The legend of DB Cooper—the elusive hijacker who vanished into the night sky with $200,000 in cash in 1971—has captivated America for over five decades. Now, a pair of North Carolina siblings claim they hold the key to cracking one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in FBI history. Their evidence? A parachute they say belonged to the infamous fugitive, hidden away in their late father’s belongings.

Chanté and Rick McCoy III believe their father, Richard McCoy Jr., was DB Cooper. Their theory gained traction after aviation enthusiast and YouTuber Dan Gryder examined the parachute and declared it “literally one in a billion,” matching the specifications of the one Cooper used in his daring escape.

The McCoys kept quiet for years, fearing their mother, Karen, might face legal consequences for possessing the parachute. But after her passing in 2020, they decided to come forward with their story. Gryder, who has extensively studied aviation and parachuting, was stunned by what he saw.

“This rig matches the modified parachute used in 1971,” Gryder told reporters. “It’s a near-perfect match to the one veteran skydiver Earl Cossey prepared for Cooper’s infamous jump.”

The siblings’ claim isn’t entirely out of left field. Their father, Richard McCoy Jr., was already a name of interest among DB Cooper sleuths. Five months after Cooper’s hijacking, McCoy orchestrated a remarkably similar skyjacking in Utah. He escaped with $500,000 but was caught and imprisoned. McCoy later broke out of jail and died in a shootout with police in 1974.

The McCoys’ decision to go public prompted a renewed investigation. According to the Cowboy State Daily, the FBI seized the parachute in 2023 and conducted a search of the McCoy property for additional clues. Rick McCoy III even provided investigators with a DNA sample, though no results have been disclosed.

The FBI, which officially closed the DB Cooper case in 2016 due to a lack of leads, has remained tight-lipped about this new development. Rumors suggest the agency might consider exhuming Richard McCoy Jr.’s body to compare DNA, but no official request has been made.

For decades, the story of DB Cooper has symbolized both the audacity and mystery of a bygone era. In 1980, a boy found a bundle of Cooper’s ransom money along the Columbia River, but questions about the hijacker’s fate have lingered. Did Cooper survive his jump into the rugged wilderness between Seattle and Reno? Or did he perish in the attempt, leaving only tantalizing clues behind?

The McCoys’ revelation adds a new chapter to the saga. Whether their father was indeed the infamous fugitive remains to be seen, but their claim has reignited public fascination with the case.

DB Cooper’s story is more than just a thrilling heist—it’s a reflection of a different America, one where personal daring and calculated risks captured the imagination. For some, Cooper represents the audacity to defy the odds, while others see him as a criminal who got away with a brazen act of lawlessness.

But one thing is certain: stories like this remind us of the enduring power of American ingenuity and the never-ending pursuit of truth. Whether Cooper was Richard McCoy Jr. or someone else entirely, the hunt for answers continues, fueled by the determination of everyday citizens and a relentless drive to solve the unsolvable.