I haven't chatted with Gene Bland in several days...I don't think he would mind me giving the name of his suspect..
Dave Snider is his name..he was a USAF survival instructor from "Stead" and a skydiver..he never went into detail about him other than using the money to buy a DZ in Emporia KS..he left the USAF in 65 and was killed in a plane crash (CE-206) this crash can be found online..
Gene didn't really push him as a suspect..he said that's who he thinks did the hijacking..also from the New England area..
Well being killed prematurely, sure would settle the thought I've had about how unlikely it'd be that Cooper would fade out, and not take credit/notoriety for the caper. When dying one wants nothing more than eternity and being IDed as the folk hero would offer appeasement to the extinguishing light. Maybe not before the death but soon after by close family, I'd fully expect a reveal.
So I always figured, that if the unsub is dead already, either it was without warning, or a CIA op where they cannot disclose, and even the latter I'd expect some leak eventually.
How effing queer would it be that Cooper would die naturally and nobody ever disclosing who it was....