Bruce A Smith

I'm a former investigative newspaper reporter that has set his sights on investigating the DB Cooper skyjacking. What fuels my passion is both a fascination with the numerous mysteries of the case, such as we don't know who Cooper was, but more importantly I am outraged by the sloppy police work performed by the FBI. Seeking justice is a prime motivator for me, and putting the feet of Big Power to the fire of truth is what stokes my soul. When I'm not chasing crime and political abuse, I putter in my garden - nurturing my potatoes, carrots and strawberries, and capturing wayward slugs. For the past 25 years I've been a student at Ramtha's School of Enlightenment, located in Yelm, Washington. Currently, though, I'm endeavoring to integrate my yearning for a mystical life with a grounding in the affairs of the world, like true crime writing. It's an interesting mix. I live simply: no wife, no kids, no house, and I abide in an rv trailer that I rent from some friends in the foothills of Mount Rainier. Before writing about DB Cooper, I ran my own online news magazine called the Mountain News - WA, and prior I was a beat reporter for the Pierce County Dispatch in Eatonville, WA. I grew up in New York and most of my family is still on Long Island. For much of my early life I worked in psychiatric hospitals as a recreation therapist, and I even spent a year or so working as a family and youth therapist in a foster care residence. Such work can lead to burnout, and I took an eight-year sabbatical to run a commercial beach-cleaning business in metro NY, Sandsifter Beachcleaning Co. After I moved to Washington, my life took a few twists and turns, and I became a professional storyteller, which in turn led me to Nashville, Tennessee to develop a performing career. That lead me to songwriting, which led to newspapers, and here I am. To pay the bills along the way I worked as a stagehand, both in Nashville and Seattle, and I also did a bit o' carpentry. I still yearn to cut a straight line. One day, perhaps. Sigh.