Unsolved Mysteries that Boggle the Mind, Part I

Mysteries seem to fascinate the mind. Now your mind goes into overtime as it tries to rationalize a reasonable answer. Each case in this article remains unsolved to this day, although technology is slowly providing more help in solving these mysteries.

With many theories in each individual case, the outcome still remains the same: unsolved. Whether the mystery is a murder, high jacking, disappearance, or a buried treasure, each one dominates the mind with its own particular sense of intrigue.

D.B. Cooper

This name has almost become synonymous with mystery. The dark suit, the sunglasses, and the sheer nerve of jumping out of an airplane at 10,000 feet with $200,000 in tow is mysterious just in itself.

On a cold November night in1971, a man registered as Dan Cooper boarded flight 305 in Portland, Oregon. While the plane prepared for takeoff Cooper handed the flight attendant a note.

The note stated that he had a bomb on board, and the plane would be blown up unless he received $200,000. Flight 305 then flew to Seattle, where 36 passengers and several members of the crew were released. $200,000 and four parachutes were then handed over to Cooper.

The Escape

With the business now concluded, the plane was then directed to fly to Mexico. Somewhere near the border of Washington and Oregon, traveling at 10,000 feet, Cooper parachuted out of the rear stairs of the plane into immortality.

This is a simple act of sheer desperation. With no particular drop zone, and no known assistance on the ground, the projected area of D.B. Cooper's landing was a dense forest area in winter conditions. Could an experienced paratrooper who was also a wilderness survivor have lived through this ordeal?

One of the parachutes given to Cooper was intended for training, and the reserve chute was sewn shut and inoperable. Experts insist that no experienced paratrooper would attempt jumping out at 10,000 feet in total darkness with heavy rain conditions.

Cooper's estimated landing area was located approximately 30 miles north of Portland in southwest Washington. This area sits close to the edge of Lake Merwin near the town of Ariel. Most of this southern area of Washington is surrounded by a forest.

The search

An extensive search was quickly underway for a man 5-foot-10 to 6 feet tall, weighing approximately 170 to 180 pounds in his mid-40s. Cooper was reported to have had brown hair, and also brown eyes by all of the witnesses interviewed.

After the bad weather finally broke, the FBI set up a camp near the Merwin Dam and sent a team of scuba divers into the lake. Nothing was ever found. And now after 38 years D.B. cooper has simply vanished into thin air; without a trace.

Thousands of tips on Cooper's disappearance have been reported to the FBI throughout the years without any clues of his whereabouts, or his true identity. This case has inspired: numerous copycats, new airport security systems, a movie, and also several death bed confessions stating that they were all D.B. Cooper.

The latest death bed confession came in 1995 when Duane Weber told his wife Jo that he was D.B. Cooper. Many similarities definitely pointed to Duane actually being D.B. Cooper, but when DNA was taken from Coopers tie it didn't match the DNA of Mr. Weber. Any other traces of Cooper have since been destroyed by the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980.

Possible fate of D.B. Cooper

Most of the FBI agents and experts involved in the case state that Cooper was not an expert skydiver. The cloud cover on the night of Cooper's infamous jump from flight 305 was as low as 5,000 feet, and the weather conditions were considered severe at the time of his jump.

Exiting the rear doors of the plane at 10,000 feet, with 200 mph winds dressed in a trench coat and loafers in blinding rain are almost impossible odds of survival. Most experts agree that more than likely Cooper's parachute never opened.

The only evidence ever found in this case was $5.000 which was found by a young boy in 1980 scattered along the Columbia River in Vancouver Washington. The serial numbers on these tattered bills matched those which were given to Cooper. A placard regarding directions to the aft part of the plane was also found near this area.

To this day the fate of D.B. Cooper remains unknown, which puts Cooper in the history books as being the only unsolved skyjacking case the world has ever known. So keep an eye out; Cooper may be living next door to you.

Oak Island

On the south shore of Nova Scotia lies an island that has possessed the minds of many men. Oak Island is only 140 acres, but the mystery of this island has inspired numerous excavations for what some believe is the buried treasure of Captain Kidd.

