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[georger]

Bloviation Report

Ayn Dietrich-Williams commented today of Bobby's breakthrough story about Kenny and chatty feds in Virginia.

There's nothing to the story.

Here is what Ayn sent me:

Hello, Bruce—

The FBI has been completely straightforward about our reasons for closing the case and that our reviews of all previous subjects have failed to yield sufficient proof to resolve the investigation. FBI employees may have their own personal theories, but investigators leave aside any assumptions and follow facts, wherever they may lead. I’m not surprised to hear various theories about this well-known case, but those theories do not impact the fact-based investigation conducted by the personnel officially assigned to the case.

To reiterate the reason for the FBI closing the case at this time: the FBI’s Seattle Division was awaiting results of FBI Laboratory testing of items related to a person considered a possible match to the hijacker. The results came back in January 2016 and did not resolve this case. There are no additional leads to pursue, neither for that individual nor any others. In order to solve a case, the FBI must prove culpability beyond a reasonable doubt, and, unfortunately, none of the well-meaning tips reported, or applications of new investigative technology have yielded the proof needed to solve this mystery. Every time the FBI assesses additional tips from the NORJAK case, investigative resources and manpower are diverted from programs that more urgently need the attention. Although the FBI will no longer actively investigate this case, should specific physical evidence emerge—related explicitly to the parachutes or the money taken by the hijacker, individuals with that evidence are asked to contact their local FBI field office.

Ayn

Ayn Dietrich-Williams | Media Coordinator | FBI Seattle Division
206-262-2390 | You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

That's succinct!

Blevins will just mix up a new Cooper recipe and try and sell it tomorrow. Blevins Uber Alles!   

[377]

Ayn is so articulate. No matter what the message is, it is a pleasure to read what she writes.

I think the FBI acted in self defense by announcing the NORJACK case closure on the History Channel DB Cooper show. Can you imagine the flood of inquiries they might have received had this not been announced?

The FBI kept the door open, if anyone has some really solid direct physical evidence they will take a look at it, but no more tangentially relevant wholly circumstantial stuff will get their attention.

I still think the non alloyed Tie-Tanium, if Cooper's, is a hell of a clue. I also think Tom and Al deserve a ton of credit for finding it, regardless of the source. If it is Cooper's, it narrows the search by a lot.

I do agree that IF (as the TV news report says) there was a broadly distributed subsurface currency shard field, then the money was not planted at T Bar. Brian's Dad seems soooooo squirrely that you just want to attribute a conspiracy to him, but he may in fact just be a squirrelly guy whose kid innocently found some Cooper loot.

Rackstraw, but for his age, would be a viable candidate. His aviation based crimes are intriguing.  I just can't see how a guy in his late twenties could be identified as middle aged by witnesses. I am still impressed that Joseph P. Russoniello, former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, thinks Rackstraw was Cooper. Joe is an ex FBI agent and very savvy federal prosecutor. I wonder how he resolved the age discrepancy?

377

[georger]

Ayn is so articulate. No matter what the message is, it is a pleasure to read what she writes.

I think the FBI acted in self defense by announcing the NORJACK case closure on the History Channel DB Cooper show. Can you imagine the flood of inquiries they might have received had this not been announced?

The FBI kept the door open, if anyone has some really solid direct physical evidence they will take a look at it, but no more tangentially relevant wholly circumstantial stuff will get their attention.

I still think the non alloyed Tie-Tanium, if Cooper's, is a hell of a clue. I also think Tom and Al deserve a ton of credit for finding it, regardless of the source. If it is Cooper's, it narrows the search by a lot.

I do agree that IF (as the TV news report says) there was a broadly distributed subsurface currency shard field, then the money was not planted at T Bar. Brian's Dad seems soooooo squirrely that you just want to attribute a conspiracy to him, but he may in fact just be a squirrelly guy whose kid innocently found some Cooper loot.

Rackstraw, but for his age, would be a viable candidate. His aviation based crimes are intriguing.  I just can't see how a guy in his late twenties could be identified as middle aged by witnesses. I am still impressed that Joseph P. Russoniello, former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, thinks Rackstraw was Cooper. Joe is an ex FBI agent and very savvy federal prosecutor. I wonder how he resolved the age discrepancy?

