5 FBI Unsolved Mysteries That Still Haunt the Bureau
Quick Insights:
- How did a man hijack a plane, jump out with $200,000, and vanish into thin air?
- Have we finally cracked the code of the Zodiac Killer 50 years later?
- Where is the body of America’s most famous union leader, Jimmy Hoffa?
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) employs the world’s most advanced forensic scientists, criminal profilers, and investigators. They solve the impossible. But sometimes, the bad guy gets away. There are “cold cases” that remain open for decades, mocking the agents who dedicated their lives to solving them.
From phantom hijackers to coded letters sent to newspapers, here are the 5 biggest FBI unsolved mysteries that remain open files in 2026.
1. D.B. Cooper: The Skyjacker
On November 24, 1971, a man identifying himself as Dan Cooper hijacked a Boeing 727. He demanded $200,000 and four parachutes. After releasing the passengers, he ordered the crew to fly to Mexico. Somewhere over the forests of Washington state, he lowered the rear stairs and parachuted into the night, never to be seen again. The FBI’s official file states that despite recovering a small portion of the money in 1980, the man’s identity and fate remain a mystery.
Shock Fact: D.B. Cooper is the only unsolved air piracy case in commercial aviation history.
2. The Zodiac Killer
Terrorizing Northern California in the late 1960s, the Zodiac Killer murdered at least five people (though he claimed 37). He taunted the police and newspapers with cryptic letters and ciphers. While amateur codebreakers cracked his “340 Cipher” recently, his identity remains unconfirmed. The sheer audacity of his letters makes this one of the most chilling unsolved mysteries in American history.
3. The Black Dahlia (Elizabeth Short)
In 1947, the body of 22-year-old aspiring actress Elizabeth Short was found in a Los Angeles lot, severed at the waist and drained of blood. The gruesome nature of the crime sparked a media frenzy. The FBI assisted the LAPD, conducting background checks on suspects across the nation, but no one was ever charged. It remains Hollywood’s darkest noir story come to life.
4. The Disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa
Jimmy Hoffa was one of the most powerful men in America as the leader of the Teamsters Union. On July 30, 1975, he vanished from outside a restaurant in Detroit. The prevailing theory is a mob hit, but his body has never been found despite endless searches under stadiums, in driveways, and in swamps. The case is a testament to the code of silence (Omertà).
5. The Amerithrax Attacks (Anthrax)
Just one week after the 9/11 attacks, letters containing deadly anthrax spores were mailed to news outlets and senators, killing five people. It was the worst biological attack in U.S. history. While the FBI eventually named a suspect (Bruce Ivins), he committed suicide before he could be charged. Many experts and colleagues still question if the Bureau got the right man, leaving a cloud of doubt over the case.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Did the FBI ever find D.B. Cooper’s money?
Yes, a small portion ($5,800) was found by a young boy digging in the sand along the Columbia River in 1980. The rotting bills matched the serial numbers of the ransom money, but the rest was never seen again.
Is the Zodiac Killer case closed?
Technically, the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) marked the case “inactive” in 2004 but reopened it in 2007. The FBI case files remain open, and DNA technology may one day provide a breakthrough.
Why are these called “cold cases”?
A “cold case” is a crime investigation that has remained unsolved for a long period and for which all existing leads have been exhausted. However, new forensic technology can heat them up again.
