THE PROJECT STIGMA REPORT ON THE CONTINUING
INVESTIGATION INTO THE OCCURRENCE OF ANIMAL MUTILATIONS
STIGMATA - 1981: The subscription cost for all 1981 issues is
$5*00. Present plans are to continue the current format, to be pub¬
lished quarterly once again.
BACK ISSUES: All four 1980 issues are now $1.50 each (for num¬
bers 8,9, 10 and the current issue, #11). All four may be obtained
at a cost of $5.00. The only other back issues that are now available
are No. 4 (Summer 1978) and No. 5 (Fall-Winter 1978). No. 4 and
No. 5 are available at a cost of $2.00 per copy. And, it is still pos¬
sible that the remaining early issues will be re-published in the near
future.
THE CHOPPERS. . .AND THE CHOPPERS - No longer avail¬
able until further notice.
Canadian subscribers : Payment must be in U.S.Cash, Canadian cash or
checks drawn on U.S. banks. All other countries : fayment must be in
U.S. cash or checks drawn on U.S. banks.
NEXT ISSUE : Be firmly assured that livestock mutilations have not
gone away. A very significant number of intriguing cases have occurred
In the U.S. and Canada in 1980, and these incidents will be reviewed
in detail in STIGMATA No. 12. As space permits, we"11 review new
books which we've received, including THE TERROR by Michael D. Al¬
bers; THE CATTLE MUTILATORS by John J. Dalton (both from Manor
Books) and the long-awaited THE EXCALIBUR BRIEFING by Tom Bearden.
Rommel, Kenneth M. ,Jr. (Project Director), OPERATION ANIMAL
MUTILATION - Report of the District Attorney, First Judicial District,
State of New Mexico (Santa Fe), June 1980.
Rorvik, David; "Cattle Mutilations: The Truth At Last" in PENTHOUSE
magazine, September 1980.
Randi, James (The Amazing Randi); "Mutilation Madness" in the "Con¬
tinuum” section of OMNI magazine, July 1980.
Rising into the public consciousness like abscessed boils, these three
pieces of writing, of widely-varying length, formed a phalanx promul¬
gating the idea of "classic mutilations" being caused by natural preda¬
tors and scavengers. Attempting to erase any aura of mystery attend¬
ing the mutilations, they offered (to an expectedly gullible and dully
stupid public) "the truth at last". Or did they??
We discussed the then-upcoming OPERATION ANIMAL MUTILATION re¬
port (the Rommel report) in STIGMATA No. 9, and we now know that
our "worst fears" have indeed been confirmed. During the course of
the project (May 1979 - May 1980) 27 potential livestock mutilations, by
Rommel's count, were reported in New Mexico. Rommel says that he
personally investigated 15 cases and reviewed the evidence regarding
the other 12; and that he reviewed 90 possible mutilation cases that
were reported in New Mexico prior to May of 1979. Although the muti¬
lation phenomenon is national (at least) in scope, Rommel’s report con¬
centrates on New Mexico (with exceptions, as we'll discuss below). In
the paper, he decries the lack of (as he sees it) "surgical incisions" in
the cases he examined, and he points to tracks, hair and/or droppings
from animals and birds which have been found on or around some of the
carcasses, and suggests that the presence of these elements precludes
176
3
the assignment of these cases to the "classic" catagory.
Rommel states that "at the outset of this investigation, I had no precon¬
ceived opinions on how it was going to turn out...To the contrary, he
admitted to mutilation investigator David Iter kins (as reported in TAOS
Magazine and repeated in STIGMATA No. 9) that "he had reached his
conclusions almost immediately after accepting the job".
In July of 1980 Project Stigma purchased and received a copy of the OP¬
ERATION ANIMAL MUTILATION report for $10.00 plus postage. It is
not known whether the report is still available for purchase. Interested
parties should direct queries to the Office of the District Attorney (Eloy
Martinez); First Judicial District;Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501. The
softboimd report is over 300 pages in length and consists of double-
spaced typing on 8^" x 11" pages. Included are a number of photographs
of mutilations reported during the life of the project.
