 00:18:26,734 --> 00:18:28,233 -ERIC: A little bit of rain. -WOMAN: Today. 412 00:18:28,367 --> 00:18:30,033 Until end of day and tomorrow. 413 00:18:30,166 --> 00:18:32,266 ERIC: I think we got to go a little farther down 414 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:35,066 to the open field basically. 415 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:36,367 BRENT: I was surprised-- or is. 416 00:18:36,500 --> 00:18:38,633 At how he was dressed as businessman. 417 00:18:38,767 --> 00:18:40,066 ERIC: You bring up a great point 418 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:42,533 because a lot of people said, you know, 419 00:18:42,667 --> 00:18:44,567 "Who in their right mind would jump 420 00:18:44,700 --> 00:18:47,166 into the middle of the woods wearing, uh, loafers 421 00:18:47,300 --> 00:18:48,767 -and a-- and a tie." -BRENT: Uh-hmm. Uh-hmm. 422 00:18:48,900 --> 00:18:51,433 ERIC: And I've always argued, nobody. 423 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:55,834 I believe that the evidence clearly shows 424 00:18:55,967 --> 00:18:57,900 that D.B. Cooper intended to jump 425 00:18:58,033 --> 00:19:01,400 initially in the outskirts of Seattle. 426 00:19:01,533 --> 00:19:03,133 FISHBURNE: After the skyjacking, 427 00:19:03,266 --> 00:19:04,867 flight attendant, Tina Mucklow, 428 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:06,767 told authorities that D.B. Cooper 429 00:19:06,900 --> 00:19:09,834 was visibly frustrated and complained to her 430 00:19:09,967 --> 00:19:12,300 about how the money was delivered. 431 00:19:12,433 --> 00:19:15,266 TINA: He, uh, made me feel very sure 432 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:18,100 that, uh, we had a very real 433 00:19:18,233 --> 00:19:19,934 and horrifying threat. 434 00:19:20,066 --> 00:19:20,900 ERIC: When the money showed up, 435 00:19:21,033 --> 00:19:22,367 it was not in a knapsack 436 00:19:22,500 --> 00:19:23,433 as he requested. 437 00:19:23,567 --> 00:19:25,066 It was actually just delivered 438 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:27,166 in a white open-top 439 00:19:27,300 --> 00:19:29,133 canvas bank bag. 440 00:19:29,266 --> 00:19:31,000 It didn't have any zippers, didn't have any snaps, 441 00:19:31,133 --> 00:19:32,700 didn't even have a handle on it. 442 00:19:32,834 --> 00:19:34,767 Cooper needed to figure out a way 443 00:19:34,900 --> 00:19:37,767 to secure the top of that bank bag. 444 00:19:37,900 --> 00:19:40,266 If he didn't, the force of the free fall 445 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:41,900 would have immediately ejected 446 00:19:42,033 --> 00:19:44,400 all of the cash out of that bag. 447 00:19:44,533 --> 00:19:48,200 - It was also reported by copilot, Bill Rataczek, 448 00:19:48,333 --> 00:19:50,900 that Cooper had difficulties lowering the airstairs. 449 00:19:51,033 --> 00:19:53,133 He called us on the interphone and requested that, uh, 450 00:19:53,266 --> 00:19:54,467 he was having trouble with the stairs. 451 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:56,066 "I can't get the stairs down." 452 00:19:56,200 --> 00:19:58,333 - Eric believes these delays forced Cooper 453 00:19:58,467 --> 00:20:00,066 to jump into rougher terrain 454 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:01,800 than originally planned. 455 00:20:01,934 --> 00:20:03,433 ERIC: I think that's really ground zero, 456 00:20:03,567 --> 00:20:05,133 -as far as-- -ALEX: Yeah. 457 00:20:05,266 --> 00:20:06,667 ERIC: --searching for the D .B. Cooper's parachutes 458 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:08,300 if he landed in this area. 459 00:20:08,433 --> 00:20:10,967 And basically we need to start right around here 460 00:20:11,100 --> 00:20:12,133 where these thicker bushes are, 461 00:20:12,266 --> 00:20:15,600 but start working our way down 462 00:20:15,734 --> 00:20:16,767 around to the south. 463 00:20:16,900 --> 00:20:18,266 ALEX: Along the edges? 464 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:20,433 FISHBURNE: To ensure a thorough ground search, 465 00:20:20,567 --> 00:20:22,900 the team walks at arm's length from each other, 466 00:20:23,033 --> 00:20:25,734 searching in a traditional grid pattern. 467 00:20:25,867 --> 00:20:26,767 Let's move. 468 00:20:26,900 --> 00:20:29,000 [♪♪] 469 00:20:29,133 --> 00:20:33,734 ERIC: Uh, looks like a un-penetrable wall back there, 470 00:20:33,867 --> 00:20:36,433 so I'm not even gonna try that. 471 00:20:36,567 --> 00:20:39,400 ALEX: It's pretty thick in front of us here. 472 00:20:39,533 --> 00:20:40,633 ERIC: This stuff is brutal. 473 00:20:40,767 --> 00:20:41,934 WOMAN: Oh. 474 00:20:43,133 --> 00:20:44,967 Yikes. 475 00:20:45,100 --> 00:20:46,367 ERIC: Yeah. 476 00:20:46,500 --> 00:20:48,834 That looks prime spot to dump a parachute. 477 00:20:48,967 --> 00:20:50,433 ALEX: Exactly. 478 00:20:50,567 --> 00:20:52,300 FISHBURNE: Eric believes Cooper left his parachute 479 00:20:52,433 --> 00:20:55,800 behind wherever he landed. 480 00:20:55,934 --> 00:20:58,800 ERIC: All the soil around here is pretty packed clay. 481 00:20:58,934 --> 00:21:00,233 Um, there's no way he's digging 482 00:21:00,367 --> 00:21:02,667 more than whatever he could kick with his boot. 483 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:04,200 ALEX: Right. And it's dark too, 484 00:21:04,333 --> 00:21:05,633 -right? -ERIC: Yeah. 485 00:21:05,767 --> 00:21:06,834 ALEX: So he couldn't get too far in there. 486 00:21:06,967 --> 00:21:08,033 ERIC: No. 487 00:21:08,166 --> 00:21:09,300 - Although the parachute 488 00:21:09,433 --> 00:21:10,867 may have deteriorated, 489 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:14,066 metallic and nylon material could have survived. 490 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:16,300 -Alex found some, uh... -Let's check it out. 491 00:21:16,433 --> 00:21:18,333 It's really the first sign of human activity 492 00:21:18,467 --> 00:21:20,633 I've seen in here. 493 00:21:20,767 --> 00:21:21,667 Oh, yeah. 494 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:23,867 This could be promising. 495 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:25,467 - Coming up. 496 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:28,000 A retired FBI agent joins the investigation... 497 00:21:28,133 --> 00:21:29,900 MARY JEAN: I received, uh, communication 498 00:21:30,033 --> 00:21:31,133 from the Seattle office 499 00:21:31,266 --> 00:21:33,867 to obtain a voluntary DNA sample. 500 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:36,000 - ...and revisits a person of interest 501 00:21:36,133 --> 00:21:37,333 from her past. 502 00:21:37,467 --> 00:21:38,700 ASHLEY: Do you think he could be D.B. Cooper? 503 00:21:38,834 --> 00:21:39,800 Yeah, I do. 504 00:21:39,934 --> 00:21:43,066 [♪♪] 505 00:21:55,433 --> 00:21:57,367 FISHBURNE: Searching on federally-protected land 506 00:21:57,500 --> 00:22:01,033 on an island along the Washington-Oregon border, 507 00:22:01,166 --> 00:22:02,600 investigator, Eric Ulis, 508 00:22:02,734 --> 00:22:04,700 and his team make what they hope 509 00:22:04,834 --> 00:22:06,767 is a significant discovery. 510 00:22:08,500 --> 00:22:10,300 -Alex found some, uh... -Let's check it out. 511 00:22:10,433 --> 00:22:12,567 It's really the first sign of human activity 512 00:22:12,700 --> 00:22:14,867 I've seen in here. 513 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:15,934 Oh, yeah. 514 00:22:16,066 --> 00:22:17,367 This could be promising. 515 00:22:17,500 --> 00:22:18,967 ALEX: Uh, I don't know anything about parachutes 516 00:22:19,100 --> 00:22:20,533 -and the kinds of-- -Yeah. 517 00:22:20,667 --> 00:22:23,066 --shroud lines they would use. 518 00:22:25,166 --> 00:22:27,533 The problem is the color of the shroud lines 519 00:22:27,667 --> 00:22:32,367 were, uh, either white or light pink. 520 00:22:32,500 --> 00:22:33,767 And so that would not be part of... 521 00:22:33,900 --> 00:22:35,233 -[INDISTINCT] -Okay. 522 00:22:35,367 --> 00:22:37,100 D.B. Cooper's parachute. 523 00:22:37,233 --> 00:22:38,900 This area is clear. 524 00:22:46,033 --> 00:22:48,433 FISHBURNE: After 10 grueling hours, 525 00:22:48,567 --> 00:22:51,533 the team ends the search for the day. 526 00:22:53,367 --> 00:22:56,567 ERIC: With the restrictions that we have from the refuge, 527 00:22:56,700 --> 00:22:57,834 limiting the number of people 528 00:22:57,967 --> 00:22:59,900 that we can actually search with, 529 00:23:00,100 --> 00:23:03,367 and seeing how vast this area is, 530 00:23:03,500 --> 00:23:05,467 and how dense the growth is 531 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:07,166 that we have to fight through, 532 00:23:07,300 --> 00:23:09,133 it just made me realize 533 00:23:09,266 --> 00:23:11,500 how difficult this search 534 00:23:11,633 --> 00:23:12,800 is actually going to be. 535 00:23:12,934 --> 00:23:16,100 [♪♪] 536 00:23:17,767 --> 00:23:19,767 FISHBURNE: With only a few days remaining to search 537 00:23:19,900 --> 00:23:22,300 what he believes is the landing area, 538 00:23:22,433 --> 00:23:25,633 Eric reviews the mystery of D.B. Cooper. 539 00:23:25,767 --> 00:23:27,533 ERIC: There are really two parts 540 00:23:27,667 --> 00:23:29,266 to the D.B. Copper mystery. 541 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:32,767 There's the part that relates to what actually happened... 542 00:23:32,900 --> 00:23:34,300 MAN: All these years later, 543 00:23:34,433 --> 00:23:36,500 they're still looking for D.B. Cooper. 544 00:23:36,633 --> 00:23:38,967 Everything FBI Special Agent Larry Carr 545 00:23:39,100 --> 00:23:42,433 has on Cooper fits in one battered box, 546 00:23:42,567 --> 00:23:45,033 mostly what Cooper left on the plane. 547 00:23:45,166 --> 00:23:46,834 ERIC: ...and there is this other part 548 00:23:46,967 --> 00:23:49,600 that relates to who the guy actually was. 549 00:23:49,734 --> 00:23:51,033 LARRY: D.B. Cooper came from someone. 550 00:23:51,166 --> 00:23:52,433 He came from somewhere. 551 00:23:52,567 --> 00:23:54,533 You know, he just didn't miracle himself here. 552 00:23:54,667 --> 00:23:59,266 Uh, and so, uh, someone has information. 553 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:01,567 FISHBURNE: During the 45 years that D.B. Cooper's 554 00:24:01,700 --> 00:24:03,633 skyjacking case remained open, 555 00:24:03,767 --> 00:24:06,333 the FBI investigated more than a thousand 556 00:24:06,467 --> 00:24:08,400 possible suspects. 557 00:24:08,533 --> 00:24:11,033 Some simply matched the crime sketch. 558 00:24:11,166 --> 00:24:14,233 Others confessed on their death beds. 559 00:24:14,367 --> 00:24:17,200 Hospitalized here in Florida with kidney disease, 560 00:24:17,333 --> 00:24:20,000 Duane Weber motioned to his wife to come close. 561 00:24:20,133 --> 00:24:23,133 He says I have a secret to tell you. 562 00:24:23,266 --> 00:24:24,300 I said, "What?" 563 00:24:24,433 --> 00:24:26,800 He says, "I'm Dan Cooper." 564 00:24:26,934 --> 00:24:29,233 FISHBURNE: Even a woman was investigated, 565 00:24:29,367 --> 00:24:31,233 pilot Barbara Dayton. 566 00:24:31,367 --> 00:24:33,900 Eric's determined to provide a definitive answer 567 00:24:34,033 --> 00:24:35,900 about one person of interest, 568 00:24:36,033 --> 00:24:38,734 a man DNA-tested in 2003 569 00:24:38,867 --> 00:24:40,900 but never publicly eliminated. 570 00:24:41,033 --> 00:24:45,033 Eric believes this man could be D.B. Cooper. 571 00:24:45,166 --> 00:24:48,233 His name is Sheridan Peterson. 572 00:24:48,367 --> 00:24:50,266 ERIC: He actually became a suspect 573 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:53,834 within one week of the skyjacking. 574 00:24:53,967 --> 00:24:56,834 However, it wasn't even until 2003, 575 00:24:56,967 --> 00:25:00,066 the FBI was actually able to interview him. 576 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:05,500 That FBI agent was a woman named Mary Jean Fryar. 577 00:25:05,633 --> 00:25:08,767 And what she told me when I first reached out to her 578 00:25:08,900 --> 00:25:12,433 has completely changed the trajectory in my case. 579 00:25:12,567 --> 00:25:13,600 I'm Mary Jean Fryar. 580 00:25:13,734 --> 00:25:15,100 I'm a special agent with the FBI 581 00:25:15,233 --> 00:25:17,633 from 1985 to 2006. 582 00:25:17,767 --> 00:25:20,633 In 2003, I received, uh, 583 00:25:20,767 --> 00:25:22,567 a communication from the Seattle office 584 00:25:22,700 --> 00:25:26,433 to locate and interview Sheridan Peterson 585 00:25:26,567 --> 00:25:28,567 who was residing in Santa Rosa 586 00:25:28,700 --> 00:25:31,967 and obtain a voluntary DNA sample. 587 00:25:32,100 --> 00:25:35,133 ERIC: In late 2007, the FBI announced 588 00:25:35,266 --> 00:25:38,266 that they had a partial DNA profile 589 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:41,967 that they've got from D.B. Cooper's clip-on tie. 590 00:25:42,100 --> 00:25:44,433 MAN: This is the tie we got the DNA from. 591 00:25:44,567 --> 00:25:47,834 ERIC: This could explain why the FBI had Mary Jean Fryar 592 00:25:47,967 --> 00:25:51,066 obtain a DNA sample from Sheridan Peterson 593 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:54,300 to compare it against the partial DNA profile. 594 00:25:54,433 --> 00:25:57,033 MARY JEAN: When I met with Sheridan Peterson in 2003, 595 00:25:57,166 --> 00:25:59,800 it was special because it was a historic case. 596 00:25:59,934 --> 00:26:02,934 During my training at the FBI Academy, 597 00:26:03,066 --> 00:26:04,834 we had instructors that came in 598 00:26:04,967 --> 00:26:06,367 and, uh, talked about it. 599 00:26:06,500 --> 00:26:09,166 Sheridan's alibi, since I talked to him in 2003, 600 00:26:09,300 --> 00:26:11,166 was always that he was present in Nepal 601 00:26:11,300 --> 00:26:12,533 for his children's birth. 602 00:26:12,667 --> 00:26:14,033 He was saying he wasn't in the country 603 00:26:14,166 --> 00:26:15,867 so he couldn't have been D.B. Cooper. 604 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:18,800 He did show me his birth certificates of his kids, 605 00:26:18,934 --> 00:26:20,834 but his wife could have very easily given birth 606 00:26:20,967 --> 00:26:22,000 without him there. 