10 Most Compelling Suspects In The D.B. Cooper Hijacking

One of the most recent suspects in the case was that of William J. Smith, who was put forward in 2018 as a man who had all of the necessary expertise, along with a unique financial grudge and burden. Smith was another World War II veteran who had training and expertise regarding aircraft and parachute jumps.

After his military career, William became a railroad worker before he then lost his job and all of his pension as the result of the bankruptcy of his railroad in 1970. This left Smith, like Joe Lakich, with a massive grudge as well as a sudden need for cash. One of the most interesting connections found was that one of his high school friends who died in World War II was named Ira Dan Cooper, which could explain the pseudonym used by the hijacker.

The theory regarding Smith was that he committed the offence only to use his knowledge of the railroad to parachute and land near some train tracks before stowing away on a train in order to escape undetected. Smith also bears a remarkable resemblance to the witness sketch of D.B. Cooper.