After dismissing the 90 New Mexican cases prior to May of 1979 (with
the exception of one case which is determined to be "human-induced"),
Rommel writes at length (or dismisses at length) on the reports received
during the project. He reports at moderate length on mutilation incidents
in Colorado, Montana, Arkansas and Oklahoma, and then briefly sum¬
marizes the situation in other states (Canada is virtually ignored). He
ends with his "Conclusions and Recommendations" and a 4-part appendix.
Project Stigma, in consultation with other investigating groups and indi¬
viduals, has considered the question of the desirability, the necessity
and the efficacy of pursuing a diligent, point-by-point refutation of Rom¬
mel's report. We, the independent investigative community, have had to
weigh this need for a Rommel-rebuttal against concentrating our efforts
on a continued direct investigation of the phenomenon itself. There are
those who might suggest that to dwell on refuting Rommel's aberration
would be to succumb to a sort of manipulation by Rommel and his sup¬
porters. Being, then, seriously constrained by a lack of time and finan¬
ces, it is our decision that we will present these few words about Rom¬
mel, David Rorvik and James Randi and their ilk and then ascribe
them properly to the realm of irrelevancy and go about our business.
Other writers are preparing comments regarding Rommel & company,
and these writings should appear in various forums in the near future.
177
non-existent or
conceivably be
h, in itself, in-
hese are (L)
r" element and
the states oth-
Most of the evidence and information presented by Rommel is highly
susceptible' to opinion and interpretation. Rommel, of course, has his
own opinions and it is up to the reader of the report to seek his or her
own perspective of the presentation. Many people with a
rudimentary knowledge of the mutilation phenomenon will
impressed with Rommel’s account, if they do not know any better. But
those-in-the-know cannot miss at least two of the most glaring errors
or weaknesses in Rommel's presentation, a neglect whici
validates any claim of a definitive Investigation. Tl
his almost total avoidance of the "mystery hellcopte:
(2) the credulous and incomplete summary of activity in
er than those on which he concentrates. The state -by-s:ate short-shrift
potshots are an insult to the informed reader’s intelligence. Rommel
queried "officials" in twenty states and received replies that indicated
there had been no mutilation problem in those states. Whether he was
all too eager to accept these official pronouncements at face value or
simply didn't pursue adequate follow-up research, Rommel leaves it at
that. Three of these 20 states are Mississippi, Virginia and Washington.
Regular readers of STIGMATA and those well-informed on mutilation de¬
velopments know better. Rommel lists STIGMATA in his bibliography,
but he apparently never followed-up on the material we presented regard¬
ing the above states.
In his Colorado summary, Rommel claims to "completely discredit” the
incident involving the death of Snippy the horse (Alamosa County, 1967).
He dismisses it, yes; but he would not be able to discredit the total
body of evidence in that case. There is much he doesn't
likely doesn't know). There Is much to be written about
at some point in the future, and we can assure every rels
shot that it is not a case to be dismissed or rejected. Ilien, among the
states that Rommel shrugs off one-by-one:
report (and
the Snippy case
ader within eye-
Arkansas: Rommel states that the first mutilations began there in April
of 1978. We have three Arkansas reports in our files from 1977.
Idaho: Rommel reports he was informed by letter that
tions were reported in 1976, one in 1978 and one in 1979
caused by predators or publicity-seekers. Incredible. As
outbreak of 1975 never occurred.
Several" mutila-
and all were
though the
178
5
Illinois: The only mutes there (three) were in Christian County between
1976 and 1978, according to the report. But in fact there have been re¬
ported potential mutilations (since 1975) in several counties, including:
Cass, Greene, Hancock, Henderson, La Salle and Marshall.
Iowa : Rommel states that authorities feel that about 12 cases there are
"human-induced", but that it is a "local situation". Furthermore, Rom¬
mel reports that none of these cases had actually been confirmed as
mutilations by the veterinarians at Iowa State University.