607 00:26:22,133 --> 00:26:24,367 Sheridan worked in the department 608 00:26:24,500 --> 00:26:27,333 that literally wrote the flight manual 609 00:26:27,467 --> 00:26:29,667 for the Boeing 727 jet. 610 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:32,500 He worked as a smokejumper in Montana. 611 00:26:32,633 --> 00:26:34,533 He's an expert skydiver. 612 00:26:34,667 --> 00:26:37,166 He's a former Boeing employee. 613 00:26:37,300 --> 00:26:38,834 Then in 1966, 614 00:26:38,967 --> 00:26:41,333 Sheridan found himself in Vietnam 615 00:26:41,467 --> 00:26:43,667 working as a refugee adviser 616 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:46,300 until August of 1970 617 00:26:46,433 --> 00:26:48,767 when he and his wife moved to Nepal. 618 00:26:48,900 --> 00:26:52,166 There is nothing that Sheridan can point to 619 00:26:52,300 --> 00:26:55,734 that proves unequivocally that he was in Nepal 620 00:26:55,867 --> 00:26:58,667 at the time that the skyjacking took place, 621 00:26:58,800 --> 00:27:01,433 with the exception of the second wife. 622 00:27:01,567 --> 00:27:04,266 The problem is, according to Sheridan, 623 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:07,934 his second wife died in 1977. 624 00:27:08,066 --> 00:27:10,166 [♪♪] 625 00:27:10,300 --> 00:27:12,967 ERIC: Sheridan Peterson was interviewed for a program 626 00:27:13,100 --> 00:27:15,066 related to D.B. Cooper, 627 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:17,533 and there are some inconsistencies in there. 628 00:27:17,667 --> 00:27:21,100 There are things that he stated that just don't add up. 629 00:27:21,233 --> 00:27:22,967 There are two things that I found 630 00:27:23,100 --> 00:27:25,300 that could rule Sheridan out as a suspect. 631 00:27:25,433 --> 00:27:28,200 There's some discrepancy with respect to eye color. 632 00:27:28,333 --> 00:27:31,266 Specifically, Sheridan has blue eyes, 633 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:35,633 and the FBI's very first description of D.B. Cooper 634 00:27:35,767 --> 00:27:38,033 had him having brown eyes. 635 00:27:38,166 --> 00:27:41,300 However, very quickly after they put up 636 00:27:41,433 --> 00:27:43,600 the initial description for D.B. Cooper, 637 00:27:43,734 --> 00:27:46,000 the FBI updated the description 638 00:27:46,133 --> 00:27:47,400 and described D.B. Cooper 639 00:27:47,533 --> 00:27:50,667 as possibly having brown eyes. 640 00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:53,600 The second being, we know that D.B. Cooper 641 00:27:53,734 --> 00:27:55,033 definitely smoked cigarettes. 642 00:27:55,166 --> 00:27:57,233 In fact, he smoked eight cigarettes 643 00:27:57,367 --> 00:27:58,900 during the skyjacking. 644 00:27:59,033 --> 00:28:02,266 I have never been able to prove that Sheridan Peterson 645 00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:03,967 was ever a smoker. 646 00:28:04,100 --> 00:28:05,967 FISHBURNE: Eric's asked Mary Jean 647 00:28:06,100 --> 00:28:08,934 to help secure an interview with Sheridan. 648 00:28:09,066 --> 00:28:12,633 Her goal, get him to request his DNA test results. 649 00:28:12,767 --> 00:28:14,433 [♪♪] 650 00:28:14,567 --> 00:28:18,300 - Now, we can't use DNA to prove that he was D.B. Cooper 651 00:28:18,433 --> 00:28:20,767 because the profile that the FBI has 652 00:28:20,900 --> 00:28:24,300 is only a partial DNA profile. 653 00:28:24,433 --> 00:28:26,433 But if we can get Sheridan Peterson 654 00:28:26,567 --> 00:28:27,567 to actually request 655 00:28:27,700 --> 00:28:30,333 to get his DNA comparison results 656 00:28:30,467 --> 00:28:31,967 from the FBI, 657 00:28:32,100 --> 00:28:33,867 we may actually be able to prove 658 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:37,800 definitively that he wasn't D .B. Cooper. 659 00:28:37,934 --> 00:28:41,100 [TRAIN HORN HONKING] 660 00:28:42,467 --> 00:28:45,700 [♪] 661 00:28:49,900 --> 00:28:51,166 FISHBURNE: Back on the refuge, 662 00:28:51,300 --> 00:28:53,300 Eric Ulis and his team of investigators 663 00:28:53,433 --> 00:28:55,567 continue their hunt. 664 00:28:55,700 --> 00:28:58,133 Yesterday, they searched a remote island. 665 00:28:58,266 --> 00:29:02,133 Today, they're searching an extended meadow area. 666 00:29:02,266 --> 00:29:05,033 None of this land has been searched before 667 00:29:05,166 --> 00:29:07,700 because the FBI used a different flight path 668 00:29:07,834 --> 00:29:11,200 to calculate its search area in 1971. 669 00:29:11,333 --> 00:29:12,900 If Eric can find any evidence 670 00:29:13,033 --> 00:29:14,667 that D.B. Cooper landed here, 671 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:16,900 it might lead to finally identifying 672 00:29:17,033 --> 00:29:18,533 the skyjacker. 673 00:29:18,667 --> 00:29:20,333 [♪♪] 674 00:29:20,467 --> 00:29:22,066 ERIC: All right. So, uh, today, 675 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:23,700 uh, we're continuing the search 676 00:29:23,834 --> 00:29:25,600 for the missing parachutes. 677 00:29:25,734 --> 00:29:27,400 We've got our survivalist 678 00:29:27,533 --> 00:29:29,533 with us as well, Dan. 679 00:29:29,667 --> 00:29:31,400 I'm Dan Baird. I'm a backcountry 680 00:29:31,533 --> 00:29:32,900 guidance survival expert. 681 00:29:33,033 --> 00:29:35,533 I'm not an expert on D.B. Cooper himself, 682 00:29:35,667 --> 00:29:37,967 but to me, it seems like it's a survival situation. 683 00:29:38,100 --> 00:29:39,266 I'm looking forward to the search, 684 00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:40,734 this is gonna be awesome. 685 00:29:40,867 --> 00:29:43,700 There are several copycat jumps that took place 686 00:29:43,834 --> 00:29:45,567 after Cooper's jump. 687 00:29:45,700 --> 00:29:47,200 Every single person 688 00:29:47,333 --> 00:29:48,934 who did it survived. 689 00:29:50,433 --> 00:29:53,166 FISHBURNE: Although every copycat jumper survived, 690 00:29:53,300 --> 00:29:55,900 none of them got away with the crime. 691 00:29:56,033 --> 00:29:59,333 Most notable, a man named Richard Floyd McCoy 692 00:29:59,467 --> 00:30:01,467 who, in 1972, remained free 693 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:05,033 for two days before being arrested. 694 00:30:05,166 --> 00:30:06,367 It seems that the real challenge 695 00:30:06,500 --> 00:30:08,533 comes once he hits the ground, 696 00:30:08,667 --> 00:30:10,567 how he gets out of the area. 697 00:30:13,700 --> 00:30:16,233 DAN: Were these tracks in place at that time? 698 00:30:16,367 --> 00:30:19,100 -MAN: Yes, they were. -ERIC: Yeah, they were. Yup. 699 00:30:19,233 --> 00:30:23,100 We're on top of the BNSF Railway tracks. 700 00:30:23,233 --> 00:30:25,233 If D.B. Cooper landed in this area, 701 00:30:25,367 --> 00:30:28,200 the railroad tracks provide a perfect corridor 702 00:30:28,333 --> 00:30:30,834 that he could've used to get to Tena Bar 703 00:30:30,967 --> 00:30:32,734 where the money was found. 704 00:30:32,867 --> 00:30:34,333 DAN: Do you ever think of looking into 705 00:30:34,467 --> 00:30:36,133 what the train schedule was like that night? 706 00:30:36,266 --> 00:30:38,400 If he landed, started walking for 20 minutes, 707 00:30:38,533 --> 00:30:41,100 half hour, I'm sure the train would've gone by. 708 00:30:41,233 --> 00:30:42,867 ERIC: There was a railroad conductor 709 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:44,934 who was driving down the tracks that night 710 00:30:45,066 --> 00:30:48,033 who actually did report to the FBI 711 00:30:48,166 --> 00:30:50,533 that there was somebody on the tracks. 712 00:30:50,667 --> 00:30:52,734 And it's important to remember 713 00:30:52,867 --> 00:30:54,600 that as the conductor was bringing this 714 00:30:54,734 --> 00:30:57,200 to the attention of the FBI, 715 00:30:57,333 --> 00:30:58,667 the FBI actually thinks 716 00:30:58,800 --> 00:31:00,900 that D.B. Cooper landed six, 717 00:31:01,033 --> 00:31:03,333 or seven, or eight miles east 718 00:31:03,467 --> 00:31:04,567 of the railroad tracks. 719 00:31:04,700 --> 00:31:06,333 [TRAIN HORN HONKS] 720 00:31:06,467 --> 00:31:09,300 ERIC: Today, we're gonna be doing half of the meadow, 721 00:31:09,433 --> 00:31:11,233 because there's just too much territory 722 00:31:11,367 --> 00:31:12,533 to cover in one day. 723 00:31:12,667 --> 00:31:14,300 Tomorrow, we'll deal with the other half. 724 00:31:14,433 --> 00:31:17,066 That said, the search starts right here. 725 00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:19,266 BARRY: There's gonna be four of us that really have to work 726 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:21,400 as the actual line searchers. 727 00:31:21,533 --> 00:31:23,667 These guys are gonna be a little bit more independent. 728 00:31:25,967 --> 00:31:27,734 ERIC: I'll look along the edge here a bit. 729 00:31:27,867 --> 00:31:29,300 That's due north. 730 00:31:29,433 --> 00:31:31,834 ERIC: We need to work our way and go further north. 731 00:31:31,967 --> 00:31:33,400 COLIN: It's more of like a pinpoint 732 00:31:33,533 --> 00:31:34,734 -so then it'll open up-- -ERIC: Yeah. 733 00:31:34,867 --> 00:31:36,300 COLIN: --it'll make it really sensitive 734 00:31:36,433 --> 00:31:37,934 -so you pick up everything. -Your receiver, yeah. 735 00:31:38,066 --> 00:31:39,767 And then you can kind of do your crisscross... 736 00:31:39,900 --> 00:31:41,467 And if I left it on that, it would be like, woo. 737 00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:43,734 -COLIN: Exactly. -It's messed up. Okay. 738 00:31:45,033 --> 00:31:46,734 ERIC: Somebody landing in some place like this 739 00:31:46,867 --> 00:31:49,233 in the middle of this thicket, that would be pretty brutal. 740 00:31:49,367 --> 00:31:50,633 I mean, I just don't see how you land 741 00:31:50,767 --> 00:31:52,233 in something like this 742 00:31:52,367 --> 00:31:54,233 without getting injured. 743 00:31:54,367 --> 00:31:56,266 FISHBURNE: On the night D.B. Cooper jumped, 744 00:31:56,400 --> 00:31:59,233 moderate wind gust upwards of 11 miles per hour 745 00:31:59,367 --> 00:32:01,000 were reported on the ground 746 00:32:01,133 --> 00:32:03,333 with sporadic rainfall. 747 00:32:03,467 --> 00:32:06,000 When Cooper hit land, he would've experienced 748 00:32:06,133 --> 00:32:09,633 ground temperatures dropping into the 30s. 749 00:32:09,767 --> 00:32:11,000 ERIC: It's so swampy right here. 750 00:32:11,133 --> 00:32:13,333 [♪♪] 751 00:32:14,633 --> 00:32:16,567 ERIC: Is it dry over there, Jason, or... 752 00:32:16,700 --> 00:32:18,367 JASON: Yeah, if you come around the north side, 753 00:32:18,500 --> 00:32:21,100 follow the grass. 754 00:32:21,233 --> 00:32:23,834 [MACHINE WAILING] 755 00:32:23,967 --> 00:32:26,000 ALEX: Can I go forward and back a little bit? 756 00:32:28,800 --> 00:32:30,300 This could be promising. 757 00:32:30,433 --> 00:32:31,700 Found it. 758 00:32:31,834 --> 00:32:33,700 FISHBURNE: Coming up. Eric's ground team 759 00:32:33,834 --> 00:32:34,934 rose even bigger. 760 00:32:35,066 --> 00:32:37,033 ERIC: All right. Folks, we ready? 761 00:32:37,166 --> 00:32:39,200 We found what appears to be like a wire. 762 00:32:39,333 --> 00:32:41,567 It's not shiny, but it doesn't appear to be rusted. 763 00:32:41,700 --> 00:32:43,834 MARK: In the pilot chute, there's a spring. 764 00:32:43,967 --> 00:32:45,467 FISHBURNE: As Mary Jean Fryar 765 00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:47,600 prepares for a sit-down with Sheridan Peterson. 766 00:32:47,734 --> 00:32:48,800 MARY JEAN: It's been a long time 767 00:32:48,934 --> 00:32:50,000 since we've seen each other. 768 00:32:50,133 --> 00:32:52,200 SHERIDAN: Yes, it has. [LAUGHS] 769 00:32:52,333 --> 00:32:54,533 [♪♪] 770 00:33:09,266 --> 00:33:10,934 JASON: Yeah, if you come around the north side, 771 00:33:11,066 --> 00:33:12,400 follow the grass. 772 00:33:12,533 --> 00:33:14,467 FISHBURNE: Eric Ulis and his search team 773 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:16,467 are in a protected wildlife refuge 774 00:33:16,600 --> 00:33:18,367 in Southwest Washington, 775 00:33:18,500 --> 00:33:21,033 searching for evidence that D.B. Cooper 776 00:33:21,166 --> 00:33:22,800 landed here. 777 00:33:22,934 --> 00:33:25,300 Halfway through searching a large meadow area, 778 00:33:25,433 --> 00:33:27,900 they uncover something that could be connected 779 00:33:28,033 --> 00:33:29,533 with this unsolved myself. 780 00:33:29,667 --> 00:33:31,633 ALEX: I think I pinpointed where it is. 781 00:33:31,767 --> 00:33:33,633 FISHBURNE: Cooper's NB6 parachute 782 00:33:33,767 --> 00:33:35,567 had stainless steel parts. 783 00:33:35,700 --> 00:33:37,033 ALEX: Just, uh, this must've been an old... 784 00:33:37,166 --> 00:33:38,967 - So a hit on the metal detector 785 00:33:39,100 --> 00:33:41,800 is encouraging news. 786 00:33:41,934 --> 00:33:43,567 ALEX: Yeah, looks about it. 787 00:33:43,700 --> 00:33:45,166 It's either two separate objects 788 00:33:45,300 --> 00:33:48,033 or one slightly stretched out 789 00:33:48,166 --> 00:33:49,800 like the backpack I think would be. 790 00:33:49,934 --> 00:33:52,467 ERIC: All right. We got something on the ground. 791 00:33:52,600 --> 00:33:54,000 Wow. So what does that mean 792 00:33:54,133 --> 00:33:57,500 as far as, uh, the size of the piece? 793 00:33:57,633 --> 00:33:59,533 COLIN: With any metal detection, 794 00:33:59,667 --> 00:34:01,767 it's hard to get size 795 00:34:01,900 --> 00:34:03,300 until you start digging it up 796 00:34:03,433 --> 00:34:06,000 because you could have something really small 797 00:34:06,133 --> 00:34:08,000 that's really conductive right at surface 798 00:34:08,133 --> 00:34:11,133 and that's gonna give you a really solid response. 799 00:34:11,266 --> 00:34:12,967 But if you have something larger 800 00:34:13,100 --> 00:34:15,100 that-- that's at depth, it could actually give you a-- 801 00:34:15,233 --> 00:34:16,867 it'll give you a smaller response. 802 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:19,600 And so it's just how close the object is to the sensors. 