Critics contend that the "money pit" is a natural phenomenon and more than likely a sinkhole. Numerous treasure recovery attempts on this island have ended in collapsed excavations and flooding.

Discovery of the pit

The first discovery of this money pit came in 1795 when Daniel McGinnis discovered a "circular impression" on the southeastern part of the island. Along with some help from his friends, McGinnis excavated this depression and discovered a layer of flagstones several feet below the surface.

Visible markings on the walls of the pit were discovered, which looked to be made by a pick. They also discovered layers of logs every 10 feet of excavation. Finally this dig was abandoned at 30 feet.

Eight years after the original excavation, the Onslow Company sailed 300 miles to recover what they believe was buried treasure. This exploration of the pit carried on until 90 feet of the pit had been excavated. It was at this dept that a large stone was discovered "bearing an inscription of symbols."

One translation of the symbols on the stone states that:"forty feet below, two million pounds lay buried." This is what soon gave this impression the name: "the money pit." Soon the pit again flooded up to 30 feet, and yet again the excavation was abandoned.

Legends of the Treasure

In 1928 Gilbert Hedden saw a newspaper article about the strange history of Oak Island. Hedden was fascinated by the engineering problems in recovering the treasure. He then collected books and ventured to England to talk with Harold Wilkins who was the author of: Captain Kidd and his Skeleton Island. Now Hedden believed he had found a link between Oak Island, and the map in Wilkins's book.

Hedden then purchased the southeastern part of the island and began digging in the summer of 1935. When a depth of 127 feet had been obtained in the pit, several artifacts including an ax, a pick, and an anchor fluke were found. The pit then flooded again and the excavation was abandoned.

Another excavation in the early 1960's ended tragically "when four men died after being overcome by fumes in the shaft." Then in 1967 the Triton Alliance was formed and purchased most of the island. When the pit was excavated to 235 feet, cameras were lowered into the pit and recorded: a chest, human remains, tools, and some wooden cribbing. None of these claims have been confirmed as the camera's images were unclear.

Oak Island is the longest and the most expensive treasure hunt in history. With over a dozen excavations and six deaths, Oak Island is still reluctant to give up its secret. One theory states that the treasure on Oak Island was buried by Captain Kidd, and that the pit was used as a bank for Kidd and also Edward Teach (Blackbeard). Although another theory states that Blackbeard buried the treasure.

Another story reports that the jewels of Marie Antoinette are also buried on the island. Supposedly the maid of Marie Antoinette contracted the French Navy to help construct the pit.

A recent theory by Erlend Loe and Peter Amundsen, states that the money pit may "have been dug by exiled Knights Templar, and that it is the last resting place of the Holy Grail."

A partnership from Michigan announced in 2006 that a 50% stake of the island was purchased for an undisclosed amount of money. This partnership will resume operations on Oak Island in hope of discovering the buried treasure, and also unlocking the mystery of the island.

JonBenet Ramsey

At her death JonBenet was just 6 years old. A child beauty queen who was made famous by her murder when she was found strangled in the basement of her home. JonBenet's body was found eight hours after she was reported missing. Now over ten years later, and several grand jury hearings, the case still remains unsolved.

Patsy Ramsey testified that on December 26th 1996, she discovered that her daughter was missing after she found a ransom note on the kitchen staircase. This note demanded $118,000 for the return of her daughter which was the exact amount of the bonus John Ramsey received earlier in the year.

Dismissing the instructions of the ransom note, Patsy immediately contacted the police and several friends. A police search was done on the house but nothing was found. Forced entry to the home was also not evident.

During the afternoon of the same day, detective Linda Arndt asked a friend of the family to go with John Ramsey and search the house. While searching the basement John Ramsey found JonBenet's body in the "wine cellar" room covered in a white blanket.

The investigation of the JonBenet Ramsey case in Boulder was a mess. The crime scene was not petitioned off, and friends and family were let in to contaminate the entire area. Critics have also claimed that officers did not "sufficiently" collect forensic evidence either before or after the body was found. Very soon the Ramseys were suspected of the murder when things didn't add up.