Louisiana: Here's an intriguing comment - 15 cases reported - all of
them "unexplained". In his appendix, Rommel reproduces several of the
replies he received from the "officials" in a number of states, but he
does not reveal any details regarding communications from Louisiana.
Texas : Rommel merely reports that human involvement was ruled out
In all cases in which specimens were examined by the lab at Texas
A & M University. End of problem for Texas, right? Wrong. Nearly a
fourth of the state's 254 counties have reported mutilations, and some
very real questions remain to be answered or explained about some of
the stranger cases. A concerted study of mutilations in this state alone
could easily be decidedly lengthy (the same could be said for Colorado,
Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Kansas, among others), yet Rommel dismis¬
ses it all with a shrug.
Wyoming : According to the state vet, all mutilations in that state were
caused by predators. For the other side, see "A Weekend in April" in
STIGMATA No. 4; and other mutilations, not so easily explained away,
have been reported in Wyoming. One Wyoming investigator who has seen
"mystery helicopters" as well as mutilations told Project Stigma that he
would "take the stand" in any court of law - if it ever came to that -
in order to refute Ken Rommel.
David Rorvik and James Randi produced articles supporting Rommel for
PENTHOUSE and OMNI, respectively (the magazines are allied, both
under the editorial auspices of Bob Guccione). James (The Amazing)
Randi is a magician and escape artist who is an investigator and found¬
ing member of the pseudo-rational and arch-skeptical Committee for the
Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP). Randi de¬
bunks paranormal claims with a certain glee (such debunking is some -
179
6
times Justified) and he apparently feels he's helped to put more ridicu¬
lous folly to rest with his one-page "Mutilation Madness" essay in OM¬
NI. Randi, by the way (according to OMNI)* refers to himself as a pro¬
fessional charlatan.
A couple of years ago, David Rorvik authored a book titled IN HIS IM¬
AGE: THE CLONING OF A MAN, about what Rorvik claimed was the
first successful human clone. The book's authenticity (Rorvik refuses
to furnish proof) has been a matter of controversy. In his PENTHOUSE
article, "Cattle Mutilations: The Truth At Last", Rorvik relies on two
non-definitive works: the Rommel report plus a paper by sociologist
James Stewart of the University of South Dakota which attributes the
animal mutilation phenomenon to "collective delusion" (see STIGMATA
No. 2, "Agreed: Someone Is Operating Under A Delusion). Like Rom¬
mel, Rorvik "mutilates" the Snippy case (Colorado 1967). He lumps 3
people - Drs. Wallace Leary and Robert Adams and an anonymous (by
request) pathologist - into one "pathologist". He claims that the widely -
reported UFO sightings in that San Luis Valley area of southern Colo¬
rado "actually took place several months before the (Snippy) incident".
In fact, our investigation of the Snippy case and all its peripheral ele¬
ments, a probe which began in 1970, has revealed a history of concer¬
ted UFO activity in the San Luis Valley - sightings and encounters which
continued throughout the late 1960's and well into the 1970’s. Rorvik re¬
ports inexplicably that: "It was in the wake of the initial wave of publi¬
city surrounding the horse's death that animal mutilations began to be
reported with vigor throughout the United States.” This contention is,
to put it mildly, not supported by the record. With the exception of a
very few cases right around the time of the Snippy incident, the Snippy
affair itself and its attendant worldwide publicity in 1967 was an essen¬
tially isolated occurrence. To be sure, mutilations did not begin to be
reported "with vigor" until 6 years later.
Rorvik refers to a report compiled by Dr. Nancy Owen of the Depart¬
ment of Anthropology, University of Arkansas (see comments regarding
this report elsewhere in this issue). Rorvik and Owen suggest that
claimed "classic mutilations" are supposed to involve the removal of
the same body parts. Not so. This has never been suggested by know¬
ledgeable investigators. The parts removed have varied from case to
case, though certain parts do predominate.