803 00:34:19,734 --> 00:34:21,266 FISHBURNE: Although the metal detector 804 00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:23,467 registered a strong hit, 805 00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:26,367 the size of the object, how conductive it is 806 00:34:26,500 --> 00:34:28,233 and how close it is to the surface, 807 00:34:28,367 --> 00:34:31,834 can all influence the strength of the signal. 808 00:34:31,967 --> 00:34:33,100 ALEX: It seems really pinpointed 809 00:34:33,233 --> 00:34:36,567 at that little soft spot right there. 810 00:34:36,700 --> 00:34:38,033 I mean, that's a robust signal. 811 00:34:38,166 --> 00:34:40,133 I mean, clearly, there's something down there. 812 00:34:40,266 --> 00:34:42,300 [MACHINE WAILING] 813 00:34:43,767 --> 00:34:45,500 COLIN: Well then maybe... 814 00:34:45,633 --> 00:34:46,567 ALEX: Oh, there we are. 815 00:34:46,700 --> 00:34:49,667 -Oh, wire. -COLIN: A wire. 816 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:51,400 What kind of wire though? 817 00:34:51,533 --> 00:34:54,266 Parachute pull cord? 818 00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:57,333 ALEX: So the wire has to stay on the ground, so... 819 00:34:57,467 --> 00:34:58,533 ERIC: Let me-- let me try to see 820 00:34:58,667 --> 00:34:59,800 if I got cell service in here. 821 00:34:59,934 --> 00:35:01,834 I'll give Mark a really quick call. 822 00:35:03,066 --> 00:35:06,633 Mark Meltzer is an expert skydiver. 823 00:35:06,767 --> 00:35:08,367 He's gonna know this parachute 824 00:35:08,500 --> 00:35:09,867 inside and out. 825 00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:12,667 So, he's the perfect person to reach out to 826 00:35:12,800 --> 00:35:16,333 to see if he recognizes this piece of wire 827 00:35:16,467 --> 00:35:18,367 and if he thinks it has anything 828 00:35:18,500 --> 00:35:20,900 to do with the parachute. 829 00:35:21,033 --> 00:35:22,367 -MARK: Eric? -ERIC: Hey, Mark. 830 00:35:22,500 --> 00:35:24,066 Yeah, it's Eric. So we found what appears 831 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:27,133 to be like a wire, uh, buried, 832 00:35:27,266 --> 00:35:29,066 kind of half buried in here. 833 00:35:29,200 --> 00:35:31,166 Is there any sort of wire? 834 00:35:31,300 --> 00:35:32,967 Uh, it's a little heavier gauge wire, 835 00:35:33,100 --> 00:35:35,200 anything like that in the-- in the parachutes, 836 00:35:35,333 --> 00:35:38,033 uh, either the reserve or the, uh, the main 837 00:35:38,166 --> 00:35:39,600 that would-- that's consistent with that? 838 00:35:39,734 --> 00:35:41,300 MARK: Uh, in the pilot-- in the pilot chute, 839 00:35:41,433 --> 00:35:43,100 there's a spring, it's not stranded. 840 00:35:43,233 --> 00:35:45,300 It's solid wire, but it's springy. 841 00:35:45,433 --> 00:35:46,767 So what kind of gauge are we talking about, 842 00:35:46,900 --> 00:35:48,600 relative to, like, the size 843 00:35:48,734 --> 00:35:51,934 of a, uh, a hangar, for example? 844 00:35:52,066 --> 00:35:53,133 MARK: About the same. 845 00:35:53,266 --> 00:35:55,133 Okay. Is it okay if we take a picture 846 00:35:55,266 --> 00:35:56,333 and send the picture to you 847 00:35:56,467 --> 00:35:58,934 and just kind of get your impression? 848 00:35:59,066 --> 00:36:00,166 MARK: Yeah, that's fine. 849 00:36:00,300 --> 00:36:03,033 Okay. Hold on a second here, Mark. 850 00:36:03,166 --> 00:36:04,700 MARK: Uh, is it-- is it rusty? 851 00:36:04,834 --> 00:36:06,500 ERIC: I mean, it's not shiny, but it doesn't appear 852 00:36:06,633 --> 00:36:08,834 to be rusted to me, but... 853 00:36:09,834 --> 00:36:11,166 let me send this over to you. 854 00:36:11,300 --> 00:36:13,066 Hopefully, it lets me 855 00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:14,700 send it out to you here. 856 00:36:14,834 --> 00:36:16,233 And then you can just shoot me a callback 857 00:36:16,367 --> 00:36:17,667 as soon as you have a chance to take a look at it. 858 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:19,133 -MARK: Okay. Try that. -All right. 859 00:36:19,266 --> 00:36:21,000 -Thanks, Mark. -MARK: All right. 860 00:36:21,133 --> 00:36:22,800 ERIC: There's an old road in here, too, 861 00:36:22,934 --> 00:36:25,400 about a hundred yards in. 862 00:36:25,533 --> 00:36:27,700 -MAN: Hmm. -ERIC: Had a gate on it even. 863 00:36:27,834 --> 00:36:31,500 Let's see what kind of metal they used on the fencing here. 864 00:36:31,633 --> 00:36:33,667 But that's what it looks like actually right there. 865 00:36:33,800 --> 00:36:34,934 ERIC: Yeah. 866 00:36:35,066 --> 00:36:36,433 BARRY: That's what it looks like. 867 00:36:36,567 --> 00:36:37,900 Yeah, as you can see down there-- down there, 868 00:36:38,033 --> 00:36:39,900 that's how they secure the post together 869 00:36:40,033 --> 00:36:42,033 -and make them stand up. -ERIC: Yeah. 870 00:36:42,166 --> 00:36:43,533 BARRY: It looked just like that. 871 00:36:43,667 --> 00:36:47,467 It looked just like that, exactly like that. 872 00:36:47,600 --> 00:36:50,000 ALEX: At least we have an idea of what it is now, so-- 873 00:36:50,133 --> 00:36:52,700 Yeah, that appears to be the case. 874 00:36:52,834 --> 00:36:55,700 I was hoping that we would have found something 875 00:36:55,834 --> 00:36:58,166 a little bit more concrete at this point. 876 00:36:58,300 --> 00:37:00,467 We've only got more day left 877 00:37:00,600 --> 00:37:02,066 to search the refuge, 878 00:37:02,200 --> 00:37:04,734 then it's onto searching the private property. 879 00:37:04,867 --> 00:37:07,767 [♪♪] 880 00:37:07,900 --> 00:37:10,400 FISHBURNE: While Eric and the team call it a day, 881 00:37:10,533 --> 00:37:12,800 retired FBI agent, Mary Jean Fryar, 882 00:37:12,934 --> 00:37:14,934 is in Santa Rosa. 883 00:37:15,066 --> 00:37:17,233 She's spoken with Sheridan Peterson. 884 00:37:17,367 --> 00:37:19,033 Eric's key person of interest. 885 00:37:19,166 --> 00:37:21,600 And now, she said she has even more reason 886 00:37:21,734 --> 00:37:25,467 to believe he could be D.B. Cooper. 887 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:27,767 In September, I received 888 00:37:27,900 --> 00:37:29,967 communication from Sheridan Peterson, 889 00:37:30,100 --> 00:37:31,633 which was very strange. 890 00:37:31,767 --> 00:37:33,867 I've never had another person I've ever interviewed 891 00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:35,800 in my 21.4 years 892 00:37:35,934 --> 00:37:37,567 ever contact me again. 893 00:37:37,700 --> 00:37:39,600 And he sent me two messages 894 00:37:39,734 --> 00:37:42,000 about things that were upsetting him 895 00:37:42,133 --> 00:37:45,567 and signed them both D.B. 896 00:37:45,700 --> 00:37:49,233 I think Sheridan loves the simulation, 897 00:37:49,367 --> 00:37:51,767 the engagement, the thrill of him 898 00:37:51,900 --> 00:37:54,300 being a suspect as D.B. Cooper. 899 00:37:54,433 --> 00:37:56,300 ASHLEY: Do you think that he could be D.B. Cooper? 900 00:37:56,433 --> 00:37:58,633 Yeah, I do. 901 00:37:58,767 --> 00:38:00,333 FISHBURNE: To prepare for her meeting, 902 00:38:00,467 --> 00:38:02,834 Mary Jean watches an interview Sheridan did 903 00:38:02,967 --> 00:38:06,166 for a 2016 documentary. 904 00:38:06,300 --> 00:38:08,667 In it, Sheridan acknowledges he sky jumped 905 00:38:08,800 --> 00:38:10,500 at Issaquah Skyport, 906 00:38:10,633 --> 00:38:12,834 the place that supplied the parachutes D.B. Cooper 907 00:38:12,967 --> 00:38:17,467 requested during flight 305 skyjacking. 908 00:38:17,600 --> 00:38:19,467 SHERIDAN: Oh, I was the most obvious, 909 00:38:19,600 --> 00:38:21,934 uh, suspect of anyone. 910 00:38:22,066 --> 00:38:24,800 I have jumped in Issaquah 911 00:38:24,934 --> 00:38:27,800 and I got my instructor's license there. 912 00:38:27,934 --> 00:38:33,033 And that is where the guy got the parachutes 913 00:38:33,166 --> 00:38:35,834 and I had worked for, um, Boeing. 914 00:38:35,967 --> 00:38:37,367 MARY JEAN: He's building a very good case 915 00:38:37,500 --> 00:38:38,700 against himself. 916 00:38:38,834 --> 00:38:42,567 SHERIDAN: She said, "Where were you?" 917 00:38:42,700 --> 00:38:44,400 And I said, "I was in the park." 918 00:38:44,533 --> 00:38:46,133 "Oh, in the park. Come on. 919 00:38:46,266 --> 00:38:48,500 You can think of a better one then." 920 00:38:48,633 --> 00:38:50,200 No, I did not say that. 921 00:38:50,333 --> 00:38:51,800 And they didn't keep track of people 922 00:38:51,934 --> 00:38:53,467 going back and forth from the country. 923 00:38:53,600 --> 00:38:54,867 If he was there, that's great. 924 00:38:55,000 --> 00:38:56,834 But, that doesn't prove that he was there. 925 00:38:56,967 --> 00:38:59,000 SHERIDAN: And then I told them, I said, 926 00:38:59,133 --> 00:39:01,200 "He had four parachutes." 927 00:39:01,333 --> 00:39:04,300 He had one parachute with a red X cross 928 00:39:04,433 --> 00:39:05,533 and that was a reserve. 929 00:39:05,667 --> 00:39:08,800 Another reserve was perfectly good. 930 00:39:08,934 --> 00:39:11,166 Which reserve do you take? 931 00:39:11,300 --> 00:39:14,066 The one that was daisy-chained. I remember that one. 932 00:39:14,200 --> 00:39:16,200 This is interesting that he's so detailed. 933 00:39:16,333 --> 00:39:18,533 MAN: Took more than taking the right parachute, 934 00:39:18,667 --> 00:39:21,200 it also meant that the person would have to know 935 00:39:21,333 --> 00:39:23,500 those stairs come down on the 727. 936 00:39:23,633 --> 00:39:25,033 SHERIDAN: I wouldn't know what's on the-- 937 00:39:25,166 --> 00:39:26,567 MAN: So that's what I-- that's what I'm saying, 938 00:39:26,700 --> 00:39:28,066 so anybody is saying that you would've been 939 00:39:28,200 --> 00:39:29,700 a great D.B. Cooper, 940 00:39:29,834 --> 00:39:31,567 not if you didn't know how to get off the airplane. 941 00:39:31,700 --> 00:39:33,400 Oh, yeah. 942 00:39:33,533 --> 00:39:34,800 That made him nervous, you know, 943 00:39:34,934 --> 00:39:35,867 with that conversation. 944 00:39:36,000 --> 00:39:37,367 Didn't know about the stairs 945 00:39:37,500 --> 00:39:40,033 and he's kind of fidgeting with his cup. 946 00:39:40,166 --> 00:39:43,367 MAN: And did you ever hear from Mary Jean again? 947 00:39:43,500 --> 00:39:46,633 She came back for some reason 948 00:39:46,767 --> 00:39:50,200 and told me that, uh, there's no match. 949 00:39:50,333 --> 00:39:51,867 Well, it's very fortunate for me. 950 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:53,567 MARY JEAN: I'm about to go see Sheridan Peterson 951 00:39:53,700 --> 00:39:55,867 for the first time since 2003 952 00:39:56,000 --> 00:39:58,033 and I'm hoping that maybe at this point, 953 00:39:58,166 --> 00:40:00,800 he's finally ready to accept 954 00:40:00,934 --> 00:40:02,867 that he's gonna tell us that he's D.B. Cooper. 955 00:40:03,000 --> 00:40:04,100 Don't take it to your death. 956 00:40:04,233 --> 00:40:05,567 Set the record straight. 957 00:40:05,700 --> 00:40:08,033 Put this to rest so that everyone can appreciate 958 00:40:08,166 --> 00:40:09,567 what you did and got away with, 959 00:40:09,700 --> 00:40:12,300 and not let anyone else take credit for it. 960 00:40:14,066 --> 00:40:16,300 [♪] 961 00:40:32,033 --> 00:40:34,367 FISHBURNE: With their permit expired at the refuge, 962 00:40:34,500 --> 00:40:37,567 Eric and his team arrive at their final search zone, 963 00:40:37,700 --> 00:40:40,900 a ravine on private property. 964 00:40:41,033 --> 00:40:42,467 It's on Lake River 965 00:40:42,600 --> 00:40:44,300 and Eric believes Cooper could have used it 966 00:40:44,433 --> 00:40:47,233 for cover as he made his way to Tena Bar 967 00:40:47,367 --> 00:40:49,934 where some ransom money was uncovered in 1980. 968 00:40:50,066 --> 00:40:51,467 -ERIC: How's it going, man? -It's going good. 969 00:40:51,600 --> 00:40:53,066 -Good to see you. -ERIC: Good to see as well. 970 00:40:53,200 --> 00:40:55,233 MAN: Yup. Yup. How you doing? 971 00:40:55,367 --> 00:40:57,867 Good morning. Uh, so my name is Eric. 972 00:40:58,000 --> 00:41:00,200 Barry, I wanna thank you very much for, um, 973 00:41:00,333 --> 00:41:02,066 getting these group of people together 974 00:41:02,200 --> 00:41:03,800 and why don't you give me an idea of who we've got here? 975 00:41:03,934 --> 00:41:05,500 Because clearly we have two different teams. 976 00:41:05,633 --> 00:41:07,800 We have, uh, as you see by the different colors of blue 977 00:41:07,934 --> 00:41:10,233 and the red, so, uh, I'm with the Southwest Washington 978 00:41:10,367 --> 00:41:11,500 Search and Rescue 979 00:41:11,633 --> 00:41:13,467 and, uh, these folks here in the red 980 00:41:13,600 --> 00:41:15,934 are with the Clark County Sheriff's Office. 981 00:41:16,066 --> 00:41:18,133 ERIC: How many of you have actually heard 982 00:41:18,266 --> 00:41:21,033 of D.B. Cooper or haven't heard of D.B. Cooper 983 00:41:21,166 --> 00:41:22,967 who are familiar with the case? 984 00:41:23,100 --> 00:41:24,667 -[INDISTINCT CHATTER] -ERIC: I know you guys are. 985 00:41:24,800 --> 00:41:25,967 It'd be more surprising if somebody 986 00:41:26,100 --> 00:41:28,133 -hadn't ever heard of that. -Yeah. 987 00:41:28,266 --> 00:41:30,467 -I'd know. -[LAUGHTER] 988 00:41:30,600 --> 00:41:32,800 I'm from the East Coast, so this is-- 989 00:41:32,934 --> 00:41:34,333 I-- I've read a little bit about it 990 00:41:34,467 --> 00:41:36,133 and thought it was interesting and being here 991 00:41:36,266 --> 00:41:37,300 with the rest of the team is, 992 00:41:37,433 --> 00:41:39,500 it's exciting and it's fun. 993 00:41:39,633 --> 00:41:41,300 So, um, you know, hopefully 994 00:41:41,433 --> 00:41:42,800 we do come across something 995 00:41:42,934 --> 00:41:44,166 and, you know, get to learn a little bit more 996 00:41:44,300 --> 00:41:46,467 about the Pacific Northwest legend. 997 00:41:46,600 --> 00:41:47,500 ERIC: There's a lot of evidence 998 00:41:47,633 --> 00:41:50,066 that suggests that D.B. Cooper 999 00:41:50,200 --> 00:41:53,033 landed somewhere in this vicinity. 1000 00:41:53,166 --> 00:41:55,433 We did some searching on the refuge side 1001 00:41:55,567 --> 00:41:57,033 of Lake River. 1002 00:41:57,166 --> 00:41:59,900 Now it's time to focus on this side of Lake River. 