377

Thousands of people saw the KATU reports in 1980  - so the nature of the money field at Tena Bar has been known for years ... no secret ... except to socalled sleuths 40+ years later! That is is own statement about Cooper reality!    In addition to that we have always had all of the FBI agents who were there and saw firsthand, which of course modern sleuths discount!    Maybe the Ingrams havent told the whole story and have always had 'evidence' they decided to "hold back" for whatever reason. We know others looked for money at Tena Bar, for a variety of reasons both before and after the Ingram find.

Jason and the Golden Fleece comes to mind. Jason probably fell victim to thieves there, too!     

The key is always getting to the facts then confirming the facts; not trying to change and deny them.

[Bruce A. Smith]

Skipp Porteous Speaks:

This was just posted at the Mountain News:

Everyone:

This record of my involvement needs to be aired out here.

I am the former private investigator from New York City, dba Sherlock Investigations. In 2007, I was hired to locate a certain Hollywood film producer for Mr. Lyle Christianson. I was under a small retainer and after the task was performed, I was later in contact with Geoff Gray of the New York Magazine. With my help he located Florence Shaffner in South Carolina. Florence was a crew member of NWO Air, Flight #305 on 11/24/71. The purpose of Ms. Shaffner’s interview was to acquire a positive ID for Lyle Christianson, who believed that his brother Kenneth might be D. B. Cooper. Ms. Shaffner did not positively ID Ken Christianson. She also told us that she didn’t even know Ken Christianson, who worked for the same carrier as Ms. Shaffner.

But this story had potential for a book and a film. So, I pursued it a bit further and decided to write a book before Geoff Gray wrote his book. I did not want to spend any money on this project, so I contacted a virtually unknown publisher near Seattle, Adventure Books, a one-man outfit run by Robert Blevins. Blevins agreed to edit and publish my book, as long as he received royalties and had his name on the bookcover as my co-author. I paid Mr. Blevins nothing for the project, but I am very sorry that I ever involved him. It was the mistake of my career.

Robert is a very weak investigator. He lacks the training, knowledge and skills to ever be an investigator. However, I used him to get my book on the market before Geoff Gray got his book out there. That was the only objective.

That was 8 years ago. Since, I’ve retired from the trade and live with my new wife on the West Coast. I have nothing further to do with the D. B. Cooper case. Into the Blast was a worthless book with sales below 300 copies. There was never a positive return on investment.

Lyle Christianson had no evidence whatsoever about his brother as D. B. Cooper. It’s a made-up story. Robert Blevins, who I have no present association with, has tried to keep this hoax going with expectations that someday he would become famous as a writer/author and crime solver. Robert and his wife Gayla, are private home cleaners. That’s the world they live in.

I cannot stand the fact that Robert Blevins is still trying to run this false scheme with the public. Kenneth Christianson was not D. B. Cooper, and that’s a fact.

In the interests of setting the record straight one last time: Ken Christianson was not D. B. Cooper; Lyle Christianson tried in vain to set up a hoax about this for financial gain and personal glory; and Robert Blevins…………….well let’s just say that he is a very insecure man with no redeeming skills or talent, but understands the art of repeated lying. I guess if I was a an old janitor who lived in small rental unit in Auburn, Washington, I would try my best to deceive the public too, in a effort to get out of my unfortunate situation.

I have moved on with a nice retirement. Unfortunately for Mr. Blevins, time is no longer on his side. He is making one last desperate attempt to be a somebody.

Thank you, Mr. Smith for letting me make my statements here. I will make no more. Keep up with the superb reporting and commentary. Mr. Blevins should take note of your great work and accomplishments.

Sincerely yours,

Skipp Porteous
Author of Into the Blast

[Shutter]

can you verify this? there is fake accounts showing up  on that thread.

[Bruce A. Smith]

I'm in the process, Shut. The email that was given during the process of posting the above commentary is a bogus email. (You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login).

I have sent a second email directly to Skipp's email address, valid as of August 2013. No word as of yet.

I will also check Skipp's Facebook account, as that has been the best way of communicating with him in Morro Bay. If this posting is indeed from Skippy, then he has made a tremendous recovery health-wise. When I last communicated with Skipp, he was physically and neurologically incapable of writing anything even remotely similar to the above.

Update: 7:02 pm. PDT.
Skipp's email didn't bounce, so it's still valid. But no answer. His Facebook page is still active, and I sent him a message. No response, as of yet.

Fb page says he now lives in Orlando, Florida, Shutt. Wanna go talk to the guy??? Wait - you're in S. Fla., right?