180
7
Finally, Rorvlk, like Rommel and Stewart, ignores (beyond a token
mention) one of the most pertinent elements of the very real mutila¬
tion problem: the unidentified, unmarked "mystery helicopters". We re¬
cently compiled and published a report cataloging the majority of the
200-plus incidents In our files in which one or more unidentified chop¬
pers have been observed in areas where mutilations have occurred.
These are sometimes nothing more than low fly-overs; but all too often
these helicopters - of varying sound, color, size and type - pay an In¬
ordinate amount of attention to livestock. We must look beyond coinci¬
dence to account for these mutilation/helicopter reports.
Ken Rommel, in his ostensibly definitive report which concentrates on
New Mexico, barely mentions the unidentified helicopters. This is des¬
pite the fact that during the time of several mutilations in northeastern
New Mexico in late 1975, sightings of unmarked low-flying helicopters -
sometimes 5 to 7 at a time - created such an uproar that the Federal
Aviation Administration launched an investigation - a probe about which
the FAA has now conveniently forgotten.
All the eggs representing the validity of the mutilation phenomenon are
not to be placed In the "mystery helicopter" basket. The truly classic
and unexplained mutilations will stand on their own despite the debunk¬
ers. But the choppers are quite relevant. They must be explained. The
failure of "The Three R's" to address themselves foursquare to the
helicopter data only serves to substantiate the inconsequence of their
presentations.
In future forums the debunkers' hand will undoubtedly be called and their
interpretations weighed against all of the evidence. But, for the most
part, they will deserve to be forgotten - and we’ll do our part.
TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT
On page 220 of his OPERATION ANIMAL MUTILATION report, Kenneth
Rommel quotes (or misquotes) from what he claims to be the "January
issue of Stigmata " (sic ). Actually, the quote is from the one-page Janu¬
ary 1980 "Stigmata Supplement Number One", not from a regular issue
181
8
of STIGMATA. Portions of the quote as published by Rommel are:
Among items that are rumored to be in the works, however
tentatively: an anthrology of commentary on the mutilation
phenomenon... (our emphasis)
We wish we had a dollars (no, make that an ounce of gold)
for every writer we've heard of within the past few years
who promised (or threatened) to turn out a serious book on
mutilations, (our emphasis)
The correct words as published by us are "anthology" in the first ex¬
cerpt and "dollar" in the second. Could these just be inadvertant errors
on the part of Rommel or Nancy Owen (who typed the manuscript)? Or
could it be part of a program to discredit the "pro-mute" community
by making us appear sloppy, careless or haphazard? Perhaps we make
too much of it; but we mention it, as we state, for "the record".
THE ARKANSAS REPORT
Anthropologist Dr. Nancy H. Owen of the University of Arkansas (her
husband. Or. Jerome Rose, is associated with the same department of
anthropology) was awarded a grant by the Arkansas Endowment For the
Humanities (University Tower Building;Suite 1019; Little Rock, Arkansas
72204). As a result of her work she produced a final report titled:
"Preliminary Analysis of the Impact of Livestock Mutilations On Rural
Arkansas Communities".
Although there are a few informational errors - and much of Dr. Owen's
presentation, like Rommel’s, is subject to interpretation (perhaps not so
much Owen’s interpretation as that of her sources) - on the whole the
31-page report is commendably objective. Unlike James Stewart’s paper
on "collective delusion", Owen's report represents a viable and meaning¬
ful contribution to the perspective of the social sciences on the-animal
mutilation affair. Dr. Owen's family, by the way, are from New Mexico,
and the anthropologist not only spends a good deal of time there - she
helped Ken Rommel produce his final report.
182
p=
It cannot be denied that the Rommel report is illuminating’
way; but Owen's report, to be a tenth as lengthy - is su]
point of interest that Dr, Owen makes: Her investigations
gathering activities concentrated on Benton County, Arkansl
sought to determine who the ranchers were who were repo
tions. That is - were they relatively young farmers and
might be newcomers to the area, as well as novice cattle
writes Owen, is what she initially suspected. She reports
seemed logical that young people relatively new to both
cattle raising would be less familiar with dead livestock
damage and perhaps more susceptible to the more bizarre
provided by the media.”