1003 00:42:00,100 --> 00:42:01,867 My thought is that Cooper, 1004 00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:04,333 you know, if he landed in this area here, 1005 00:42:04,467 --> 00:42:06,834 would have, you know, walked his way down 1006 00:42:06,967 --> 00:42:09,266 to the ravine looking for a path 1007 00:42:09,400 --> 00:42:10,433 out of the area, 1008 00:42:10,567 --> 00:42:13,200 a path toward he railroad tracks. 1009 00:42:13,333 --> 00:42:16,600 FISHBURNE: Today's search will cover over 12 acres. 1010 00:42:16,734 --> 00:42:18,767 So they've doubled their search team. 1011 00:42:18,900 --> 00:42:21,834 Each member is outfitted with a GPS tracker 1012 00:42:21,967 --> 00:42:24,633 and monitored from a mobile command center. 1013 00:42:24,767 --> 00:42:26,867 ERIC: All right. Folks, we ready? 1014 00:42:27,000 --> 00:42:29,367 FISHBURNE: If evidence of D.B. Cooper is here, 1015 00:42:29,500 --> 00:42:31,600 Eric's confident his team can find it. 1016 00:42:31,734 --> 00:42:33,967 [♪♪] 1017 00:42:38,000 --> 00:42:39,033 MAN: Right side good? 1018 00:42:39,166 --> 00:42:40,100 ERIC: Right good. 1019 00:42:40,233 --> 00:42:41,734 -Left side. -Left side good. 1020 00:42:41,867 --> 00:42:44,433 MAN: Okay. Moving. All right. Slow, methodical. 1021 00:42:44,567 --> 00:42:47,400 ERIC: Just follow this ravine straight down. 1022 00:42:47,533 --> 00:42:50,033 MAN: Low and slow, folks. Low and slow. 1023 00:42:50,166 --> 00:42:51,200 Make sure you clear under trees 1024 00:42:51,333 --> 00:42:52,967 and things like that. 1025 00:42:54,367 --> 00:42:56,467 Look up every once in a while. 1026 00:42:56,600 --> 00:42:58,533 WOMAN: Yeah, look behind you, too. 1027 00:42:58,667 --> 00:43:00,934 MAN: And you can break as much as you need to. 1028 00:43:01,066 --> 00:43:03,633 Okay. We got permission. 1029 00:43:03,767 --> 00:43:04,900 ERIC: Keep going. Yeah, looking good. 1030 00:43:05,033 --> 00:43:06,166 -MAN: Keep going. -ERIC: Think, 1031 00:43:06,300 --> 00:43:08,033 where would I hide a parachute? 1032 00:43:09,600 --> 00:43:10,834 One other thing to consider as I look 1033 00:43:10,967 --> 00:43:12,600 at these trees up here, 1034 00:43:12,734 --> 00:43:15,467 one of the premier suspects 1035 00:43:15,600 --> 00:43:18,500 in this case was actually a smokejumper. 1036 00:43:18,633 --> 00:43:20,834 If he happened to land in this type of environment, 1037 00:43:20,967 --> 00:43:22,300 he would have known exactly what to do 1038 00:43:22,433 --> 00:43:23,667 and how to handle the situation 1039 00:43:23,800 --> 00:43:25,533 if he had caught up in these trees, you know, 1040 00:43:25,667 --> 00:43:26,967 60, 70 feet up. 1041 00:43:27,100 --> 00:43:28,500 We know that he had a pocket knife on him 1042 00:43:28,633 --> 00:43:29,834 and how he actually used that 1043 00:43:29,967 --> 00:43:31,633 to cut some of the shroud lines. 1044 00:43:31,767 --> 00:43:33,433 So, uh, he would have figured out a way to get down. 1045 00:43:33,567 --> 00:43:37,166 It wouldn't have been an issue for him. 1046 00:43:37,300 --> 00:43:38,433 MAN: Oh, yeah, something. 1047 00:43:38,567 --> 00:43:40,166 BARRY: They got, uh, something. 1048 00:43:40,300 --> 00:43:42,367 They're digging in something over there, Eric. I'm not sure. 1049 00:43:42,500 --> 00:43:43,967 COLIN: Eric, do you wanna come over here? 1050 00:43:44,100 --> 00:43:45,467 ERIC: Yeah. Hold on. 1051 00:43:45,600 --> 00:43:47,867 WOMAN: Right. Holding. 1052 00:43:48,000 --> 00:43:49,800 Yes. That's the same area. 1053 00:43:51,467 --> 00:43:53,533 Hold this. 1054 00:43:53,667 --> 00:43:57,600 The wine bottle like the piece of aluminum. 1055 00:43:57,734 --> 00:43:59,133 Yeah, I think that's all it is. 1056 00:43:59,266 --> 00:44:00,900 ERIC: Yeah, some cork on it. Yeah, it's definitely 1057 00:44:01,033 --> 00:44:03,533 like a top of a wine cork. 1058 00:44:03,667 --> 00:44:04,900 We know the guy was drinking. 1059 00:44:05,033 --> 00:44:07,700 Um, had a bourbon on the flight, you know. 1060 00:44:07,834 --> 00:44:09,133 This is one of those things I'm just curious 1061 00:44:09,266 --> 00:44:10,900 -if he took a couple. -COLIN: Yeah. 1062 00:44:11,033 --> 00:44:12,700 Yeah. I mean you never know he's got many bottles 1063 00:44:12,834 --> 00:44:15,233 with him you don't know, so it'd be the kind items 1064 00:44:15,367 --> 00:44:18,033 to save, uh, for the heck of it, 1065 00:44:18,166 --> 00:44:19,800 but, yeah. 1066 00:44:19,934 --> 00:44:21,867 Seems unlikely that there's any significance, 1067 00:44:22,000 --> 00:44:25,800 -but, uh, an idea... -COLIN: Gives an idea of how-- 1068 00:44:25,934 --> 00:44:27,066 how sensitive this instrument is. 1069 00:44:27,200 --> 00:44:28,667 ERIC: Yeah. All right. 1070 00:44:28,800 --> 00:44:30,700 -COLIN: We'll continue. -ERIC: Let's just pocket that 1071 00:44:30,834 --> 00:44:32,266 and we'll continue, yeah. 1072 00:44:32,400 --> 00:44:34,333 COLIN: Does that look like something part of a plane? 1073 00:44:40,033 --> 00:44:42,533 Cabinet or something? 1074 00:44:42,667 --> 00:44:45,433 -Hey, Eric. -ERIC: Yeah. 1075 00:44:45,567 --> 00:44:47,667 Do you wanna come here for a second? 1076 00:44:47,800 --> 00:44:49,467 -ERIC: Yeah. -COLIN: Large metal box 1077 00:44:49,600 --> 00:44:51,934 and I assume somebody's filled it with rocks, 1078 00:44:52,066 --> 00:44:53,567 but I just wanna make sure that... 1079 00:44:53,700 --> 00:44:55,400 -you don't have any... -ERIC: I'm gonna [INDISTINCT] 1080 00:44:55,533 --> 00:44:56,600 with me. You see it anywhere. 1081 00:44:56,734 --> 00:44:57,800 COLIN: This right here. 1082 00:44:57,934 --> 00:44:59,333 Oh, yeah. Yeah. That's the kind of thing 1083 00:44:59,467 --> 00:45:01,767 that, uh-- I don't know how it ended up here, 1084 00:45:01,900 --> 00:45:03,734 but it's certainly not associated with the parachute 1085 00:45:03,867 --> 00:45:05,033 -or anything like that. -COLIN: Yeah. 1086 00:45:05,166 --> 00:45:06,333 And it's not associated with anything... 1087 00:45:06,467 --> 00:45:07,834 Nothing that I'm aware of, yeah. 1088 00:45:07,967 --> 00:45:09,934 It doesn't, uh-- it's certainly much bigger 1089 00:45:10,066 --> 00:45:11,734 than the attache case would have been. 1090 00:45:11,867 --> 00:45:13,600 It looks just-- up here, it looks to me 1091 00:45:13,734 --> 00:45:16,433 just like a, uh, you know, old metal box, so... 1092 00:45:16,567 --> 00:45:18,433 COLIN: Yeah. It's an old metal box, yeah. 1093 00:45:18,567 --> 00:45:20,066 Yeah. Okay. 1094 00:45:20,200 --> 00:45:22,667 All right. Good to check out though. 1095 00:45:26,033 --> 00:45:28,633 FISHBURNE: Although they've yet to find definitive evidence, 1096 00:45:28,767 --> 00:45:31,934 the search team has recovered a few items of interest, 1097 00:45:32,066 --> 00:45:33,533 including this small gauge wire 1098 00:45:33,667 --> 00:45:35,066 which could have been part 1099 00:45:35,200 --> 00:45:37,367 of the NB6 parachute. 1100 00:45:37,500 --> 00:45:39,300 They also found nylon rope 1101 00:45:39,433 --> 00:45:40,800 hanging from a tree 1102 00:45:40,934 --> 00:45:43,633 and aluminum that could be from beverages 1103 00:45:43,767 --> 00:45:46,066 served on Flight 305. 1104 00:45:48,433 --> 00:45:51,200 ERIC: A few, you know, falls positive, so to speak, 1105 00:45:51,333 --> 00:45:53,433 it helps keep a little fresh in your mind 1106 00:45:53,567 --> 00:45:55,600 that this is a very real case. 1107 00:45:55,734 --> 00:45:57,433 Uh, this guy really did really exist. 1108 00:45:57,567 --> 00:45:59,934 He really did jump somewhere in this area. 1109 00:46:00,133 --> 00:46:02,633 Those parachutes are somewhere in this vicinity, 1110 00:46:02,767 --> 00:46:04,834 uh, and it's just a matter of finding them. 1111 00:46:06,000 --> 00:46:07,333 FISHBURNE: Coming up. 1112 00:46:07,467 --> 00:46:09,834 A possible suspect becomes more in focus. 1113 00:46:09,967 --> 00:46:11,934 You didn't have these when I interviewed you way back. 1114 00:46:12,066 --> 00:46:14,133 When you pulled out the passports, I said, 1115 00:46:14,266 --> 00:46:15,967 "Oh, I think it might be him." 1116 00:46:16,100 --> 00:46:17,834 FISHBURNE: A break in Washington State. 1117 00:46:17,967 --> 00:46:19,834 There's some light something here. 1118 00:46:19,967 --> 00:46:21,734 ERIC: What is that? Oh, what's this? 1119 00:46:21,867 --> 00:46:23,834 This had to be on something with some serious tension. 1120 00:46:23,967 --> 00:46:25,467 SHERIDAN: It has sort of a ripstop weave. 1121 00:46:25,600 --> 00:46:26,700 I certainly can't rule it out. 1122 00:46:26,834 --> 00:46:28,967 ERIC: This could be our smoking gun. 1123 00:46:29,100 --> 00:46:31,266 FISHBURNE: And findings from an unlikely source 1124 00:46:31,400 --> 00:46:34,266 could force the FBI to reopen the case. 1125 00:46:34,400 --> 00:46:37,467 ERIC: He actually got special access to the evidence. 1126 00:46:37,600 --> 00:46:40,700 MAN: This DNA sample may infect crack the case wide open. 1127 00:46:40,834 --> 00:46:42,133 MARY JEAN: You would think this is enough 1128 00:46:42,266 --> 00:46:43,767 that if we need law enforcement, 1129 00:46:43,900 --> 00:46:46,333 they've got to take this back and reopen it. 1130 00:46:46,467 --> 00:46:48,633 [♪♪] 1131 00:47:05,533 --> 00:47:07,767 FISHBURNE: Investigator Eric Ulis is on the last day 1132 00:47:07,900 --> 00:47:10,967 of his search for evidence that could solve 1133 00:47:11,100 --> 00:47:13,467 the mystery of D.B. Cooper. 1134 00:47:13,600 --> 00:47:16,767 Eric believes the FBI got it wrong 1135 00:47:16,900 --> 00:47:19,567 and Cooper actually landed eight miles west 1136 00:47:19,700 --> 00:47:22,633 of law enforcement's original search zone. 1137 00:47:22,767 --> 00:47:25,200 If he can find any sign of Cooper, 1138 00:47:25,333 --> 00:47:27,667 it would prove he survived the jump, 1139 00:47:27,800 --> 00:47:30,133 and may be alive today. 1140 00:47:33,333 --> 00:47:35,200 WOMAN: I wonder what this area looked like 1141 00:47:35,333 --> 00:47:37,033 for 48 years ago. 1142 00:47:37,166 --> 00:47:39,400 ERIC: I think it looked just like this. 1143 00:47:39,533 --> 00:47:41,400 FISHBURNE: The ravine the team's searching 1144 00:47:41,533 --> 00:47:45,133 has remained untouched by loggers for 50 years. 1145 00:47:45,266 --> 00:47:46,867 Eric believes decades of overgrowth 1146 00:47:47,000 --> 00:47:50,033 could have helped preserve evidence. 1147 00:47:50,166 --> 00:47:52,467 There's an awful lot of vegetation, uh, 1148 00:47:52,600 --> 00:47:53,867 and this is exactly the kind of area 1149 00:47:54,000 --> 00:47:55,633 that we would expect to find something 1150 00:47:55,767 --> 00:47:58,567 if he was in this area and happened to stash up. 1151 00:47:58,700 --> 00:48:00,567 WOMAN: It wouldn't be fun to land a parachute in. 1152 00:48:00,700 --> 00:48:02,467 -ERIC: Yeah. -WOMAN: You'd get caught up. 1153 00:48:02,600 --> 00:48:04,233 ERIC: This is actually a pretty long property. 1154 00:48:04,367 --> 00:48:06,066 -Is it a long line? -MAN: Yeah, we're about 1155 00:48:06,200 --> 00:48:08,367 -a fifth of the way right now. -ERIC: Oh, wow. 1156 00:48:11,000 --> 00:48:12,033 Watch to your right, folks. 1157 00:48:12,166 --> 00:48:13,300 Don't outwalk your flanks. 1158 00:48:13,433 --> 00:48:14,700 -Hey, Joe. -JOE: Yeah. 1159 00:48:14,834 --> 00:48:16,400 ERIC: See that big tree on the other side 1160 00:48:16,533 --> 00:48:18,066 of that ravine right there? 1161 00:48:18,200 --> 00:48:20,266 -That one right there? Yeah. -ERIC: So once we get to that, 1162 00:48:20,400 --> 00:48:21,867 we wanna spread out to the right. 1163 00:48:22,000 --> 00:48:24,734 -JOE: Okay. There you go, Eric. -ERIC: All right. 1164 00:48:24,867 --> 00:48:26,000 -BARRY: All right. -ERIC: So you tug like this? 1165 00:48:26,133 --> 00:48:27,233 BARRY: There you go. Yeah. 1166 00:48:27,367 --> 00:48:28,600 And it'd catch you if you fall, yeah. 1167 00:48:28,734 --> 00:48:30,200 -MAN: Excellent. -BARRY: There you go. 1168 00:48:30,333 --> 00:48:32,667 ERIC: All right. This one's still like that. 1169 00:48:32,800 --> 00:48:33,834 -MAN: All right. -MAN: All right. 1170 00:48:33,967 --> 00:48:35,233 MAN: Good job. 1171 00:48:35,367 --> 00:48:37,233 [♪♪] 1172 00:48:37,367 --> 00:48:40,700 WOMAN: $200,000 in 1971, what would be the value 1173 00:48:40,834 --> 00:48:43,200 -of that today? -MAN: It would be 1.2 million 1174 00:48:43,333 --> 00:48:45,600 -today. So, he'd be-- -WOMAN: Wow. 1175 00:48:45,734 --> 00:48:47,467 MAN: --be a millionaire in today's dollar. 1176 00:48:47,600 --> 00:48:49,066 WOMAN: All of that for one million? 1177 00:48:49,200 --> 00:48:51,433 ERIC: The FBI's never been able to prove one way 1178 00:48:51,567 --> 00:48:54,433 or the other whether any of the ransom was spent. 1179 00:48:54,567 --> 00:48:57,700 If D.B. Cooper did actually spend his money, 1180 00:48:57,834 --> 00:49:00,200 my research indicates that there would be approximately 1181 00:49:00,333 --> 00:49:02,834 50 of those bills still out there 1182 00:49:02,967 --> 00:49:05,467 in circulation today. 1183 00:49:05,600 --> 00:49:08,333 There is a very strong chance 1184 00:49:08,467 --> 00:49:11,767 that someone out there right now has 1185 00:49:11,900 --> 00:49:15,100 one of those bills, but they just don't know it. 1186 00:49:15,233 --> 00:49:16,500 As you can see here, 1187 00:49:16,633 --> 00:49:19,767 this is not a complete $20 bill. 1188 00:49:19,900 --> 00:49:22,800 In fact, I estimate that what we're looking at is only about 1189 00:49:22,934 --> 00:49:26,667 25% of the original bill. 1190 00:49:28,200 --> 00:49:29,834 FISHBURNE: After a difficult grid search, 1191 00:49:29,967 --> 00:49:32,967 the team finally reaches the ravine. 1192 00:49:33,100 --> 00:49:34,667 BARRY: Okay, guys. You're gonna have to-- 1193 00:49:34,800 --> 00:49:36,800 a little slower. It's a little bit more brushier here 1194 00:49:36,934 --> 00:49:38,800 for both sides, so... 1195 00:49:38,934 --> 00:49:41,033 FISHBURNE: From here, Eric believes 1196 00:49:41,166 --> 00:49:44,133 Cooper could hear trains running on the BNSF 1197 00:49:44,266 --> 00:49:48,500 Railway tracks, tracks leading to Tena Bar. 1198 00:49:48,633 --> 00:49:52,033 ERIC: Oh, look at right here right in front of you. 1199 00:49:52,166 --> 00:49:55,567 WOMAN: There's some white something here. 1200 00:49:55,700 --> 00:49:56,633 I don't know. 1201 00:49:56,767 --> 00:49:59,433 [♪♪] 1202 00:50:02,567 --> 00:50:04,567 MAN: The material is interesting. 