Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post

gov135 · 06-05-2003, 07:07 AM

http://www.cleveland.com/lake/plaind...8166197750.xml

___________________________________________________
Was dead imposter rocker or hijacker?

06/05/03

Michael Scott
Plain Dealer Reporter

Eastlake - If a dead Eastlake man wasn't who he said he was, then his secret past must lead straight to The Doors' ill-fated singer Jim Morrison.

Or infamous hijacker-turned-escape-artist D.B.Cooper.

Or any of a dozen men who abandoned their families decades ago to start life over.

Those are just a handful of leads that poured into Eastlake police after The Plain Dealer last weekend detailed the story of a man who seemed to have died twice.

The man who died last July in Eastlake as Joseph Newton Chandler was exposed as a fraud after police found he had stolen the iden tity of an Okla homa boy killed in 1945. They have been searching ever since for his real identity.

"One guy said we should watch Oliver Stone's movie The Doors' because the clues are all there," Eastlake Detective Tom Doyle said. "He said Morrison faked his death and then could have ended up here."

Morrison, the nihilistic cult-rock poet, died of a drug overdose in 1971 at age 27.

Tales of inconsistencies surrounding his death still live on, however.

"But I don't think he looks anything like him," Doyle deadpanned.

So how about the D.B. Cooper theory?

Several callers to the newspaper said the unidentified man could be Cooper, the hijacker who was last seen in 1971 as he parachuted out of the back end of an airliner flying over the Pacific Northwest.

Cooper and the $200,000 ransom he demanded have never been seen again.

Kevin Killeen of Westlake is certain of the connection.

"Look at the pictures - it's the same guy," he said after seeing a photo of the Chandler fraud and Cooper's FBI sketch, still readily available on the Internet.

Doyle was dubious. He said detectives had already ruled out Cooper, but not the 20 other leads that have come into his department.

"We've heard from plenty of other people who were family members of a guy who took off 30 years ago, or something similar," Doyle said. "None have worked out yet."

An Athens, Ohio, man thinks he has the answer.

Lyle McGeoch, a retired Ohio University history professor, said the Eastlake man could be Gene Stees, a convicted murderer who walked away from an Ohio Penitentiary work camp in 1970.

"There are some similarities in the pictures, although they're 40 years apart," McGeoch said.

Eastlake police, compelled by a Lake County Probate Court order to find the man's heirs, know little for certain about the unknown man.

They do know that a man claiming to be Joseph Newton Chandler III walked into a federal building in Rapid City, S.D., in 1978 and successfully applied for a Social Security card under that name.

His whereabouts were unknown between then and 1986, when he moved into Dover Apartments in Eastlake.

His rental contract says he had worked for CDI Corp. in Euclid for the five previous years and Lubrizol Corp. in Wickliffe for a year before that.

He was 5-feet-7 and 160 pounds, with gray hair, brown eyes and glasses. He had no tattoos or other distinguishable marks.

Doyle said a Rapid City newspaper and television station are also preparing news reports about the mystery. The Eastlake detective even went live on BBC Radio Monday night to talk about the case.

"Every time this story is picked up, we have a chance to solve this," he said. "I don't think it will be in England, but you never know."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
mscott@plaind.com, 440-602-4780
__________________________________________________

I like mysterys. I really haven't much of a question, besides who do you think it is? I just thought it was really interesting, and I'd pass it on.

Disappearences are somewhat creepy. So is the concept of false identities. Here is a small list on famous disappearances:
http://www.who2.com/disappearances.html

Any thoughts on Joseph Chandler's real identity? Anybody from the disappearance list that weirds you out? Could this be the infamous D.B. Cooper? Can you solve the mystery that has eluded police?

06-05-2003, 07:07 AM	#1 (permalink)
gov135 Junkie Location: Midwest	Jim Morrison or hijacker D.B. Cooper? http://www.cleveland.com/lake/plaind...8166197750.xml ___________________________________________________ Was dead imposter rocker or hijacker? 06/05/03 Michael Scott Plain Dealer Reporter Eastlake - If a dead Eastlake man wasn't who he said he was, then his secret past must lead straight to The Doors' ill-fated singer Jim Morrison. Or infamous hijacker-turned-escape-artist D.B.Cooper. Or any of a dozen men who abandoned their families decades ago to start life over. Those are just a handful of leads that poured into Eastlake police after The Plain Dealer last weekend detailed the story of a man who seemed to have died twice. The man who died last July in Eastlake as Joseph Newton Chandler was exposed as a fraud after police found he had stolen the iden tity of an Okla homa boy killed in 1945. They have been searching ever since for his real identity. "One guy said we should watch Oliver Stone's movie The Doors' because the clues are all there," Eastlake Detective Tom Doyle said. "He said Morrison faked his death and then could have ended up here." Morrison, the nihilistic cult-rock poet, died of a drug overdose in 1971 at age 27. Tales of inconsistencies surrounding his death still live on, however. "But I don't think he looks anything like him," Doyle deadpanned. So how about the D.B. Cooper theory? Several callers to the newspaper said the unidentified man could be Cooper, the hijacker who was last seen in 1971 as he parachuted out of the back end of an airliner flying over the Pacific Northwest. Cooper and the $200,000 ransom he demanded have never been seen again. Kevin Killeen of Westlake is certain of the connection. "Look at the pictures - it's the same guy," he said after seeing a photo of the Chandler fraud and Cooper's FBI sketch, still readily available on the Internet. Doyle was dubious. He said detectives had already ruled out Cooper, but not the 20 other leads that have come into his department. "We've heard from plenty of other people who were family members of a guy who took off 30 years ago, or something similar," Doyle said. "None have worked out yet." An Athens, Ohio, man thinks he has the answer. Lyle McGeoch, a retired Ohio University history professor, said the Eastlake man could be Gene Stees, a convicted murderer who walked away from an Ohio Penitentiary work camp in 1970. "There are some similarities in the pictures, although they're 40 years apart," McGeoch said. Eastlake police, compelled by a Lake County Probate Court order to find the man's heirs, know little for certain about the unknown man. They do know that a man claiming to be Joseph Newton Chandler III walked into a federal building in Rapid City, S.D., in 1978 and successfully applied for a Social Security card under that name. His whereabouts were unknown between then and 1986, when he moved into Dover Apartments in Eastlake. His rental contract says he had worked for CDI Corp. in Euclid for the five previous years and Lubrizol Corp. in Wickliffe for a year before that. He was 5-feet-7 and 160 pounds, with gray hair, brown eyes and glasses. He had no tattoos or other distinguishable marks. Doyle said a Rapid City newspaper and television station are also preparing news reports about the mystery. The Eastlake detective even went live on BBC Radio Monday night to talk about the case. "Every time this story is picked up, we have a chance to solve this," he said. "I don't think it will be in England, but you never know." To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mscott@plaind.com, 440-602-4780 __________________________________________________ I like mysterys. I really haven't much of a question, besides who do you think it is? I just thought it was really interesting, and I'd pass it on. Disappearences are somewhat creepy. So is the concept of false identities. Here is a small list on famous disappearances: http://www.who2.com/disappearances.html Any thoughts on Joseph Chandler's real identity? Anybody from the disappearance list that weirds you out? Could this be the infamous D.B. Cooper? Can you solve the mystery that has eluded police? Last edited by gov135; 06-05-2003 at 07:10 AM..