Ar
in its own
rior. One
and data-
as, and she
rting mutila-
anchers who
men? This,
that, .. it
kansas and
predator
alternatives
and
But she found that (1) Approximately 60% of the ranchers
years old, implying considerable experience in the businei
for some ranching is not a full-time occupation) - and (2)
of the owners are Arkansas natives and many of the newc
been raising livestock before moving to Arkansas.
Were over 50
s (even though
Two-thirds
omers had
e sure to be
ranchers know
utilations and
el's conten-
most people
estigation
We at Project Stigma have contended that - while there art
exceptions - for the most part, experienced farmers and
the difference between truly out-of-the-ordinary classic m
the ravagings of scavengers and predators. Kenneth Romnu
tion seems to be to the contrary. He states that, although
assume ranchers know this difference, he found in his Iny<
that this "was simply not true”.
MUTES IN THE MOVIES
Two motion pictures in various stages of production will apparently be
dealing to some degree with livestock mutilations. One, ” Earthright",
is being produced by World Amusement Company of Sherman Oaks, Ca¬
lifornia. According to company spokesman Curtis Burch, filming has al¬
ready been completed on "Earthright", and it could be re Leased next
-Michael Vin-
focus of the
spring. The UFO-suspense film stars Raymond Burr, Jan
cent and Cyblll Shepherd. Mutilations are not the central
film, though they have their "role" to play. The other movie, an Alive
Enterprises film, "Cows", has not begun casting or filmijng.
183
The Cult Connection
spo
iiEt<
4 IT,
I IT!
Since mid-1980 there has been a sort of revival of Interns
sibility that one or more groups of people (with occult o
philosophies and motivations) may be responsible for at
the livestock and small-animal mutilations that occur
the country (and in other countries, as well). Such an
ists-as-culprits hasn't been noted since 1975. In that ye
inger, an investigator for the Alcohol, Tobacco and Fire;
the U.S. Treasury Department, pursued the-claims of K
and Dan Dugan. Bankston and Dugan were inmates in the
system who claimed knowledge of a group (which BankstcH
to as "the Occult”) which was responsible for everything
and human mutilations to a well-publicized Weathermen
mg at the University of Wisconsin to the theft of plutonii
clear facility in Oklahoma which employed the late Rare:
make a long story mercifully short: under scrutiny from
others, the Bankston-Dugan scenario fell apart. After
cult hypothesis had largely lost its 'legs", though it wa^
rejected within the mutilation-research community.
st in the pos-
r pseudo-occult
least some of
that
In 1979 one began to hear that the Royal Canadian Mouni
vestigating the possibility that a cult or cults could be
of mutilations that swept across Alberta • and Sa skate hew.
recurred, though more quietly, in 1980). Then, in 1980,
tilation incidents began to be reported in Iowa, authoriti
it was said, were concentrating on the cult-link. And in
veteran mutilation investigator in New Mexico was also
dirt" in cult possibilities, based on new evidence.
A curious series of events began to unfold in Canada in
reported to us by an investigator whose identity and loc^i
protect. Hie discovered that an organization known as
Service" (S.I.S.S.) attempted to rent an athletic stadium,
prairie city for what was termed a "service". The inve
It was reported to me, by someone who should kno
"service" was, in effect, to be an initiation cerem*
tentlal members who had indicated a desire to join
radically across
erest in cult-
, Donald Flick-
ms branch of
enneth Bankston
federal prison
in often referred
from animal
httributed bomb-
um from the nu-
Silkwood. To
Flickinger and
episode, the
never entirely
ted
an
Police was in'
behind the wave
in 1979 (and
as isolated mu-
es in that state,
late 1980, a
seeking "pay-
mid-1980, as
tion we will
ms In Satan's
in a small
htigator writes:
, that the
y for po-
the S.LS.S.