1203 00:50:04,700 --> 00:50:06,767 ERIC: We have a parachute expert. 1204 00:50:06,900 --> 00:50:09,600 Um, I'm gonna, well, ask him about it. 1205 00:50:09,734 --> 00:50:11,567 -MAN: Where'd you find it? -ERIC: Uh, just right under 1206 00:50:11,700 --> 00:50:13,433 the log here. 1207 00:50:13,567 --> 00:50:17,467 [♪♪] 1208 00:50:19,767 --> 00:50:21,166 MAN: It looks like a mixed material, 1209 00:50:21,300 --> 00:50:22,633 some of which could be on a parachute's... 1210 00:50:22,767 --> 00:50:24,133 ERIC: I'll ask the expert and, uh-- 1211 00:50:24,266 --> 00:50:25,633 -MAN: Yeah. -ERIC: --he'll be able to tell 1212 00:50:25,767 --> 00:50:27,433 -us definitively. -MAN: Something with tension. 1213 00:50:27,567 --> 00:50:29,633 This had to be on something with some serious tension. 1214 00:50:29,767 --> 00:50:32,367 - The team sets up a GPS locator on the spot 1215 00:50:32,500 --> 00:50:34,767 where the cloth fragment was found 1216 00:50:34,900 --> 00:50:38,633 to provide coordinates they can plot on a map. 1217 00:50:38,767 --> 00:50:41,333 ERIC: The situation we find ourselves in right now 1218 00:50:41,467 --> 00:50:44,166 is rare, unique in a very limited time. 1219 00:50:44,300 --> 00:50:47,433 So, we just cannot afford to pass up on situations like this. 1220 00:50:47,567 --> 00:50:48,967 We have to thoroughly vet this. 1221 00:50:49,100 --> 00:50:51,500 We have to figure out what we're working with here 1222 00:50:51,633 --> 00:50:53,200 because this may be it. 1223 00:50:53,333 --> 00:50:55,967 This may be the one final golden opportunity 1224 00:50:56,100 --> 00:50:57,834 to figure out once and for all 1225 00:50:57,967 --> 00:50:59,667 what happened to D.B. Cooper. 1226 00:50:59,800 --> 00:51:01,467 We'll get it checked out. We'll see what the-- 1227 00:51:01,600 --> 00:51:04,000 -BARRY: Yup. -ERIC: --expert says. 1228 00:51:04,133 --> 00:51:05,800 MAN: Yeah. We'll see. 1229 00:51:05,934 --> 00:51:08,200 FISHBURNE: Could this fabric be part of D.B. Cooper's 1230 00:51:08,333 --> 00:51:09,700 missing parachutes? 1231 00:51:09,834 --> 00:51:11,800 [♪♪] 1232 00:51:11,934 --> 00:51:14,567 ERIC: It appears to be nylon and canvas, 1233 00:51:14,700 --> 00:51:15,900 which looked very durable. 1234 00:51:16,033 --> 00:51:18,233 It resembled a piece of a parachute. 1235 00:51:18,367 --> 00:51:21,400 It certainly looked like it could be, but I'm not sure. 1236 00:51:21,533 --> 00:51:23,200 So, now that we've got the piece in hand, 1237 00:51:23,333 --> 00:51:24,567 we've marked where we found it, 1238 00:51:24,700 --> 00:51:26,433 we'll present it to our parachute expert, 1239 00:51:26,567 --> 00:51:28,700 Mark Meltzer, and he'll be able to tell us 1240 00:51:28,834 --> 00:51:31,000 definitively whether or not this is a piece of a parachute 1241 00:51:31,133 --> 00:51:31,867 or not. 1242 00:51:32,000 --> 00:51:34,066 [♪♪] 1243 00:51:34,200 --> 00:51:36,567 FISHBURNE: To learn more about the fabric he found, 1244 00:51:36,700 --> 00:51:40,333 Eric heads to LA to meet with Mark Meltzer. 1245 00:51:40,467 --> 00:51:41,900 ERIC: Not only is he very knowledgeable 1246 00:51:42,033 --> 00:51:44,533 about the Cooper case, he's also got something like 1247 00:51:44,667 --> 00:51:46,934 1,500, 2,000 parachute jumps. 1248 00:51:47,066 --> 00:51:48,767 It gives us the opportunity to give him 1249 00:51:48,900 --> 00:51:51,000 that piece of evidence that we found 1250 00:51:51,133 --> 00:51:53,266 during the search, see if he thinks 1251 00:51:53,400 --> 00:51:55,467 that could possibly come from a parachute, 1252 00:51:55,600 --> 00:51:57,700 either the main parachute or the reserve parachute 1253 00:51:57,834 --> 00:51:59,233 or something else. 1254 00:51:59,367 --> 00:52:03,900 And he actually personally knows Sheridan Peterson. 1255 00:52:04,033 --> 00:52:06,467 I wanted to start out talking to you a little bit 1256 00:52:06,600 --> 00:52:09,200 about D.B. Cooper's skill level 1257 00:52:09,333 --> 00:52:11,033 with respect to parachutes given everything 1258 00:52:11,166 --> 00:52:13,567 you know about this case specifically in skydiving 1259 00:52:13,700 --> 00:52:15,133 -in particular. -What indicates to me 1260 00:52:15,266 --> 00:52:18,000 that he probably had some experience 1261 00:52:18,133 --> 00:52:19,200 with military parachute gear 1262 00:52:19,333 --> 00:52:22,333 is the type of main parachute rigs 1263 00:52:22,467 --> 00:52:25,734 that were brought to him were either Navy NB6 1264 00:52:25,867 --> 00:52:29,600 or NB8 containers and harnesses and parachute 1265 00:52:29,734 --> 00:52:31,333 instructions were brought to the plane, 1266 00:52:31,467 --> 00:52:32,967 printed instructions on how to use the gear. 1267 00:52:33,100 --> 00:52:34,734 He didn't need them. And Tina Mucklow, 1268 00:52:34,867 --> 00:52:37,800 the stewardess that spent the most time with Cooper, 1269 00:52:37,934 --> 00:52:40,633 noted Cooper taking out a packing card out 1270 00:52:40,767 --> 00:52:41,967 of one of the parachute rigs. 1271 00:52:42,100 --> 00:52:45,333 And to me, that's a huge clue that Cooper 1272 00:52:45,467 --> 00:52:47,233 was most likely a skydiver. 1273 00:52:47,367 --> 00:52:49,567 I mean, skydivers know what a packing card is. 1274 00:52:49,700 --> 00:52:52,233 Nobody else does. Very well concealed. 1275 00:52:52,367 --> 00:52:55,367 So, if Cooper actually found the packing card 1276 00:52:55,500 --> 00:52:58,300 and knew how to put on an NB8 or NB6, 1277 00:52:58,433 --> 00:53:01,834 -that's very telling. -ERIC: We did find something 1278 00:53:01,967 --> 00:53:05,166 that may or may not be related to a parachute. 1279 00:53:05,300 --> 00:53:07,867 -MARK: I'd like to see it. -ERIC: I'll take it out. 1280 00:53:08,000 --> 00:53:09,300 Get this open here. 1281 00:53:09,433 --> 00:53:13,367 [♪♪] 1282 00:53:20,667 --> 00:53:23,767 MARK: Well, it's interesting and it has sort of a ripstop 1283 00:53:23,900 --> 00:53:26,300 weave in the-- in the fabric material here, 1284 00:53:26,433 --> 00:53:28,000 the porous fabric material. 1285 00:53:28,133 --> 00:53:29,967 It has nylon webbing. 1286 00:53:30,100 --> 00:53:32,033 And I see nothing in the materials 1287 00:53:32,166 --> 00:53:35,667 that's inconsistent with the late '60s, early '70s. 1288 00:53:35,800 --> 00:53:36,867 [♪♪] 1289 00:53:37,000 --> 00:53:38,133 FISHBURNE: Coming up. 1290 00:53:38,266 --> 00:53:39,967 ERIC: Could you describe the nature 1291 00:53:40,100 --> 00:53:43,633 of your relationship during that seven years with Sheridan? 1292 00:53:43,767 --> 00:53:46,667 The relationship was bumpy. 1293 00:53:46,800 --> 00:53:49,133 When you sent me the message, 1294 00:53:49,266 --> 00:53:50,667 you signed it D.B. 1295 00:53:52,266 --> 00:53:55,300 FISHBURNE: And later, Eric collects a DNA sample. 1296 00:53:55,433 --> 00:53:57,200 MAN: Hopefully we can apply some new technology 1297 00:53:57,333 --> 00:53:58,834 to the Cooper case here and... 1298 00:53:58,967 --> 00:54:01,333 FISHBURNE: To test at a high-tech forensics lab. 1299 00:54:01,467 --> 00:54:05,033 ERIC: This is really the only opportunity 1300 00:54:05,166 --> 00:54:07,367 that we have to try to establish 1301 00:54:07,500 --> 00:54:10,233 a DNA profile for D.B. Cooper. 1302 00:54:10,367 --> 00:54:14,300 [♪♪] 1303 00:54:30,266 --> 00:54:33,066 FISHBURNE: Investigator Eric Ulis is in Los Angeles 1304 00:54:33,200 --> 00:54:35,967 meeting with parachute expert, Mark Meltzer. 1305 00:54:36,100 --> 00:54:37,834 He hopes Mark can shed light 1306 00:54:37,967 --> 00:54:40,800 on a piece of possible evidence. 1307 00:54:40,934 --> 00:54:42,800 ERIC: Looking for the missing parachute, 1308 00:54:42,934 --> 00:54:47,300 we did find something that may or may not be related 1309 00:54:47,433 --> 00:54:48,834 to a parachute. 1310 00:54:48,967 --> 00:54:52,900 [♪♪] 1311 00:54:59,834 --> 00:55:01,800 MARK: Well, it's interesting and that it has sort 1312 00:55:01,934 --> 00:55:04,200 of a ripstop, uh, weave in the-- 1313 00:55:04,333 --> 00:55:07,200 in the fabric material here, the porous fabric material. 1314 00:55:07,333 --> 00:55:09,033 It has nylon webbing. 1315 00:55:09,166 --> 00:55:11,300 FISHBURNE: A ripstop weave is commonly found 1316 00:55:11,433 --> 00:55:14,266 in fabrics made to resist tearing. 1317 00:55:14,400 --> 00:55:17,367 Yarns are interwoven at regular intervals 1318 00:55:17,500 --> 00:55:19,700 in a crosshatch pattern. 1319 00:55:19,834 --> 00:55:22,700 MARK: I see nothing in the materials that's inconsistent 1320 00:55:22,834 --> 00:55:25,066 with the late '60s, early'70s. 1321 00:55:25,200 --> 00:55:27,500 But it's not the right color for a military parachute gear. 1322 00:55:27,633 --> 00:55:30,867 This is a turquoise blue and it apparently has leather 1323 00:55:31,000 --> 00:55:34,133 over-sewn on the perimeter of the, uh, thing. 1324 00:55:34,266 --> 00:55:37,400 And there is no leather on the-- on the type of gear that Cooper 1325 00:55:37,533 --> 00:55:39,233 jumped with. It does have components 1326 00:55:39,367 --> 00:55:40,433 in common with a parachute gear. 1327 00:55:40,567 --> 00:55:41,800 There's nylon webbing. 1328 00:55:41,934 --> 00:55:44,233 It has some sort of ripstop weave fabric. 1329 00:55:44,367 --> 00:55:45,934 But I can say with a hundred percent certainty 1330 00:55:46,066 --> 00:55:48,533 that this was not from D.B. Cooper's parachute gear. 1331 00:55:48,667 --> 00:55:49,934 So you've pretty much established 1332 00:55:50,066 --> 00:55:52,600 that it's absolutely not related 1333 00:55:52,734 --> 00:55:55,066 to the parachute that he jumped with. 1334 00:55:55,200 --> 00:55:56,934 What's the possibility that there's some sort of 1335 00:55:57,066 --> 00:55:59,533 relation to the dummy reserve parachute? 1336 00:55:59,667 --> 00:56:01,333 Yeah. That's an interesting question, Eric. 1337 00:56:01,467 --> 00:56:04,400 I've seen some crude things done to those trainee reserves 1338 00:56:04,533 --> 00:56:07,266 that the only thing you want to do is have it be able 1339 00:56:07,400 --> 00:56:09,467 to be deployed and packed up really quickly. 1340 00:56:09,600 --> 00:56:10,934 So, they cut panels out. 1341 00:56:11,066 --> 00:56:13,166 They sometimes cut some of the suspension lines off. 1342 00:56:13,300 --> 00:56:15,133 It doesn't have to be done to FAA specs. 1343 00:56:15,266 --> 00:56:18,166 And so, I can't definitively say this wasn't part 1344 00:56:18,300 --> 00:56:19,467 of a trainee reserve. 1345 00:56:19,600 --> 00:56:20,700 I think it's unlikely. 1346 00:56:20,834 --> 00:56:22,767 But I certainly can't rule it out. 1347 00:56:22,900 --> 00:56:24,166 ERIC: This is very exciting for me 1348 00:56:24,300 --> 00:56:25,800 because there's a possibility 1349 00:56:25,934 --> 00:56:28,433 that this piece could be part 1350 00:56:28,567 --> 00:56:31,500 of the modification that was made 1351 00:56:31,633 --> 00:56:33,300 to the dummy reserve parachute. 1352 00:56:33,433 --> 00:56:35,967 You personally know Sheridan Peterson. 1353 00:56:36,100 --> 00:56:38,800 What are your overall impressions of Peterson 1354 00:56:38,934 --> 00:56:43,600 as they pertain to the possibility of this guy 1355 00:56:43,734 --> 00:56:46,300 being the real D.B. Cooper? 1356 00:56:46,433 --> 00:56:51,166 Sheridan Peterson is absolutely a qualified candidate. 1357 00:56:51,300 --> 00:56:54,300 There is no aspect to that jump that he wasn't a master of. 1358 00:56:54,433 --> 00:56:57,633 He knew how to jump into the wilderness and egress. 1359 00:56:57,767 --> 00:56:59,266 Do I think he's D.B. Cooper? 1360 00:56:59,400 --> 00:57:00,667 I just don't know. 1361 00:57:00,800 --> 00:57:03,934 [♪♪] 1362 00:57:05,700 --> 00:57:07,066 FISHBURNE: To further his investigation, 1363 00:57:07,200 --> 00:57:10,700 Eric Ulis next visits Claire Peterson, 1364 00:57:10,834 --> 00:57:13,033 Sheridan Peterson's first wife. 1365 00:57:13,166 --> 00:57:15,200 He hopes she may have some insight into whether 1366 00:57:15,333 --> 00:57:17,900 Sheridan could've pulled off the skyjacking. 1367 00:57:18,033 --> 00:57:21,367 She also has details about Sheridan's second wife, 1368 00:57:21,500 --> 00:57:24,834 the key person who could corroborate his alibi. 1369 00:57:24,967 --> 00:57:27,066 ERIC: Sheridan has three children, 1370 00:57:27,200 --> 00:57:29,066 all grown, with Claire. 1371 00:57:29,200 --> 00:57:30,900 They were married in the '50s 1372 00:57:31,033 --> 00:57:33,867 and divorced in 1962 1373 00:57:34,000 --> 00:57:37,934 which is right before Sheridan moved up to Seattle 1374 00:57:38,066 --> 00:57:39,500 and got the job at Boeing. 1375 00:57:39,633 --> 00:57:42,400 Actually Sheridan started working at Boeing 1376 00:57:42,533 --> 00:57:44,133 in May of 1962. 1377 00:57:44,266 --> 00:57:47,900 So, they went their separate ways right before that. 1378 00:57:48,033 --> 00:57:50,867 So, this is gonna be fascinating to speak with Claire 1379 00:57:51,000 --> 00:57:53,200 about her time with Sheridan. 1380 00:57:53,333 --> 00:57:56,000 Claire Peterson was interviewed 1381 00:57:56,133 --> 00:57:59,166 by the FBI in 1974 1382 00:57:59,300 --> 00:58:01,900 about Sheridan and about this case. 1383 00:58:02,033 --> 00:58:05,300 And at that time, Sheridan was living in Asia. 1384 00:58:05,433 --> 00:58:10,400 So, she knew as of 1974 that Sheridan was a suspect 1385 00:58:10,533 --> 00:58:12,967 in the D.B. Cooper skyjacking. 1386 00:58:13,100 --> 00:58:16,166 - Sheridan was 45 at the time of the skyjacking. 1387 00:58:16,300 --> 00:58:18,433 And Eric believes his appearance is similar 1388 00:58:18,567 --> 00:58:21,633 to the original sketch of D.B. Cooper. 1389 00:58:21,767 --> 00:58:24,100 Sheridan lived in Seattle prior to the skyjacking 1390 00:58:24,233 --> 00:58:26,834 and was photographed in a suit and tie 1391 00:58:26,967 --> 00:58:29,734 while posing as a skydiver. 1392 00:58:29,867 --> 00:58:31,066 As a Boeing employee, 1393 00:58:31,200 --> 00:58:32,934 it's also likely that Sheridan knew 1394 00:58:33,066 --> 00:58:35,600 the inner workings of the Boeing 727. 