[brbducksfan]

Rackstraw, but for his age, would be a viable candidate. His aviation based crimes are intriguing.  I just can't see how a guy in his late twenties could be identified as middle aged by witnesses. I am still impressed that Joseph P. Russoniello, former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, thinks Rackstraw was Cooper. Joe is an ex FBI agent and very savvy federal prosecutor. I wonder how he resolved the age discrepancy?

377

Not saying I believe RWR is Cooper, but I don't think the age discrepancy is that big of a deal.   One of the top 3 eye witnesses (Mitchell) is saying it could be him....he could've said (like Tina) it's not.

If I were going to hijack a plane in 1971, I would use make-up to subtly alter my appearance.  If someone is skilled in deception, it would not be detectable.  And as I mentioned on another thread, multiple FBI agents connected to the case believed DBC wore make-up.  In RWR's case, a young white guy becoming a middle-aged 'olive skinned' guy would be a neat (but doable) trick.  Staying in 'character', I would buy my costume from some second hand store on my way up to Portland.  I think DBC's clothing is a red herring.  If your goal was to pull this incredible crime off and then go back to your normal life without anyone noticing, why would you wear the clothing that you would be seen in within your 'normal' life that could make it easier for someone who knows you to identify you?

 (side note: isn't Corvallis, where RWR is on the morning of the hijacking, one of the few NW locations that had a chemicals plant in 1971 that could produce the materials found on DBC's tie?)

[Bruce A. Smith]

Oremet is based in Albany, Oregon, I believe - not too far from Corvallis, just a couple of exits on I-5. Shhhh...don't tell Tom Colbert (!) Tom said he abandoned his titanium search as one rabbit hole too many to squiggle down. But he might be reconsidering.

Good pick, Duckie. One Big Cooper-Dooper Gold Star to you!

You might get another, because I like the idea of buying a whole new "El Cheapo" wardrobe for jacking the plane. That means the titanium could very well be from Oremet and a total Red Herring. (Shhhh... don't tell Sailshaw. He might have a stroke here.)

[Shutter]

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login is not a valid email.....

Date checked:   8/11/2016
Result:   Bad

Yes, I'm in South Florida, almost 4 hours away from Skippy...

[georger]

Skipp Porteous Speaks:

This was just posted at the Mountain News:

Everyone:

This record of my involvement needs to be aired out here.

I am the former private investigator from New York City, dba Sherlock Investigations. In 2007, I was hired to locate a certain Hollywood film producer for Mr. Lyle Christianson. I was under a small retainer and after the task was performed, I was later in contact with Geoff Gray of the New York Magazine. With my help he located Florence Shaffner in South Carolina. Florence was a crew member of NWO Air, Flight #305 on 11/24/71. The purpose of Ms. Shaffner’s interview was to acquire a positive ID for Lyle Christianson, who believed that his brother Kenneth might be D. B. Cooper. Ms. Shaffner did not positively ID Ken Christianson. She also told us that she didn’t even know Ken Christianson, who worked for the same carrier as Ms. Shaffner.

But this story had potential for a book and a film. So, I pursued it a bit further and decided to write a book before Geoff Gray wrote his book. I did not want to spend any money on this project, so I contacted a virtually unknown publisher near Seattle, Adventure Books, a one-man outfit run by Robert Blevins. Blevins agreed to edit and publish my book, as long as he received royalties and had his name on the bookcover as my co-author. I paid Mr. Blevins nothing for the project, but I am very sorry that I ever involved him. It was the mistake of my career.

Robert is a very weak investigator. He lacks the training, knowledge and skills to ever be an investigator. However, I used him to get my book on the market before Geoff Gray got his book out there. That was the only objective.

That was 8 years ago. Since, I’ve retired from the trade and live with my new wife on the West Coast. I have nothing further to do with the D. B. Cooper case. Into the Blast was a worthless book with sales below 300 copies. There was never a positive return on investment.

Lyle Christianson had no evidence whatsoever about his brother as D. B. Cooper. It’s a made-up story. Robert Blevins, who I have no present association with, has tried to keep this hoax going with expectations that someday he would become famous as a writer/author and crime solver. Robert and his wife Gayla, are private home cleaners. That’s the world they live in.

I cannot stand the fact that Robert Blevins is still trying to run this false scheme with the public. Kenneth Christianson was not D. B. Cooper, and that’s a fact.

