# Could D.B. Cooper be Howard Hughes, the aviator? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 13, 2016, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-d-b-cooper-be-howard-hughes-the-aviator/759820 "2016-07-13T16:47:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-d-b-cooper-be-howard-hughes-the-aviator/759820/41 "2022-09-14T14:05:14Z")
Here is a nice list of other things that you can believe without any shred of evidence whatsoever: > **[List of conspiracy theories](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_conspiracy_theories)** > > This is a list of conspiracy theories that are notable. Many conspiracy theories relate to supposed clandestine government plans and elaborate murder plots. Conspiracy theories usually deny consensus or cannot be proven using the historical or scientific method, and are not to be confused with research concerning verified conspiracies such as Germany's pretense for invading Poland in World War II. > In principle, conspiracy theories are not always false by default and their validity depends on... The Straight Dope is about fighting ignorance, not spreading it. If you come here with some wild theory and absolutely nothing to back it up, you’re not going to find much support here. You might as well be talking about the existence of fairies and mermaids. Maybe the FBI covered those up, too. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-d-b-cooper-be-howard-hughes-the-aviator/759820/42 "2022-09-14T14:14:08Z")
> [@Michael\_Varn](#): > > So based on these facts, it is reasonable to suggest that the truth about the D B. Cooper case has been classified by the FBI, and is not accessible through the freedom of information act. Nothing that you wrote supports your conclusion. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-d-b-cooper-be-howard-hughes-the-aviator/759820/43 "2022-09-14T14:17:37Z")
> [@Michael\_Varn](#): > > In terms of evidence, Iam sure we can both agree that the U.S. government has a very long and documented track record of coverups and the withholding of information from the general public concerning a wide range of issues. How do I know you are not part of the government conspiracy trying to find evidence and believers to repress? ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Varn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michael_varn/32/14411_2.png) [@Michael\_Varn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Varn)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-d-b-cooper-be-howard-hughes-the-aviator/759820/44 "2022-09-14T14:20:25Z")
Well, Answer this question: The grand jury voted to indict Jon Benet Ramsey’s parents for child endangerment. However, the prosecutor overruled the grand jury’s vote, and did not indict the parents. Do you know why? And as far as witholding information, we know for a fact this is true! A well known police detective, named Joe Kenda, retired from the Colorado Springs police department a few months before Jon Benet’s murder. He was asked to consult on the case. He said that there are facts about this case that no one knows about, and that have never been brought up or theorized about publicly by independent investigators. Only law enforcement officials and members of that grand jury are privied to that information. We can only speculate about this secret information! ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-d-b-cooper-be-howard-hughes-the-aviator/759820/45 "2022-09-14T14:24:39Z")
Again, wild speculation that supports absolutely nothing. I have exactly as much proof that evil fairies killed Jon Benet Ramsey as you have proof of a government conspiracy. It’s also completely off-topic for D.B. Cooper. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-d-b-cooper-be-howard-hughes-the-aviator/759820/46 "2022-09-14T15:19:51Z")
> [@Michael\_Varn](#): > > So based on these facts, it is reasonable to suggest that the truth about the D B. Cooper case has been classified by the FBI, and is not accessible through the freedom of information act. No it’s not. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-d-b-cooper-be-howard-hughes-the-aviator/759820/47 "2022-09-14T15:31:25Z")
> [@Michael\_Varn](#): > > Do you know why? Do you? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-d-b-cooper-be-howard-hughes-the-aviator/759820/48 "2022-09-14T15:32:41Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Do you? I await the explanation with bated breath. [![](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CllNqL03XBW60CNA0YiarZ3v5bA=/0x0:1439x1067/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:1439x1067):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/9733697/Charlie___Sunny.jpg) ](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CllNqL03XBW60CNA0YiarZ3v5bA=/0x0:1439x1067/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:1439x1067):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/9733697/Charlie___Sunny.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-d-b-cooper-be-howard-hughes-the-aviator/759820/49 "2022-09-14T16:54:49Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > It’s a reach, since it only mentions Cooper once and speaks not one word about his identity. Fair point. Let’s move this to MPSIMS. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-d-b-cooper-be-howard-hughes-the-aviator/759820/50 "2022-09-14T17:33:26Z")
From these facts it can be proved beyond the shadow of a doubt and with geometric logic that the FBI knows that D. B. Cooper killed Jon Benet Ramsey. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-d-b-cooper-be-howard-hughes-the-aviator/759820/51 "2022-09-14T21:30:54Z")
Elvis and Jimmy Hoffa were in on the cover up as well. (Elvis was a government agent after all.) [![](https://www.elvispresleymusic.com.au/pictures/img/elvis/70s/70/badge-bureau-narcotic-dangerous-drugs-id.jpg) ](https://www.elvispresleymusic.com.au/pictures/img/elvis/70s/70/badge-bureau-narcotic-dangerous-drugs-id.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Galactus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galactus/32/3581_2.png) [@Galactus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galactus)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-d-b-cooper-be-howard-hughes-the-aviator/759820/52 "2022-09-14T21:36:12Z")
The real identity of D.B. Cooper is criminal mastermind [Chip Skipowski](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mcap30hydUY&ab_channel=RottenTomatoesClassicTrailers) or maybe Skip Chipowski. One of those for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-d-b-cooper-be-howard-hughes-the-aviator/759820/53 "2022-09-14T21:49:52Z")
I’m not a Cooper fanatic, but it is an interesting case. There are a LOT of people interviewed here who are dead sure they know who he was - with varying degrees of evidence: > **[The Cooper Vortex | a podcast by Darren Schaefer and Russell Colbert](https://thecoopervortex.podbean.com/)** > > Who is DB Cooper? A look into America's only unsolved skyjacking and the people who are trying to solve it. Also, here’s a joke I wrote all by my lonesome… Q: What is D.B. Cooper’s least favorite season? A: Autumn - because he died in the fall. I’ll be here all week, don’t forget to tip your waitress! ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2022, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-d-b-cooper-be-howard-hughes-the-aviator/759820/54 "2022-09-15T18:36:33Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > The Straight Dope is about fighting ignorance, not spreading it. If you come here with some wild theory and absolutely nothing to back it up, you’re not going to find much support here. You might as well be talking about the existence of fairies and mermaids. Maybe the FBI covered those up, too. I just posted this in the Pit, so why not share it here, too: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/DXRslcMsGlQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Who Killed JFK Today") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXRslcMsGlQ) Yes, that is Bill Nye. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2022, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-d-b-cooper-be-howard-hughes-the-aviator/759820/55 "2022-09-15T19:13:45Z")
I thought it was Jerry Seinfeld at first glance. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2022, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-d-b-cooper-be-howard-hughes-the-aviator/759820/56 "2022-09-15T22:22:50Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Yes, that is Bill Nye. But the announcer didn’t sound like Pat Cashman, which surprises me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-d-b-cooper-be-howard-hughes-the-aviator/759820.md?page=2)