,OQ’
184
11
About 1, 00 0 members from the USA and other locations
in Canada had been invited (or ordered) to attend. Ap¬
parently, someone in charge of booking the stadium for
events became suspicious, found out what the S.I.S. S. is
about and cancelled the booking. According to reports I
received, there are 16 members of S. I.S.S. in and around
(the city), one of whom is a farmer living near the com¬
munity of (a nearby town).
In August 1980 a bull mutilation occurred a few miles fif'
dence of the farmer mentioned by the investigator. Stra:
officer who investigated the mutilation case told the far
spread the news of the mutilation around and even to co:
about it (altogether atypical of RCMP methodology). Anot
of a 6-year-old black angus cow, occurred in the same
the early autumn of 1980. Returning to the investigator's
om the resi-
Jigely, the RCMP
tier-victim to
ptact the media
her mutilation,
general area in
report:
From the information I have, S.I.S.S. is a satanic
in its "services" offers sacrifices to Satan. In sora£
tably in the USA, those sacrifices include offering
rifices. One of the cult's initiation requisites is, ai
reports, that a potential new member must follow
procedures to go out and bring back various parts
mal. The S.I.S.S. emblem is a circle of flowers w
in the centre. The reports I have received also point
the possibility that members of the medical professji
involved with S.I.S.S. and that the human babies
fice from time to time come from aborted fetuses.
cult which
areas, no-
liuman sac-
c cording to
prescribed
an ani-
ith a baby
it towards
on may be
y sacri-
of
the
The same investigator reports on another development:
This may or may not be connected, but it is a strange oc¬
currence that possibly bears further investigation. On the
evening of Saturday, August 9th (editor's note: 2 days after
the discovery of a mutilated bull in the area) I received a
visit from a man and his wife (so he said) claiming to be
interested in talking about mutilations, UFOs, etc. The man
said he is a pilot in the Canadian Air Force stationed at
Moose Jaw (Saskatchewan). As it turned out, I did most of
the talking. He and his wife Just listened and had a rather
185
12
strange look on their faces as I related some of the incidents
which had been occurring last year and this year in this area.
He carried with him a small briefcase and when I asked him
what he had in the briefcase he replied, "Oh, it's nothing.
I just carry it with me all the time as part of a hobby/busi-
ness my wife and I are involved in". When I pressed him
further as to what this "hobby/business" was, he refused to
answer, saying that it was getting late and he and his wife
had to leave as they were on their way to Moose Jaw. Moose
Jaw, incidentally, does have an air force base located two
miles from the city. The man said his name was Don Up¬
shur and his wife's name was Elizabeth (pseudonyms; the
real names axe on file with Reject Stigma). In appearance,
Don was neatly dressed, as was his wife, but their faces
were the strange thing.completely expressionless, as I
related some of the stories of UFOs, mutilations, etc. As
the evening went on, I became more and more suspicious of
him and questioned him on various aspects of the air force
and his flying experiences 0 served for three years in the
air force myself) and he repeatedly seemed to be trying to
"sluff off" giving any answers to my questions. At one point
in our rather one-sided conversation he let it slip that he
was afraid of heights. I immediately asked him how he could
fly jet planes if he was afraid of heights, to which he answer¬
ed that planes didn't bother him since he was in control.
Since I have a fear of heights myself, 1 was really suspicious
that this man could claim to be a jet pilot and also claim to
be afraid of heights. He seemed to get a bit nervous about
this line of questioning.
The "Upshurs" soon departed, but our source made a mental note to
check up on them. Then, in a letter to Project Stigma in September of
1980, the Canadian investigator continued his report:
In my investigations into the S.l.S.S. here, 1 have encountered
one telephoned death threat, back on Thursday, Sept. 11th.
The anonymous caller said, and I quote: "You know the digging
you're doing into animal mutilations and into the S.l.S.S.?
