The D.B. Cooper case, regarding the 1971 hijacking of a Boeing jet from Portland to Seattle that is the only unsolved case of its kind, is no longer being actively investigated by the FBI, a spokeswoman announced Monday night.
"Following one of the longest and most exhaustive investigations in our history, on July 8, 2016, the FBI redirected resources allocated to the 'DB Cooper' case, in order to focus on other investigative priorities," spokeswoman Ayn Dietrich-Williams said.
"During the course of the 45-year NORJAK investigation, the FBI exhaustively reviewed all credible leads, coordinated between multiple field offices to conduct searches, collected all available evidence, and interviewed all identified witnesses. Over the years, the FBI has applied numerous new and innovative investigative techniques, as well as examined countless items at the FBI Laboratory. Evidence obtained during the course of the investigation will now be preserved for historical purposes at FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C.
"The mystery surrounding the hijacking of a Northwest Orient Airlines flight in November 1971 by a still-unknown individual resulted in significant international attention and a decades-long manhunt. Although the FBI appreciated the immense number of tips provided by members of the public, none to date have resulted in a definitive identification of the hijacker. The tips have conveyed plausible theories, descriptive information about individuals potentially matching the hijacker, and anecdotes—to include accounts of sudden, unexplained wealth."
The FBI indicated it would be difficult to solve the case.
"In order to solve a case, the FBI must prove culpability beyond a reasonable doubt, and, unfortunately, none of the well-meaning tips or applications of new investigative technology have yielded the necessary proof," Dietrich-Williams said. "Every time the FBI assesses additional tips for the NORJAK case, investigative resources and manpower are diverted from programs that more urgently need attention.
"Although the FBI will no longer actively investigate this case, should specific physical evidence emerge—related specifically to the parachutes or the money taken by the hijacker—individuals with those materials are asked to contact their local FBI field office."
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