Revisiting the Cooper world after learning about the New Eric Ulis suspect. Was surprised there wasn't much chatter here about it. And it seems Eric doesn't post here much anymore(?)
What are everyone's thoughts on Vince Petersen? My takeaways are as follows:
1. He is unique in the sense that he is really the first suspect to actually be connected to any physical evidence.
2. I'd like to see a photo of him taken closer to the time of the hijacking. I've seen 2 photos --- one taken 12 years before the hijacking and one taken 20+ years after. Not sure what the deal is with that.
3. History of smoking and drinking?
4. Did he have a criminal mind? Was he the type of guy that would do something like this?
5. Eric said the former supervisor named Vince and only Vince as the guy to look into among the 8 who worked in that department. Did Eric look into the other 7 guys as well?
6. I tried to find an obituary of this guy but had no luck. Anyone else?
For those of you who were at CooperCon, what was the general reaction/response to Eric's unveiling of this new suspect?
This is what I know about Vince Petersen.
1) VP has a direct link to the TiSb alloy, which to the best of my knowledge could only be found at Rem-Cru Titanium/Crucible Steel.
2) VP extensively researched and wrote about the corrosive effects of salt on titanium, which may be an explanation for the large amount of salt found upon DBC’s tie.
3) VP was 6’ 1” tall and 52 y/o at the time of the heist, which is consistent with witness (Tina, Flo, Alice, Hal) testimony.
4) VP was the only person who traveled to Boeing with the former supervisor—this according to the former supervisor. Moreover, VP was on the Boeing production floor.
5) VP is the only person that his former supervisor pointed to as matching DBC’s description.
6) DBC’s tie was manufactured between 1962 – 1964, and likely purchased between 1963 – 1965.
7) The Rem-Cru/Crucible’s Robinson titanium research lab in the Pittsburgh area opened in 1964.
VP and his family moved to the Pittsburgh area from Midland, PA in 1964.
9) Boeing’s 727—for which there are a significant number of Rem-Cru/Crucible parts—first flew in 1963 and entered service in 1964.
10) According to his son, VP was not a smoker—at least during the 60s and 70s. Interestingly, VP would purchase cigarettes for his then-underage son.
11) VP was a light drinker of alcohol.
12) VP was described by his longtime neighbor as aloof and as a person who kept to himself.
13) VP regularly wore a tie, tie-bar, and cufflinks to work.
14) VP and his wife were not spendthrifts. VP’s son described his childhood as one whereby he felt money was tight.
15) According to his longtime neighbor, VP briefly grew a beard. I do not know when this happened, but they were neighbors from 1965 – 1987.
16) VP was an avid hiker.
17) VP’s son said that he cannot see his father having been DBC. Additionally, the son stated that he always knew his father to be an honest person.
18) VP passed away in 2002.