Well, you'd better lay off or you may end up like one of the
mutilated cattle yourself I". The caller's voice was that of a
male and it was a long distance call. The only people whom
186
13
I know realize I am "digging" are three local people (all
women) who have supplied me with a great deal of informa¬
tion about the S.I.S.S. locally. Just this past weekend, in
the spot where the mutilated bull was found south of (a
nearby community), a girl herding cattle was shot with a
shotgun. She was rushed to a hospital and received emer¬
gency treatment. A number of pellets were removed from
her face (the shooting was at long range for a shotgun).
The incident occurred at night and was in close proximity
to a deserted farmhouse where, informants have told me,
the S.I.S.S. sometimes holds their ceremonial meetings I
Was this girl a victim of accidentally blundering onto the
scene of one of their meetings? I have contacted her and
she refuses to discuss anything about the incident. Police
likewise.
Don Upshur, I found out, is indeed a pilot with the Cana¬
dian Air Force, stationed at Moose Jaw, but there are many
strange things about him. I took a gamble at the beginning
of September and called him at the air force base. I blunt¬
ly asked him if he was still interested in UFOs, animal mu¬
tilations, etc. He replied that indeed he was. That's when I
sprang it on him. I asked him if he knew anything about
the S.I.S.S. The reaction I got over the telephone was ex¬
pected. He stammered and said, "How do you know about
that?". I took a further gamble and said, "I know all about
it, Don". He reacted again by exclaiming, "You know too
damned much". Then he hung up and I haven’t heard from
him since, although when he previously visited me, he said
he would stop by frequently. The information on the local
"operations" of the S.I.S.S. which I have in my possess¬
ion indicates that a number of farmers and professional peo¬
ple are involved from the (surrounding area), including one
doctor (who is an acupuncture specialist) and at least one
lawyer and perhaps several teachers.
Back on the U.S. scene: Two articles appeared in the KANSAS CITY
(Missouri) TIMES in August of 1980 (our thanks to Steve Hicks for
furnishing copies). They describe possible cultist activity along the
Missouri River near St. Joseph, Missouri. Reports included the dis-
187
14
covery of an open grave, a Jogger who witnessed what was apparently
a "satanic ritual" in caves along the river. Later investigation by the
authorities disclosed a cave in a rock quarry, feinted on the inside
walls were white crosses and, in black, the word "Sabeth". The Bu¬
chanan County Sheriff's Office had been informed by the San Francisco
Police Department in California that an investigation was being conduc¬
ted into a group of 10 to 15 cultists "believed to be traveling across
the country, performing satanic rituals - among them animal mutila¬
tions and human sacrifice".
Then, as further indication of the type of activity that such a group
could be involved in: On July 16, 1980, an article appeared in the
BELVIDERE (New Jersey) NEWS (credit: Lucius Farish; UFO News-
clipping Service; Route 1, Box 220; Plumerville, Arkansas 72127),
a portion of which follows;
Pet owners should be made aware of increased activity of
occult groups in both Sussex and Morris counties. Animals
are sometimes obtained from pounds and shelters, but more
often than not they are simply taken from cars or off the
property of their owners, warns the New Jersey Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Black female cats are
used for sexual abuse, and often their heads are bitten off
as part of the ritual. Dogs are also used and are held by
the neck and the hair burnt off. All,animals are bled and
the blood is used in the ceremony. The sexual organs and
bladder are also used. The rituals include the drinking of
the animal blood, the soaking of bread (signifying the body
cf Christ) in the animal's urine as an act of desecration.
Large animals such as horses, cows, goats and sheep are
also used. In Budd Lake, hundreds of animal bodies in
various stages of mutilation and decay were found by Mt.
Olive felice... the aftermath of an occult ritual. Smaller
scale sacrifices are taking place In the Sussex towns of
Lake Neapaulin, Wantage, Hamburg and Vernon. Many peo¬
ple have reported their pets suddenly missing. Others have
had the animals return near death in a mutilated condition.
