This Forgotten ‘Prison Break’ Twist Secretly Solved One of America’s Greatest Unsolved Mysteries

Prison Escape It may not have been the most realistic prison drama around, but it was still the most entertaining. The Fox series debuted in 2005 and followed Michael Scofield’s (Wentworth Miller) tries to break his brother Lincoln Burrows (Dominique Purcell) from prison, where he was to be executed for having been wrongly convicted of the murder of the vice president’s brother. The series cried government conspiracy and delivered on that front, but it also solved a decades-old mystery.

Part of Michael’s master plan was to get himself thrown in prison so he could find a way out with Lincoln by his side. He was able to do this because he was part of the architectural firm that designed the prison – not to mention a genius – but his plan had many other elements. One of the most important was his plan once they escaped and how they would survive outside of these walls. In addition to seducing the prison doctor, Sara Tancredi (Sarah Wayne Callies), Michael cultivates the theory that one of his fellow inmates is behind one of the most mysterious plane hijackings of all time.

It was of course the mythical figure of DB Cooper. In 1971, an anonymous hijacker took control of a plane flying from Portland to Seattle. He demanded $200,000 in cash with the intention of traveling to Mexico. Along the way, Cooper parachuted out of the plane and was never heard from again. In subsequent years, some of the ransom money was recovered, but the mystery remains unsolved. At Fox River Prison, Michael not only attempts to free his brother, but also solves a case that has baffled the FBI for decades. Michael theorizes that the good guy lifer, Charles Westmoreland (Muse Watson), was the real identity of DB Cooper. For most of the season, Westmoreland denies the accusation but intervenes in the final act.

Charles Westmoreland was one of the most believable subplots

Based on its sole concept, Prison Escape asked fans to suspend their disbelief. The main characters frequently encountered government assassins and mob bosses. Amid all this, finding DB Cooper wasn’t too difficult and ultimately became a big emotional crux at the end of season 1. Michael could make whatever plans he wanted, but his escape depended on Westmoreland’s involvement. He was counting on DB Cooper’s money still buried somewhere, and he and his brother could use it to start over. The only problem was Westmoreland’s reluctance to join the escape.

Westmoreland had been convicted of an unrelated crime and was serving a life sentence. His only wish was to be able to make peace with his ex-daughter, Anna, before he died. But circumstances being what they were in prison, the tide eventually turned. After learning that his daughter was dying of cancer, he agreed to escape with the rest of the convicts. In a tragic turn of events, Westmoreland finally confessed his identity the night of the escape when he was fatally stabbed. The real DB Cooper would never see his daughter again, no matter how hard he tried to make amends. Michael also had to say goodbye to another father figure, but in his final moments, Westmoreland confessed where he left the stolen money. It was the ticket to freedom for Michael and Lincoln, but it cost them dearly.

Westmoreland’s death was one of the most emotional losses of the first season, as he was one of the few escapees who didn’t break in by force. He had been something of a mentor to Michael and had ultimately deemed him worthy of the money and the answer to one of America’s greatest mysteries. When Prison Escape was good, it was legendary, and fans can watch these classic moments by streaming the 20th anniversary collection on Hulu.