In the interests of setting the record straight one last time: Ken Christianson was not D. B. Cooper; Lyle Christianson tried in vain to set up a hoax about this for financial gain and personal glory; and Robert Blevins…………….well let’s just say that he is a very insecure man with no redeeming skills or talent, but understands the art of repeated lying. I guess if I was a an old janitor who lived in small rental unit in Auburn, Washington, I would try my best to deceive the public too, in a effort to get out of my unfortunate situation.

I have moved on with a nice retirement. Unfortunately for Mr. Blevins, time is no longer on his side. He is making one last desperate attempt to be a somebody.

Thank you, Mr. Smith for letting me make my statements here. I will make no more. Keep up with the superb reporting and commentary. Mr. Blevins should take note of your great work and accomplishments.

Sincerely yours,

Skipp Porteous
Author of Into the Blast

This is priceless no matter who wrote it! 

Scandal and soap opera trumps research every time!        Who is schtooping whom in Coooperlandt?

[Shutter]

I think it's time to move on past "The Natural Born Story Teller" and get back to Cooper. the FBI has responded, and doesn't agree with what Robert is claiming in anyway what so ever, period! he only has two options. it was BS, or someone took his gullible ass for a ride. 

When one of the parties involved was a personal friend, and he turns it over to someone else? it kind of tells you the story right there. then using Bob Knoss tactics with not being able to verify anything is another sign of a red flag.

Stick a fork in it, this turkey's done 

[brbducksfan]

Oremet is based in Albany, Oregon, I believe - not too far from Corvallis, just a couple of exits on I-5. Shhhh...don't tell Tom Colbert (!) Tom said he abandoned his titanium search as one rabbit hole too many to squiggle down. But he might be reconsidering.

Good pick, Duckie. One Big Cooper-Dooper Gold Star to you!

You might get another, because I like the idea of buying a whole new "El Cheapo" wardrobe for jacking the plane. That means the titanium could very well be from Oremet and a total Red Herring. (Shhhh... don't tell Sailshaw. He might have a stroke here.)

Thanks Bruce!

[georger]

I think it's time to move on past "The Natural Born Story Teller" and get back to Cooper. the FBI has responded, and doesn't agree with what Robert is claiming in anyway what so ever, period! he only has two options. it was BS, or someone took his gullible ass for a ride. 

When one of the parties involved was a personal friend, and he turns it over to someone else? it kind of tells you the story right there. then using Bob Knoss tactics with not being able to verify anything is another sign of a red flag.

Stick a fork in it, this turkey's done 

Never eat roadkill! 

[nickyb233]

Rackstraw, but for his age, would be a viable candidate. His aviation based crimes are intriguing.  I just can't see how a guy in his late twenties could be identified as middle aged by witnesses. I am still impressed that Joseph P. Russoniello, former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, thinks Rackstraw was Cooper. Joe is an ex FBI agent and very savvy federal prosecutor. I wonder how he resolved the age discrepancy?

377

Not saying I believe RWR is Cooper, but I don't think the age discrepancy is that big of a deal.   One of the top 3 eye witnesses (Mitchell) is saying it could be him....he could've said (like Tina) it's not.

If I were going to hijack a plane in 1971, I would use make-up to subtly alter my appearance.  If someone is skilled in deception, it would not be detectable.  And as I mentioned on another thread, multiple FBI agents connected to the case believed DBC wore make-up.  In RWR's case, a young white guy becoming a middle-aged 'olive skinned' guy would be a neat (but doable) trick.  Staying in 'character', I would buy my costume from some second hand store on my way up to Portland.  I think DBC's clothing is a red herring.  If your goal was to pull this incredible crime off and then go back to your normal life without anyone noticing, why would you wear the clothing that you would be seen in within your 'normal' life that could make it easier for someone who knows you to identify you?

 (side note: isn't Corvallis, where RWR is on the morning of the hijacking, one of the few NW locations that had a chemicals plant in 1971 that could produce the materials found on DBC's tie?)

Great catch ducks fan! I think I might have found the second hand store where rackstraw purchased his get up. I am attempting to contact the store owner will let you guys know if anything comes of this. I agree the age thing is not a big deal for me either and there is a good chance he did wear make up as he was in full on disguise mode and I do not find mucklow to be a credible witness for many reasons.

[Shutter]

Can you guys explain how you feel Tina is not credible?