1395 00:58:35,734 --> 00:58:38,867 And finally, Eric does not believe that Sheridan's alibi 1396 00:58:39,000 --> 00:58:42,100 can be corroborated for the time of the skyjacking. 1397 00:58:42,233 --> 00:58:46,166 [♪♪] 1398 00:58:56,900 --> 00:58:58,400 -ERIC: Hi, Claire. -CLAIRE: Hi. 1399 00:58:58,533 --> 00:59:00,166 -ERIC: Hi. Eric Ulis. -CLAIRE: You must be Eric. 1400 00:59:00,300 --> 00:59:02,500 -ERIC: I am Eric. How are you? -CLAIRE: Fine. Thank you. 1401 00:59:02,633 --> 00:59:04,867 ERIC: Good to meet you. 1402 00:59:05,000 --> 00:59:08,000 FISHBURNE: Claire agreed to help Eric obtain a DNA profile 1403 00:59:08,133 --> 00:59:09,867 from one of their children. 1404 00:59:10,000 --> 00:59:13,166 It will be compared to the DNA from D.B. Cooper's tie 1405 00:59:13,300 --> 00:59:15,367 left aboard flight 305. 1406 00:59:15,500 --> 00:59:18,166 If it's a match, Eric could finally have the answer 1407 00:59:18,300 --> 00:59:21,033 to the mystery of D.B. Cooper's identity. 1408 00:59:22,667 --> 00:59:24,500 ERIC: First of all, Claire, thank you very much 1409 00:59:24,633 --> 00:59:27,533 for taking the time to sit down with me 1410 00:59:27,667 --> 00:59:30,300 and talk a little bit about your life 1411 00:59:30,433 --> 00:59:32,133 and your life with Sheridan. 1412 00:59:32,266 --> 00:59:36,533 Could you describe just the nature of your relationship 1413 00:59:36,667 --> 00:59:40,633 during that seven years with Sheridan? 1414 00:59:40,767 --> 00:59:43,667 The relationship was bumpy. 1415 00:59:43,800 --> 00:59:46,533 He did have tirades of anger. 1416 00:59:46,667 --> 00:59:48,633 I don't think he could control it. 1417 00:59:48,767 --> 00:59:51,367 So, I knew there was a time that I was gonna have to say 1418 00:59:51,500 --> 00:59:52,967 goodbye to him. 1419 00:59:53,100 --> 00:59:56,300 And that's the way it went, 1420 00:59:56,433 --> 01:00:00,066 something had to be done 'cause I didn't wanna get hurt. 1421 01:00:00,200 --> 01:00:03,333 ERIC: In terms of being clever and deceptive 1422 01:00:03,467 --> 01:00:07,133 when there's something that he wanted or what have you, 1423 01:00:07,266 --> 01:00:10,133 did you detect any of that in him, 1424 01:00:10,266 --> 01:00:12,166 the ability to be deceptive? 1425 01:00:12,300 --> 01:00:15,433 I think he was deceptive, yes, 1426 01:00:15,567 --> 01:00:18,667 in a way that would work for him. 1427 01:00:18,800 --> 01:00:21,133 FISHBURNE: As Eric speaks with Claire Peterson, 1428 01:00:21,266 --> 01:00:24,300 former FBI Agent Mary Jean Fryar is in route 1429 01:00:24,433 --> 01:00:26,700 to visit Sheridan Peterson. 1430 01:00:26,834 --> 01:00:30,467 In 2003, she interviewed him as a person of interest 1431 01:00:30,600 --> 01:00:33,166 and collected a DNA sample. 1432 01:00:33,300 --> 01:00:36,166 This is the first time they've met since then. 1433 01:00:36,300 --> 01:00:40,533 [♪♪] 1434 01:00:40,667 --> 01:00:42,467 MARY JEAN: I was glad you reached out to me 1435 01:00:42,600 --> 01:00:44,033 and, uh, on Twitter. 1436 01:00:44,166 --> 01:00:46,867 When you sent me that message that you wish 1437 01:00:47,000 --> 01:00:49,667 I was still in the FBI because you had things 1438 01:00:49,800 --> 01:00:51,900 that were happening to your computer. 1439 01:00:52,033 --> 01:00:53,233 -Yeah. -MARY JEAN: Do you remember 1440 01:00:53,367 --> 01:00:55,734 that in September? 1441 01:00:55,867 --> 01:00:57,467 -With your book, with your book. -SHERIDAN: Oh, yeah. 1442 01:00:57,600 --> 01:01:01,200 MARY JEAN: Yeah. You signed it D.B. 1443 01:01:01,333 --> 01:01:03,133 [LAUGHS] Well, because I thought 1444 01:01:03,266 --> 01:01:04,500 I'd amuse you. 1445 01:01:04,633 --> 01:01:05,934 Yeah. You did amuse me. 1446 01:01:06,066 --> 01:01:08,667 Twice you sent-- you signed D.B. 1447 01:01:08,800 --> 01:01:11,433 [LAUGHS] Yeah. 1448 01:01:11,567 --> 01:01:15,367 I was so surprised to find you. 1449 01:01:15,500 --> 01:01:17,100 MARY JEAN: It's been a long time since we've 1450 01:01:17,233 --> 01:01:19,133 -seen each other. -SHERIDAN: Yes, it has, 1451 01:01:19,266 --> 01:01:20,934 that was 20 years ago, huh? 1452 01:01:21,066 --> 01:01:25,900 -MARY JEAN: Long time ago. -Uh, heisting of aircraft 1453 01:01:26,033 --> 01:01:27,500 and that wasn't me. 1454 01:01:27,633 --> 01:01:30,533 [CHUCKLES] There were easier ways 1455 01:01:30,667 --> 01:01:32,934 to get 200,000 I would say, 1456 01:01:33,066 --> 01:01:35,200 I'm surprised that you guys are still interested. 1457 01:01:35,333 --> 01:01:36,633 MARY JEAN: They never caught the guy. 1458 01:01:36,767 --> 01:01:38,100 Sheridan: Uh-huh. They didn't? [CHUCKLES] 1459 01:01:38,233 --> 01:01:40,200 MARY JEAN: The FBI gave up on it and closed it. 1460 01:01:40,333 --> 01:01:42,000 -Oh, did they? -MARY JEAN: The fact that 1461 01:01:42,133 --> 01:01:44,734 people think that you could be D.B. Cooper makes sense. 1462 01:01:44,867 --> 01:01:47,834 D.B. Cooper was a-- was a gangster. 1463 01:01:47,967 --> 01:01:50,066 He was a thief. 1464 01:01:50,200 --> 01:01:52,533 -He stole $200,000 and he... -MARY JEAN: Yeah. He did. 1465 01:01:52,667 --> 01:01:55,700 And he also-- he wanted to blow up a plane. 1466 01:01:55,834 --> 01:01:57,800 He would've killed a lot of people. 1467 01:01:57,934 --> 01:01:59,700 MARY JEAN: Do you think the bombs were real? 1468 01:01:59,834 --> 01:02:02,734 Oh, they weren't real. No. 1469 01:02:02,867 --> 01:02:04,467 MARY JEAN: How do you know that? 1470 01:02:04,600 --> 01:02:06,967 FISHBURNE: Coming up. Eric turns to science for answers 1471 01:02:07,100 --> 01:02:08,500 surrounding Cooper's identity. 1472 01:02:08,633 --> 01:02:10,433 ERIC: We are working with Special Agent Curtis Ang. 1473 01:02:10,567 --> 01:02:12,600 He allowed us then to have access to the tie. 1474 01:02:12,734 --> 01:02:16,100 FISHBURNE: And later an alibi is brought into question. 1475 01:02:16,233 --> 01:02:19,133 MARY JEAN: Now, after August of '71 then where did you go? 1476 01:02:19,266 --> 01:02:20,934 SHERIDAN: I don't want them to know anything. 1477 01:02:21,066 --> 01:02:24,200 [♪♪] 1478 01:02:36,667 --> 01:02:39,166 FISHBURNE: Retired FBI Investigator Mary Jean Fryar 1479 01:02:39,300 --> 01:02:41,800 is meeting with Sheridan Peterson. 1480 01:02:41,934 --> 01:02:45,300 A man she interviewed in 2003 as a person of interest 1481 01:02:45,433 --> 01:02:46,800 in the D.B. Cooper case. 1482 01:02:46,934 --> 01:02:48,600 MARY JEAN: Do you think the bombs were real? 1483 01:02:48,734 --> 01:02:50,900 Oh, they weren't real. No. 1484 01:02:51,033 --> 01:02:54,633 The FBI [CHUCKLES] found proofs that they-- 1485 01:02:54,767 --> 01:02:56,633 -the bombs weren't real. -MARY JEAN: They did? 1486 01:02:56,767 --> 01:02:58,834 I don't think-- I don't-- didn't hear that. 1487 01:02:58,967 --> 01:03:01,033 SHERIDAN: Oh, yeah. They've-- they-- 1488 01:03:01,166 --> 01:03:05,166 once he had jumped, uh, he left the stuff behind. 1489 01:03:05,300 --> 01:03:08,200 MARY JEAN: He only left the tie behind. 1490 01:03:08,333 --> 01:03:10,367 FISHBURNE: The only items recovered from the hijacked 1491 01:03:10,500 --> 01:03:14,166 plane were a long skinny black clip-on tie. 1492 01:03:14,300 --> 01:03:17,700 A gold tie clip and eight cigarette butts. 1493 01:03:17,834 --> 01:03:20,767 It's believed Cooper jumped with everything else 1494 01:03:20,900 --> 01:03:22,734 including the handwritten note exchanged 1495 01:03:22,867 --> 01:03:25,767 between he and the flight attendants. 1496 01:03:25,900 --> 01:03:27,233 Why would he do it? 1497 01:03:27,367 --> 01:03:31,200 I feel that-- my personal opinion that he, uh, 1498 01:03:31,333 --> 01:03:33,967 ended up in the Columbia river. 1499 01:03:34,100 --> 01:03:36,433 That money all rotted and everything 1500 01:03:36,567 --> 01:03:38,066 was in the sand along 1501 01:03:38,200 --> 01:03:41,433 the bank up north of The Dalles. 1502 01:03:41,567 --> 01:03:44,567 MARY JEAN: Actually, I think the money was buried not lost. 1503 01:03:44,700 --> 01:03:46,800 Buried? 1504 01:03:46,934 --> 01:03:49,533 MARY JEAN: Because it was like in a stack in the sand, 1505 01:03:49,667 --> 01:03:52,767 not like just drifted there. 1506 01:03:52,900 --> 01:03:55,633 If he jumped and then just, uh, 1507 01:03:55,767 --> 01:03:58,000 and entirely he was wearing, 1508 01:03:58,133 --> 01:03:59,700 he was crazy. 1509 01:03:59,834 --> 01:04:01,400 And I'm not crazy. 1510 01:04:01,533 --> 01:04:03,800 That took a lot of guts to do what he did. 1511 01:04:03,934 --> 01:04:05,934 Oh, yeah. I think so. 1512 01:04:06,066 --> 01:04:08,300 Uh, uh, yeah. [LAUGHS] 1513 01:04:08,433 --> 01:04:10,000 [♪♪] 1514 01:04:10,133 --> 01:04:11,934 MARY JEAN: You know, your life story is fascinating. 1515 01:04:12,066 --> 01:04:15,533 Can we start after your first wife Claire? 1516 01:04:15,667 --> 01:04:19,133 Yeah. So, right after my first wife, 1517 01:04:19,266 --> 01:04:21,967 I took a sabbatical in the Philippines. 1518 01:04:22,100 --> 01:04:24,433 I was just an English teacher 1519 01:04:24,567 --> 01:04:29,200 and I met Zeny she lived in a very poor area. 1520 01:04:29,333 --> 01:04:33,934 She wasn't, um, uh, well-educated. 1521 01:04:34,066 --> 01:04:37,200 But I married Zeny and we had two children. 1522 01:04:37,333 --> 01:04:41,367 And then I went to Vietnam, with the express purpose 1523 01:04:41,500 --> 01:04:44,834 of writing a documentary on the Vietnam War. 1524 01:04:44,967 --> 01:04:47,033 You know, I needed a passport. 1525 01:04:47,166 --> 01:04:49,166 Oh, I have those passports. 1526 01:04:49,300 --> 01:04:51,166 -MARY JEAN: Oh, you do? -ASHLEY: Can we see them? 1527 01:04:51,300 --> 01:04:53,900 SHERIDAN: Yeah. 1528 01:04:54,033 --> 01:04:56,000 MARY JEAN: This is the-- all your travel everywhere? 1529 01:04:56,133 --> 01:04:57,467 -ASHLEY: Wow. -SHERIDAN: Well, I'm not-- 1530 01:04:57,600 --> 01:04:59,500 I'm not sure it's all of them, but... 1531 01:04:59,633 --> 01:05:01,900 MARY JEAN: You keep everything. I love that. 1532 01:05:02,033 --> 01:05:04,967 So, here's Kathmandu in August of '71. 1533 01:05:05,100 --> 01:05:06,967 -ASHLEY: Yup. -MARY JEAN: Now after 1534 01:05:07,100 --> 01:05:10,734 August of '71, then where did you go? 1535 01:05:10,867 --> 01:05:13,967 SHERIDAN: Oh, I went back to Vietnam. [LAUGHS] 1536 01:05:14,100 --> 01:05:16,600 Yeah. I remember that, we went-- 1537 01:05:16,734 --> 01:05:20,367 I went back and I left the family in, 1538 01:05:20,500 --> 01:05:23,166 uh, Malaysia in Penang. 1539 01:05:23,300 --> 01:05:26,000 MARY JEAN: Your wife died in 1977? 1540 01:05:28,700 --> 01:05:30,166 SHERIDAN: Well, yeah. 1541 01:05:30,300 --> 01:05:33,533 I don't want them to know where I am. 1542 01:05:33,667 --> 01:05:35,834 I don't want them to know anything. 1543 01:05:37,834 --> 01:05:38,734 FISHBURNE: Back in Idaho, 1544 01:05:38,867 --> 01:05:40,400 Eric Ulis continues his meeting 1545 01:05:40,533 --> 01:05:42,800 with Sheridan's first wife, Claire. 1546 01:05:42,934 --> 01:05:45,567 - He was not money crazy. 1547 01:05:45,700 --> 01:05:48,166 But he did not wanna work but, you know, 1548 01:05:48,300 --> 01:05:49,667 he wanted to have a living 1549 01:05:49,800 --> 01:05:52,900 and I knew he wanted to go to Asia. 1550 01:05:53,033 --> 01:05:56,734 And it looked like he was doing what he wanted to do. 1551 01:05:56,867 --> 01:06:00,233 So, you were made aware at some point that he, like, 1552 01:06:00,367 --> 01:06:01,867 headed to Asia? 1553 01:06:02,000 --> 01:06:03,633 I did know that he left 1554 01:06:03,767 --> 01:06:05,233 and he went overseas. 1555 01:06:05,367 --> 01:06:07,867 And was there any contact with him 1556 01:06:08,000 --> 01:06:09,900 -while he was over there? -Um, 1557 01:06:10,934 --> 01:06:13,166 probably a couple of letters. 1558 01:06:13,300 --> 01:06:16,600 And then-- but for years and years, no contact. 1559 01:06:16,734 --> 01:06:18,433 One thing that was intriguing 1560 01:06:18,567 --> 01:06:20,400 that we talked about... 1561 01:06:20,533 --> 01:06:24,600 related to, uh, his second wife. 1562 01:06:24,734 --> 01:06:26,800 And you're talking about a wife 1563 01:06:26,934 --> 01:06:29,767 that he led me to believe was alive. 1564 01:06:29,900 --> 01:06:32,467 What did he say to you in 2007 1565 01:06:32,600 --> 01:06:35,166 that made you think she was still alive? 1566 01:06:35,300 --> 01:06:39,100 I met his, uh, daughter, their daughter, 1567 01:06:39,233 --> 01:06:41,633 and she wanted to see her mother and she wanted to see her, 1568 01:06:41,767 --> 01:06:44,767 that her mother got over here to the United States 1569 01:06:44,900 --> 01:06:47,100 -from the Philippines. -What year was this? 1570 01:06:47,233 --> 01:06:49,767 -CLAIRE: Oh, this was, 2007. -So, you talked-- 1571 01:06:49,900 --> 01:06:51,066 you had a conversation with Sheridan about this-- 1572 01:06:51,200 --> 01:06:52,266 -I did. ---right here at your house, 1573 01:06:52,400 --> 01:06:53,867 -where we are right now? -I did. Yes. 1574 01:06:54,000 --> 01:06:55,767 -What did Sheridan say about... -Well, I asked him. 1575 01:06:55,900 --> 01:06:57,133 Why don't you send for her? 1576 01:06:57,266 --> 01:06:59,533 Why don't you see that she can get here? 1577 01:06:59,667 --> 01:07:01,834 And he laughed and what he said was, 1578 01:07:01,967 --> 01:07:05,834 "Oh, she wants to bring her entire family over with her." 1579 01:07:05,967 --> 01:07:07,667 Clearly, you're under the distinct impression 1580 01:07:07,800 --> 01:07:10,533 that his second wife, at least as of 2007 1581 01:07:10,667 --> 01:07:12,700 is alive and well and is living in the Philippines, 1582 01:07:12,834 --> 01:07:14,467 -is that correct? -Exactly. 1583 01:07:14,600 --> 01:07:17,100 According to Sheridan, his second wife 1584 01:07:17,233 --> 01:07:18,900 had passed away 1585 01:07:19,033 --> 01:07:22,300 in 1977. 1586 01:07:22,433 --> 01:07:25,333 Well, he's lying about something. 