It looks as if the man known as D.B. Cooper — the legendary criminal who hijacked a U.S. passenger plane, extorted $200,000 in ransom and parachuted to an uncertain fate — may have gotten away with it.

The FBI announced in a statement Tuesday that it had halted the investigation into one of the most intractable cases in its history, saying that after 45 years of probing credible leads as well as dead ends, it was focusing resources elsewhere.

"Every time the FBI assesses additional tips for the ... case, investigative resources and manpower are diverted from programs that more urgently need attention," the statement said.