Autopsy

The results of the autopsy showed that JonBenet had died due to strangulation, and a skull fracture. A tweed cord garrote and a paintbrush handle were used in the strangulation. All of these tools were made from articles located in the house; including the ransom note. What intruder would invade this type of home with no weapons or plan? The skull of JonBenet had received blunt force trauma, but the official cause of death was ruled asphyxiation due to strangulation.

Patsy Ramsey had been suspected of killing JonBenet in a fit of rage, and trying to cover up the killing. John Ramsey had also been suspected of molesting JonBenet, and trying to cover up the molestation with the killing. Even the son Burke who was nine at the time of the murder was subject to investigation.

In 2003 DNA was found from a blood sample in JonBenet's underwear which belonged to an unknown male. This DNA sample was compared to 1.6 million DNA profiles for matches. So far the database has yet to find a match.

Two lead investigators of the Ramsey case later resigned. One commented that he quit because the intruder theory was never checked out thoroughly, and the other investigator reportedly quit because the Ramsey's had not been prosecuted properly. Suspects are still being sought in this case. Perhaps this case is a mystery that will never be solved.

Amelia Earhart

An expert navigator, and also a very accomplished pilot, 39 year old Amelia Earhart suddenly disappeared on July 2, 1937. Having already flown across the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, Amelia and her navigator Fredrick Noonan disappeared without a trace.

The 29,000 mile long journey began on May 21, 1937 with a newly rebuilt Electra airplane. The original flight plan had been changed due to adverse weather conditions in Africa, and the Caribbean. With 22,000 miles of the trip completed, only one leg of the journey remained; but this leg of the trip was considered the most dangerous part of the journey.

The Disappearance

Traveling from New Guinea to Howland Island was "considered particularly hazardous." Even with today's technology the 1 ½ mile long island is very difficult to spot. This particular distance on the trip would require nearly all of the fuel in the custom made airplane.

The U.S. government had stationed navel ships along the path of Earhart's flight path, and had also ordered the Itasca (Coast Guard cutter) to be anchored off of Howland Island to "provide directional assistance." Then at 3:45 A.M, four hours before the estimated time of arrival Earhart made the first radio contact with the Itasca.

Several more contacts were made to the Itasca at: 6:14 a.m, 6:45 a.m, and 7:42 a.m. The last contact which Earhart made she commented "we must on you but cannot see you." Then again at 8:00 a.m Earhart requested another bearing on the island. At 8:44 a.m Earhart commented: "we are on the line of position 157 - 337. We are running north and south." Amelia Earhart and Fredrick Noonan were never heard from again.

The Search

Now the largest search the "world has ever seen" was immediately initiated. Over 40,000 men and 65 government airplanes were searching the Pacific Ocean for a trace of the missing plane. It was assumed that the "crash debris" would be spotted, or even the lifeboat which was also stored onboard the plane would be seen, but nothing was ever found.

Then on July 18th the search was canceled. A New York publisher George Putnam, who had promoted the flight searched for Earhart and Noonan until October, but then he also gave up the search.

Theories on the Disappearance

Through the years many theories have been speculated about the sudden disappearance of Earhart. One popular theory states that Earhart landed the airplane on one of the smaller surrounding islands.

Modern researchers have discovered what appears to be the remains of an Electra airplane on one of the islands; although this location is undisclosed. Also on this site articles of clothing were found which points to the fact that the pilots had existed in this place for "quite some time."

Some theorize that Earhart crashed into the ocean in a suicide run, while others conclude that "she was captured by the Japanese and forced to broadcast to American GIs as Tokyo Rose."

Another theory states that Earhart was on a secret mission for the American Government and was shot down and executed or even jailed. Many eyewitnesses report that two American pilots (one a woman) being in the Marshall Islands in 1937. As to this day the Japanese government has denied any allegations on this matter.

Amelia Earhart writes in a letter to George Putnam:

"Please know I am quite aware of the hazards. Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail their failure must be a challenge to others."