1587 01:07:25,467 --> 01:07:27,166 If he is... 1588 01:07:27,300 --> 01:07:29,333 possibly Dan Cooper, 1589 01:07:29,467 --> 01:07:31,400 uh, she would know. 1590 01:07:32,700 --> 01:07:35,200 Well, that's where I started to really think 1591 01:07:35,333 --> 01:07:37,834 perhaps that was he... 1592 01:07:39,467 --> 01:07:40,767 who did it. 1593 01:07:40,900 --> 01:07:43,800 He had the knowledge and probably-- 1594 01:07:45,300 --> 01:07:49,200 he probably had the courage to do something like that. 1595 01:07:51,133 --> 01:07:53,467 MARY JEAN: Look, I read Eric's work 1596 01:07:53,600 --> 01:07:54,734 and I have to ask you. 1597 01:07:54,867 --> 01:07:56,633 I want to know how you knew 1598 01:07:56,767 --> 01:07:58,667 the reserve parachute was daisy-chained. 1599 01:07:58,800 --> 01:08:01,400 I daisy-chained it. 1600 01:08:01,533 --> 01:08:02,734 ASHLEY: You daisy-chained it? 1601 01:08:02,867 --> 01:08:04,100 Yeah, I daisy-chained it. 1602 01:08:04,233 --> 01:08:07,533 We use it there, at Issaquah, for years. 1603 01:08:08,867 --> 01:08:10,300 FISHBURNE: Sheridan Peterson worked at the 1604 01:08:10,433 --> 01:08:14,100 Issaquah Skydive Center in the early 1960s. 1605 01:08:14,233 --> 01:08:16,567 The same place that would later provide parachutes 1606 01:08:16,700 --> 01:08:19,600 used by Cooper in his escape. 1607 01:08:19,734 --> 01:08:21,433 I daisy-chained it so... 1608 01:08:21,567 --> 01:08:24,266 they throw it down and out, see, 1609 01:08:24,400 --> 01:08:27,667 the reserve, I put the red x on it. 1610 01:08:27,800 --> 01:08:29,734 ASHLEY: You hadn't been to Issaquah in five years. 1611 01:08:29,867 --> 01:08:30,867 How did you know that... 1612 01:08:31,000 --> 01:08:32,433 that's the same reserve you made? 1613 01:08:32,567 --> 01:08:34,400 Well, I was sure it was. 1614 01:08:34,533 --> 01:08:36,233 Why would they change it? 1615 01:08:36,367 --> 01:08:38,233 Who gave it to him? 1616 01:08:38,367 --> 01:08:39,533 ASHLEY: Linn Emrich. 1617 01:08:39,667 --> 01:08:42,133 SHERIDAN: Well, that's why Linn Emrich 1618 01:08:42,266 --> 01:08:43,767 figured it was me. 1619 01:08:43,900 --> 01:08:46,700 - Linn Emrich worked at Issaquah Skyport 1620 01:08:46,834 --> 01:08:48,734 at the same time of the hijacking. 1621 01:08:48,867 --> 01:08:51,233 But, uh, the others don't-- 1622 01:08:51,367 --> 01:08:54,700 no longer think that I'm, uh, 1623 01:08:54,834 --> 01:08:56,333 D.B. Cooper. 1624 01:08:56,467 --> 01:08:59,033 And you still had DNA out there. 1625 01:08:59,166 --> 01:09:00,633 Yeah. You still have my DNA. 1626 01:09:00,767 --> 01:09:02,100 There-- it's still there. Yeah. 1627 01:09:02,233 --> 01:09:05,000 And I've never heard what-- that it was cleared. 1628 01:09:05,133 --> 01:09:06,633 Well, I thought you said that... 1629 01:09:06,767 --> 01:09:08,767 MARY JEAN: No, because I never found out. 1630 01:09:08,900 --> 01:09:11,500 But you-- you can find out yourself. 1631 01:09:11,633 --> 01:09:13,133 I can send you the form. 1632 01:09:13,266 --> 01:09:15,800 You just make the request and they'll tell you. 1633 01:09:15,934 --> 01:09:18,000 -Well... -There was a little part of me 1634 01:09:18,133 --> 01:09:19,600 that was hoping you were gonna confess 1635 01:09:19,734 --> 01:09:21,333 to being D.B. Cooper today. 1636 01:09:21,467 --> 01:09:23,467 -A little part of you? -MARY JEAN: Yeah. 1637 01:09:23,600 --> 01:09:27,467 Oh. She really is this FBI. 1638 01:09:27,600 --> 01:09:29,834 -Yeah. -MARY JEAN: I just hope that... 1639 01:09:29,967 --> 01:09:31,800 whoever it is 1640 01:09:31,934 --> 01:09:33,800 takes some credit for it 1641 01:09:33,934 --> 01:09:36,467 before they die, if they're still alive 1642 01:09:36,600 --> 01:09:39,967 because it's quite the accomplishment 1643 01:09:40,100 --> 01:09:41,867 and so many people have claimed it 1644 01:09:42,000 --> 01:09:44,633 or tried to steal it from this person saying, 1645 01:09:44,767 --> 01:09:46,633 "Oh, I was D.B. Cooper." Or in their deathbed, 1646 01:09:46,767 --> 01:09:48,500 or family members who will come out. 1647 01:09:48,633 --> 01:09:51,066 But it'll be nice if the person 1648 01:09:51,200 --> 01:09:54,033 doesn't let it go himself. 1649 01:09:56,800 --> 01:09:59,467 All right. Listen, I have to say goodbye. 1650 01:09:59,600 --> 01:10:01,600 -SHERIDAN: Yeah. Yeah. -MARY JEAN: Hey. 1651 01:10:01,734 --> 01:10:02,734 All right. You take care of yourself. 1652 01:10:02,867 --> 01:10:03,967 SHERIDAN: Yeah. 1653 01:10:04,100 --> 01:10:05,467 MARY JEAN: I will send you that form. 1654 01:10:05,600 --> 01:10:07,133 -SHERIDAN: All right. -All right? Is it... 1655 01:10:07,266 --> 01:10:08,600 -SHERIDAN: Uh, I will. -Then we can put this to rest. 1656 01:10:08,734 --> 01:10:09,667 -I'll go back... -MARY JEAN: Unless you wanna 1657 01:10:09,800 --> 01:10:11,033 -confess to me. -Huh? 1658 01:10:11,166 --> 01:10:12,433 MARY JEAN: Unless you wanna confess to me. 1659 01:10:12,567 --> 01:10:13,667 Oh, I got to get on my knees. [LAUGHS] 1660 01:10:13,800 --> 01:10:14,800 MARY JEAN: Yeah. [LAUGHS] 1661 01:10:14,934 --> 01:10:16,367 -Quality, sister. -You take-- 1662 01:10:16,500 --> 01:10:18,033 you take care of yourself. 1663 01:10:18,166 --> 01:10:19,667 SHERIDAN: I'm gonna remember this forever. 1664 01:10:19,800 --> 01:10:21,000 MARY JEAN: Oh, well, good. I will, too. 1665 01:10:21,133 --> 01:10:22,767 FISHBURNE: Coming up. 1666 01:10:22,900 --> 01:10:26,033 ERIC: A scientist Tom Kaye and a couple of his associates 1667 01:10:26,166 --> 01:10:29,100 were actually granted special access 1668 01:10:29,233 --> 01:10:30,633 to the evidence by the FBI. 1669 01:10:30,767 --> 01:10:33,667 It only makes sense to see if Tom Kaye 1670 01:10:33,800 --> 01:10:36,967 happened to extract some of D.B. Cooper's DNA. 1671 01:10:37,100 --> 01:10:38,900 MARY JEAN: And I asked him, "I thought you were gonna do 1672 01:10:39,033 --> 01:10:41,934 the paperwork and follow through with the DNA filing?" 1673 01:10:42,066 --> 01:10:43,066 And then that was it. 1674 01:10:43,200 --> 01:10:45,533 The conversation ended. 1675 01:11:05,400 --> 01:11:06,934 FISHBURNE: Twelve years after he began 1676 01:11:07,066 --> 01:11:09,800 his obsessive search into D.B. Cooper, 1677 01:11:09,934 --> 01:11:11,567 Eric Ulis is in Arizona 1678 01:11:11,700 --> 01:11:13,734 meeting with one of the only researchers ever 1679 01:11:13,867 --> 01:11:16,100 to be given access to Cooper evidence 1680 01:11:16,233 --> 01:11:18,767 by the FBI. 1681 01:11:18,900 --> 01:11:20,600 Eric hopes that he will finally learn 1682 01:11:20,734 --> 01:11:23,567 that the man he believes could be D.B. Cooper... 1683 01:11:23,700 --> 01:11:25,367 really is. 1684 01:11:26,700 --> 01:11:28,266 ERIC: Tom Kaye is a rockstar 1685 01:11:28,400 --> 01:11:29,500 in the D.B. Cooper world 1686 01:11:29,633 --> 01:11:31,266 and the reason the guy is a rockstar 1687 01:11:31,400 --> 01:11:35,133 is because he actually got special access 1688 01:11:35,266 --> 01:11:38,767 to the evidence in 2008 as well as 2011. 1689 01:11:38,900 --> 01:11:41,600 Knowing this, it only makes sense to see 1690 01:11:41,734 --> 01:11:44,767 if Tom Kaye happened to extract 1691 01:11:44,900 --> 01:11:49,033 some of D.B. Cooper's DNA while testing the tie. 1692 01:11:53,166 --> 01:11:54,600 -TOM: Eric, glad you made it. -ERIC: Hey, Tom. 1693 01:11:54,734 --> 01:11:55,867 -How you doing, man? -Good to see you. 1694 01:11:56,000 --> 01:11:57,400 Good to see you. Come on in. 1695 01:11:57,533 --> 01:12:00,967 Back in 2008, I was approached by a Cooper group 1696 01:12:01,100 --> 01:12:03,567 that was looking for somebody to analyze the money 1697 01:12:03,700 --> 01:12:05,066 that was found on Tena Bar 1698 01:12:05,200 --> 01:12:07,433 and have been buried there for a long time. 1699 01:12:07,567 --> 01:12:11,033 Then we went back to the FBI in 2011 and by that time, 1700 01:12:11,166 --> 01:12:13,767 we were working with Special Agent Curtis Ang 1701 01:12:13,900 --> 01:12:16,000 and he allowed us then to have access to the tie 1702 01:12:16,133 --> 01:12:19,400 specifically so we could do a series of tests 1703 01:12:19,533 --> 01:12:21,967 and we also vacuumed the tie for particles. 1704 01:12:22,100 --> 01:12:23,667 What we found that was really amazing 1705 01:12:23,800 --> 01:12:27,100 is we found metallic titanium on the tie. 1706 01:12:27,233 --> 01:12:30,233 - Titanium is used to manufacture aircrafts 1707 01:12:30,367 --> 01:12:33,266 and is found at plane manufacturing plants 1708 01:12:33,400 --> 01:12:34,934 like the Boeing Facility 1709 01:12:35,066 --> 01:12:39,467 where Sheridan worked from 1962 to 1964. 1710 01:12:39,600 --> 01:12:41,500 There were very few applications 1711 01:12:41,633 --> 01:12:45,100 for commercially pure titanium back in 1971. 1712 01:12:45,233 --> 01:12:47,700 And I know that some of my research has actually shown 1713 01:12:47,834 --> 01:12:51,500 that indeed the 727 itself specifically the engine 1714 01:12:51,633 --> 01:12:53,133 has commercially pure titanium. 1715 01:12:53,266 --> 01:12:55,734 At that time, titanium wasn't very common. 1716 01:12:55,867 --> 01:12:57,934 It was used primarily in aerospace 1717 01:12:58,066 --> 01:12:59,367 and also in the chemical industry. 1718 01:12:59,500 --> 01:13:02,533 So it goes a long ways towards narrowing down 1719 01:13:02,667 --> 01:13:04,567 criteria for D.B. Cooper. 1720 01:13:04,700 --> 01:13:06,233 TOM: Now, we knew how vitally important 1721 01:13:06,367 --> 01:13:07,667 the particles were on the tie 1722 01:13:07,800 --> 01:13:09,567 and we knew what we were looking for 1723 01:13:09,700 --> 01:13:11,667 is we hooked up a vacuum 1724 01:13:11,800 --> 01:13:13,200 to a filter like this. 1725 01:13:13,333 --> 01:13:16,233 This is a sterile filter inside of a sterile jar. 1726 01:13:16,367 --> 01:13:19,266 We had a small nozzle coming out at the end here 1727 01:13:19,400 --> 01:13:21,867 and then we hook a vacuum to the back end of this 1728 01:13:22,000 --> 01:13:25,667 and we vacuum the tie including the knot of the tie. 1729 01:13:25,800 --> 01:13:29,200 The tie knot seems like the most logical place to look. 1730 01:13:29,333 --> 01:13:31,166 The place that would've been touched the most 1731 01:13:31,300 --> 01:13:32,500 by D.B. Cooper. 1732 01:13:32,633 --> 01:13:35,266 This filter that remains unopened to this day 1733 01:13:35,400 --> 01:13:38,100 has particles from D.B. Cooper's tie in it 1734 01:13:38,233 --> 01:13:41,767 but most importantly it also has Cooper's DNA in it. 1735 01:13:41,900 --> 01:13:44,333 The thing is there's only one shot with the DNA here. 1736 01:13:44,467 --> 01:13:45,900 I will never see that again. 1737 01:13:46,033 --> 01:13:48,500 It is destroyed in the process of getting the DNA. 1738 01:13:48,633 --> 01:13:50,333 I think that the lab that's been... 1739 01:13:50,467 --> 01:13:52,500 appropriated for this job is a good one 1740 01:13:52,633 --> 01:13:53,900 and they'll do a good job. 1741 01:13:54,033 --> 01:13:55,700 The extent of the job that they can do 1742 01:13:55,834 --> 01:13:58,200 nobody knows yet, not even the lab. 1743 01:13:58,333 --> 01:14:01,233 Tom, I wanna thank you for entrusting us 1744 01:14:01,367 --> 01:14:05,734 with this very valuable D.B. Cooper evidence. 1745 01:14:05,867 --> 01:14:08,100 We're gonna take it, send it right off to the lab, 1746 01:14:08,233 --> 01:14:10,066 see what they can find out and I'll get back to you 1747 01:14:10,200 --> 01:14:11,567 with the results as soon as I have something. 1748 01:14:11,700 --> 01:14:13,100 -TOM: Absolutely. -All right. All right, Tom. 1749 01:14:13,233 --> 01:14:14,233 -TOM: Let's go get him. -Thanks. All right. 1750 01:14:14,367 --> 01:14:15,767 [TOM LAUGHS] 1751 01:14:15,900 --> 01:14:17,266 FISHBURNE: While Eric waits to send 1752 01:14:17,400 --> 01:14:19,934 the Envac tie sample to a Florida lab 1753 01:14:20,066 --> 01:14:22,700 specializing in older forensics cases. 1754 01:14:22,834 --> 01:14:24,767 Former FBI Agent Mary Jean Fryar 1755 01:14:24,900 --> 01:14:26,834 receives an unexpected call 1756 01:14:26,967 --> 01:14:28,834 from Sheridan. 1757 01:14:28,967 --> 01:14:30,467 MARY JEAN: When I met with Sheridan Peterson, 1758 01:14:30,600 --> 01:14:33,800 I thought it was intriguing and kind of confusing. 1759 01:14:33,934 --> 01:14:37,233 They evidently found the guy that made the heist. 1760 01:14:37,367 --> 01:14:38,800 MARY JEAN: No. They never caught the guy. 1761 01:14:38,934 --> 01:14:40,300 Uh-huh. They didn't? 1762 01:14:40,433 --> 01:14:41,967 MARY JEAN: The FBI gave up on it and closed it. 1763 01:14:42,100 --> 01:14:43,767 -Oh, did they? -During the interview 1764 01:14:43,900 --> 01:14:45,266 I thought it wasn't him. 1765 01:14:45,400 --> 01:14:48,800 And then when he pulled out the passports, I said, 1766 01:14:48,934 --> 01:14:50,800 "Oh. I think it be might him ." 1767 01:14:50,934 --> 01:14:54,433 So here's Kathmandu in August of '71. 1768 01:14:54,567 --> 01:14:55,834 MARY JEAN: Now, you didn't have these 1769 01:14:55,967 --> 01:14:58,266 when I interviewed you way back when. 1770 01:14:58,400 --> 01:15:01,133 There are two faded stamps for Nepal, for Kathmandu 1771 01:15:01,266 --> 01:15:04,333 one ended late in 1971 1772 01:15:04,467 --> 01:15:06,000 before the hijacking 1773 01:15:06,133 --> 01:15:09,600 and then the other one started in April of 1972. 1774 01:15:09,734 --> 01:15:11,567 By the time the interview was over 1775 01:15:11,700 --> 01:15:14,533 I walked out thinking "I don't know anymore. 1776 01:15:14,667 --> 01:15:16,533 I'm totally confused." 1777 01:15:16,667 --> 01:15:19,233 Probably about a month after I was up in Santa Rosa. 1778 01:15:19,367 --> 01:15:21,667 I called Sheridan and I asked him, 1779 01:15:21,800 --> 01:15:23,367 "I thought you were gonna do the paperwork 1780 01:15:23,500 --> 01:15:26,233 and follow through with the DNA filing." 1781 01:15:26,367 --> 01:15:28,767 And he said, "Oh, you told me... 1782 01:15:28,900 --> 01:15:31,200 that I wasn't D.B. Cooper 1783 01:15:31,333 --> 01:15:33,700 and, you know, I don't think I'm gonna do it." 1784 01:15:33,834 --> 01:15:34,767 And then that was it. 1785 01:15:34,900 --> 01:15:37,000 The conversation ended. 1786 01:15:37,133 --> 01:15:39,800 And I hung up thinking, "Oh, my God. 1787 01:15:39,934 --> 01:15:43,000 Now, that makes me really suspicious." 1788 01:15:43,133 --> 01:15:46,066 He just wants to keep it 'til he dies 1789 01:15:46,200 --> 01:15:48,867 which is probably how it's gonna play out. 1790 01:15:50,934 --> 01:15:52,100 FISHBURNE: Five weeks later, 1791 01:15:52,233 --> 01:15:54,800 Eric arrives back in California. 1792 01:15:54,934 --> 01:15:56,867 He setup a video conference meeting 1793 01:15:57,000 --> 01:15:58,800 with a senior analyst at the lab 1794 01:15:58,934 --> 01:16:01,066 comparing D.B. Cooper's DNA 1795 01:16:01,200 --> 01:16:03,567 to one of Sheridan's daughters. 1796 01:16:03,700 --> 01:16:05,033 If his theory is right 1797 01:16:05,166 --> 01:16:07,467 he may finally learn the true identity 1798 01:16:07,600 --> 01:16:09,100 of D.B. Cooper. 1799 01:16:09,233 --> 01:16:12,567 ERIC: When I first embarked upon this investigation 1800 01:16:12,700 --> 01:16:15,233 I had no idea where it's gonna take me. 1801 01:16:15,367 --> 01:16:18,567 I had no idea who I was going to encounter. 1802 01:16:18,700 --> 01:16:21,433 Let alone that I'd find a suspect 1803 01:16:21,567 --> 01:16:24,100 who couldn't be ruled out by the known facts. 1804 01:16:24,233 --> 01:16:27,033 According to Sheridan his second wife 1805 01:16:27,166 --> 01:16:28,834 had passed away 1806 01:16:28,967 --> 01:16:32,467 in 1977. 1807 01:16:32,600 --> 01:16:35,533 Well, he's lying about something. 1808 01:16:35,667 --> 01:16:36,967 ERIC: I've often said 1809 01:16:37,100 --> 01:16:40,900 that I believe with 98% certainty 1810 01:16:41,033 --> 01:16:44,166 that Sheridan Peterson could be D.B. Cooper. 1811 01:16:44,300 --> 01:16:47,233 But there's always been that missing two percent. 1812 01:16:47,367 --> 01:16:49,300 Because truthfully, 1813 01:16:49,433 --> 01:16:51,567 I've never been able to find the smoking gun. 1814 01:16:51,700 --> 01:16:53,700 There's an awful lot riding 1815 01:16:53,834 --> 01:16:56,066 on what the lab comes back with. 1816 01:16:56,200 --> 01:16:57,400 FISHBURNE: Coming up. 1817 01:16:57,533 --> 01:16:59,533 I was very surprised with the results. 1818 01:16:59,667 --> 01:17:01,166 ERIC: I wanna give Mary Jean a call 1819 01:17:01,300 --> 01:17:02,767 and I wanna let her know. 1820 01:17:02,900 --> 01:17:04,333 MARY JEAN: I would think this is enough 1821 01:17:04,467 --> 01:17:05,900 that we need law enforcement. 1822 01:17:06,033 --> 01:17:08,700 They've got to take this back and reopen it. 1823 01:17:26,266 --> 01:17:27,767 FISHBURNE: After years of investigating 1824 01:17:27,900 --> 01:17:29,100 the D.B. Cooper case 1825 01:17:29,233 --> 01:17:31,000 and searching for lost evidence. 1826 01:17:31,133 --> 01:17:33,767 Eric Ulis readies himself for DNA results 1827 01:17:33,900 --> 01:17:36,400 that could break the case wide open. 1828 01:17:36,533 --> 01:17:38,934 He'll be speaking to an analyst at the lab 1829 01:17:39,066 --> 01:17:40,834 tasked with testing a sample 1830 01:17:40,967 --> 01:17:42,166 taken directly from the tie 1831 01:17:42,300 --> 01:17:44,300 Cooper left behind on the plane. 1832 01:17:44,433 --> 01:17:46,934 Should DNA be found within the sample 1833 01:17:47,066 --> 01:17:50,400 the results could reopen a near 50-year-old case 1834 01:17:50,533 --> 01:17:52,400 and confirm Eric's suspicions 1835 01:17:52,533 --> 01:17:54,667 about a person of interest. 1836 01:17:54,800 --> 01:17:56,734 ERIC: How are you? 1837 01:17:56,867 --> 01:17:57,734 I'm good. How are you? 1838 01:17:57,867 --> 01:17:58,967 ERIC: I'm doing well. 1839 01:17:59,100 --> 01:18:00,800 Well, my name is Samantha Wandzek 1840 01:18:00,934 --> 01:18:03,433 and I currently work at DNA Labs International, 1841 01:18:03,567 --> 01:18:04,867 we're a private laboratory 1842 01:18:05,000 --> 01:18:06,367 out of Deerfield Beach in Florida 1843 01:18:06,500 --> 01:18:08,633 and we have clients in over 40 states. 1844 01:18:08,767 --> 01:18:11,500 So it's very easy to go back to any cold case 1845 01:18:11,633 --> 01:18:13,200 and find more work to be done. 1846 01:18:13,333 --> 01:18:14,667 So for this case, I was actually 1847 01:18:14,800 --> 01:18:15,934 the reporting analyst for it. 1848 01:18:16,066 --> 01:18:17,834 And how did you tackle this material 1849 01:18:17,967 --> 01:18:20,333 that I sent to you to try to ascertain whether or not 1850 01:18:20,467 --> 01:18:22,200 there's any DNA or not? 1851 01:18:22,333 --> 01:18:23,867 SAMANTHA: Due to the size of the filter 1852 01:18:24,000 --> 01:18:26,166 we actually cut it out in teeny-tiny chunks 1853 01:18:26,300 --> 01:18:28,667 and then sent the whole filter for extraction. 1854 01:18:28,800 --> 01:18:31,467 That's the first stage of the DNA testing process. 1855 01:18:31,600 --> 01:18:34,033 We then try to determine how much DNA, if any, 1856 01:18:34,166 --> 01:18:35,467 is present in the sample. 1857 01:18:35,600 --> 01:18:36,934 If we have enough DNA 1858 01:18:37,066 --> 01:18:39,066 we'll then send it forward for implication. 1859 01:18:39,200 --> 01:18:40,900 When you have cases that are old, 1860 01:18:41,033 --> 01:18:43,400 um, typically you'll see a sample will be degraded. 1861 01:18:43,533 --> 01:18:45,633 That DNA is just gonna break apart over time 1862 01:18:45,767 --> 01:18:48,767 and you're just not gonna have as much intact DNA. 1863 01:18:48,900 --> 01:18:51,667 But I was very surprised with the results. 1864 01:18:51,800 --> 01:18:54,100 So there was DNA 1865 01:18:54,233 --> 01:18:55,800 in the filter? 1866 01:18:55,934 --> 01:18:58,000 We did end up with a profile 1867 01:18:58,133 --> 01:19:00,266 from one male individual. 1868 01:19:00,400 --> 01:19:02,867 Is there some way to quantify like the strength? 1869 01:19:03,000 --> 01:19:04,200 I mean, is it one of these things 1870 01:19:04,333 --> 01:19:06,400 where one out of a billion people would... 1871 01:19:06,533 --> 01:19:08,500 match this particular profile, 1872 01:19:08,633 --> 01:19:10,233 like, how strong is it? 1873 01:19:10,367 --> 01:19:11,800 What can it tell us? 1874 01:19:11,934 --> 01:19:14,934 SAMANTHA: Typically, once you have over 20 locations 1875 01:19:15,066 --> 01:19:16,700 you would have to see hundreds, 1876 01:19:16,834 --> 01:19:18,734 thousands, millions in planet Earth, 1877 01:19:18,867 --> 01:19:20,533 that are staying in current population 1878 01:19:20,667 --> 01:19:22,767 to expect to see that profile one time. 1879 01:19:22,900 --> 01:19:25,066 So once you have over those 20 locations 1880 01:19:25,200 --> 01:19:26,834 it usually becomes very rare. 1881 01:19:26,967 --> 01:19:28,633 So what you're telling me 1882 01:19:28,767 --> 01:19:31,533 is that we are the very first people 1883 01:19:31,667 --> 01:19:35,433 outside of the FBI to actually have 1884 01:19:35,567 --> 01:19:38,100 D.B. Cooper's DNA profile? 1885 01:19:38,233 --> 01:19:41,233 I'm anxious to find out what that means? 1886 01:19:41,367 --> 01:19:44,900 What can it tell us in comparison to DNA profile 1887 01:19:45,033 --> 01:19:48,166 for one of Sheridan Peterson's daughters? 1888 01:19:48,300 --> 01:19:50,767 Does it match? 1889 01:19:53,200 --> 01:19:55,133 She is not the biological daughter 1890 01:19:55,266 --> 01:19:57,633 of the male donor that we found. 1891 01:19:57,767 --> 01:19:59,066 Wow. 1892 01:19:59,200 --> 01:20:00,767 That's a-- that's a-- that's stunning. 1893 01:20:00,900 --> 01:20:03,934 I mean, it's really remarkable 1894 01:20:04,066 --> 01:20:08,066 given everything I know about this guy. 1895 01:20:08,200 --> 01:20:10,333 It's a game changer obviously. 1896 01:20:10,467 --> 01:20:14,033 The one thing that's very encouraging to me though 1897 01:20:14,166 --> 01:20:17,567 is that we have a very solid 1898 01:20:17,700 --> 01:20:20,533 DNA profile from the tie. 1899 01:20:20,667 --> 01:20:23,767 Getting a DNA profile is so important 1900 01:20:23,900 --> 01:20:27,000 because it can provide assurance to me and others 1901 01:20:27,133 --> 01:20:29,934 that this case is actually solvable. 1902 01:20:30,066 --> 01:20:32,867 I do very much appreciate all the effort 1903 01:20:33,000 --> 01:20:35,200 that you folks put into this 1904 01:20:35,333 --> 01:20:37,066 and I'm just very grateful that we've got 1905 01:20:37,200 --> 01:20:39,633 a solid DNA profile and I'm grateful 1906 01:20:39,767 --> 01:20:41,033 that we have some resolution 1907 01:20:41,166 --> 01:20:42,734 with respect to Sheridan Peterson. 1908 01:20:42,867 --> 01:20:44,567 So again, thank you very much 1909 01:20:44,700 --> 01:20:46,033 for your efforts and your time. 1910 01:20:46,166 --> 01:20:47,500 Please feel free to contact me 1911 01:20:47,633 --> 01:20:49,333 with any additional questions that you have. 1912 01:20:49,467 --> 01:20:50,567 We will do that. 1913 01:20:52,700 --> 01:20:55,400 FISHBURNE: Now, armed with new information from the lab. 1914 01:20:55,533 --> 01:20:59,767 Eric calls Agent Mary Jean Fryar to share the results. 1915 01:21:01,233 --> 01:21:02,767 Right now, 1916 01:21:02,900 --> 01:21:04,333 I wanna give Mary Jean a call 1917 01:21:04,467 --> 01:21:05,967 and I wanna let her know 1918 01:21:06,100 --> 01:21:07,834 what I have learned. 1919 01:21:07,967 --> 01:21:10,600 Because Mary Jean has really helped 1920 01:21:10,734 --> 01:21:12,333 move my investigation forward 1921 01:21:12,467 --> 01:21:14,633 and I'm sure she's gonna wanna know 1922 01:21:14,767 --> 01:21:17,767 what I've learned about the DNA. 1923 01:21:17,900 --> 01:21:19,333 Hey, Mary Jean. How are you doing? 1924 01:21:19,467 --> 01:21:22,300 -It's Eric Ulis calling. -MARY JEAN: Hey, there. 1925 01:21:22,433 --> 01:21:24,900 ERIC: I've got a DNA update. 1926 01:21:25,033 --> 01:21:26,500 Finally have some results 1927 01:21:26,633 --> 01:21:28,867 from the lab in Florida. 1928 01:21:29,000 --> 01:21:30,667 They did come up 1929 01:21:30,800 --> 01:21:34,333 with a full DNA profile 1930 01:21:34,467 --> 01:21:35,934 and it's from a male. 1931 01:21:36,066 --> 01:21:37,467 MARY JEAN: I'm getting really excited. 1932 01:21:37,600 --> 01:21:39,467 My stomach is like a knot 1933 01:21:39,600 --> 01:21:42,433 because I'm hoping that it's him. 1934 01:21:42,567 --> 01:21:45,900 They proved 100% that the DNA 1935 01:21:46,033 --> 01:21:48,166 does not match. 1936 01:21:48,300 --> 01:21:50,133 MARY JEAN: Oh, damn. 1937 01:21:50,266 --> 01:21:54,800 Sheridan Peterson is not D.B. Cooper. 1938 01:21:54,934 --> 01:21:56,633 MARY JEAN: Last conversation I have with Sheridan 1939 01:21:56,767 --> 01:21:59,967 he point blank refused to go forward with the DNA-- 1940 01:22:00,166 --> 01:22:01,433 get the DNA results. 1941 01:22:01,567 --> 01:22:03,567 ERIC: I am absolutely convinced 1942 01:22:03,700 --> 01:22:05,900 that the DNA that we have 1943 01:22:06,033 --> 01:22:07,900 is D.B. Cooper's DNA. 1944 01:22:08,033 --> 01:22:10,700 So if anybody matches this DNA profile 1945 01:22:10,834 --> 01:22:12,700 all 20 points that's your guy. 1946 01:22:12,834 --> 01:22:14,367 There's absolutely no doubt about it. 1947 01:22:14,500 --> 01:22:16,100 MARY JEAN: Can we run it in databases 1948 01:22:16,233 --> 01:22:19,166 and find him or is this a lost cause at this point? 1949 01:22:19,300 --> 01:22:21,400 They actually can utilize it 1950 01:22:21,533 --> 01:22:24,367 to run through the CODIS system but of course that involves, 1951 01:22:24,500 --> 01:22:26,500 uh, you know, law enforcement getting involved, 1952 01:22:26,633 --> 01:22:28,166 then the courts getting involved. 1953 01:22:28,300 --> 01:22:30,000 MARY JEAN: Eric, I think what you've done is... 1954 01:22:30,133 --> 01:22:31,700 more than the FBI ever did. 1955 01:22:31,834 --> 01:22:33,533 And I would think this is enough 1956 01:22:33,667 --> 01:22:35,000 that if we need law enforcement 1957 01:22:35,133 --> 01:22:37,000 they've got to take this back and reopen it. 1958 01:22:37,133 --> 01:22:38,734 This is damn good evidence. 1959 01:22:38,867 --> 01:22:40,767 This is better than I've ever come up with 1960 01:22:40,900 --> 01:22:42,867 and maybe they can actually solve this case 1961 01:22:43,000 --> 01:22:44,700 -with your help. -I honestly believe 1962 01:22:44,834 --> 01:22:47,533 we will eventually figure out who this guy was. 1963 01:22:47,667 --> 01:22:50,233 -Thank you very much. -MARY JEAN: Take care. 1964 01:22:50,367 --> 01:22:53,266 FISHBURNE: After narrowing down Cooper's possible landing site 1965 01:22:53,400 --> 01:22:56,500 and eliminating an FBI person of interest. 1966 01:22:56,633 --> 01:22:58,166 Eric's even more determined 1967 01:22:58,300 --> 01:23:00,367 to continue his mission. 1968 01:23:00,500 --> 01:23:03,533 I feel very empowered at the moment. 1969 01:23:03,667 --> 01:23:06,100 I feel more motivated than ever. 1970 01:23:06,233 --> 01:23:09,133 Because having this DNA profile 1971 01:23:09,266 --> 01:23:11,567 provides an outstanding blueprint 1972 01:23:11,700 --> 01:23:14,800 as I continue to pursue this case. 1973 01:23:14,934 --> 01:23:16,734 I am now actually armed 1974 01:23:16,867 --> 01:23:19,934 with precisely what I need 1975 01:23:20,066 --> 01:23:23,066 to determine who D.B. Cooper was 1976 01:23:23,200 --> 01:23:26,066 and more importantly to prove it. 1977 01:23:26,200 --> 01:23:27,934 Time in the D.B. Cooper case 1978 01:23:28,066 --> 01:23:30,934 has served as a double edge sword. 1979 01:23:31,066 --> 01:23:32,367 In one sense you have, 1980 01:23:32,500 --> 01:23:33,934 you know, first-hand witnesses 1981 01:23:34,066 --> 01:23:36,767 that pass on and memories fade. 1982 01:23:36,900 --> 01:23:38,767 But in another sense 1983 01:23:38,900 --> 01:23:41,800 we have advances in science and technology. 1984 01:23:41,934 --> 01:23:44,300 And I think when all is said and done 1985 01:23:44,433 --> 01:23:46,734 time is going to be our friend 1986 01:23:46,867 --> 01:23:48,533 because I firmly believe 1987 01:23:48,667 --> 01:23:51,967 that this DNA profile is ultimately 1988 01:23:52,100 --> 01:23:54,934 what's gonna break this case wide open 1989 01:23:55,066 --> 01:23:58,600 and is what is going to solve this case. 1990 01:23:58,734 --> 01:23:59,967 FISHBURNE: The identity of D.B. Cooper 1991 01:24:00,166 --> 01:24:02,800 has haunted investigators for nearly five decades. 1992 01:24:02,934 --> 01:24:05,700 Who is the mysterious hijacker? 1993 01:24:05,834 --> 01:24:08,967 And will we ever finally discover his true identity? 1994 01:24:09,100 --> 01:24:11,867 I'm Laurence Fissburne, thank you for watching 1995 01:24:12,000 --> 01:24:14,333 History's Greatest Mysteries.