It is very difficult to catch these people. It would be neces¬
sary for someone to infiltrate their group. This is difficult
and dangerous because they check out people very carefully
188
15
before allowing them to participate. We do know that sacri¬
fices are often, several times a week, and that the High
Sabbath is sometime in late August and many animals will be
collected at that time. The High Sabbath has been held in the
past at Stokes State Forest, but it is not known whether it
will be there again this summer.
Eric Plasa is director of law enforcement for the American Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, headquartered in New York City.
On August 10, 1980, an article concerning his investigations (titled "The
Cult Hunter") appeared in the SUNDAY NEWS MAGAZINE in New York
City (credit: Ruth Borne). Plasa, the story notes, "has made a career
lately of tracking to their lairs those who would slaughter animals and
drink their blood in a religious fervor." For a while Plasa attempted
only semi-successfully to infiltrate cults from within - especially the
Santeria, "a major cult imported here from Africa via Cuba". Later,
Plasa...
..emerged from the underground to fight the slaughter from the
outside. Sometimes he and his men would arrive too late and
find only the remains - a snake's body or a goat's head. But
there were also the dramatic rescues where they would arrive
moments before the carnage or, horrifically, while it was be¬
ing carried out. As in the time they burst in upon 15 cultists
in the Bronx, quaffing the blood of chickens and prepared to con¬
sume the vital fluid of 62 more animals, already decapitated
for the purpose. "Sixty-two animals for 15 people. That was
overkill", says Plasa, still shocked. "Even the high priests
would disapprove. These people hoped by going to extreme
lengths to show their devotion, they'd receive more in return
from the gods." The gods: Obatala, who demands pigeons and
white canaries; Yemaya, hungry for ducks and turtles; Eleg-
gera, who is appeased only by bulls, oxen and white mice.
Plasa told reporter Sherryl Connelly that, in his contacts, during infil¬
tration, with the Babalawos, the high priests of the Santeria, he found
that "his grip on reality was being shaken". Plasa said, "It wasn't that
came to believe this stuff. It was just, at times, I would begin to doubt
that all 1 had been taught about the cosmos was necessarily correct".
189
16
The raid in which the 62 animals were rescued was carried out on Sat¬
urday, June 7, 1980, At the time, ASFCA special agent Tom Langdon
(an associate of Flasa's) told the Associated Press about the cult of San-
teria: "They either bite, tear off or cut off the animals' heads and
drain ail the blood from their bodies into vessels on the floor and also
drip the blood over different deities and gods that are on the floor. They
also drink the warm blood as it drips out of the animals”. In March of
1979, what was at first termed a "voodoo altar" was discovered in a
chicken yard ten miles west of Miami, Florida. The altar featured a
human skull which had placed on top of a scorched head of a goat. On
top of the human skull was the freshly-decapitated head of a chicken.
Dade County authorities deduced that the setting was related to the San-
teria cult. A year later, in March of 1980, the apparent remnants of a
ritual were discovered in the Cook County Forest Preserve in Metropol¬
itan Chicago, Illinois. Found at the site were six decapitated chickens,
"two goats with their insides removed, a whole fish, several candles,
two pair of jeans and two pair of men's underwear"(CHICAGO SUN-TIMES,
March 24, 1980). Reporter Brian J. Kelly interviewed the Rev. J. Gordon
Melton, director of the Institute for the Study of American Religion (and
well-known to many readers as a book reviewer for FATE magazine).
Though chickens are usually associated with voodoo, Melton suggests
that the presence of goats indicated a possible Santeria ritual. Similar
discoveries - sometimes just animals, with no candles or other para¬
phernalia - are made from time to time across the country. In Febru¬
ary of 1974 seven cats were found stacked neatly in the shape of a pyr¬
amid in a mountain thicket near Bluefield, West Virginia. Close examin¬
ation revealed that the tongues had been either ripped out or cut off.
And in April of 1980 the carcasses of two dogs and seven cats were dis¬
covered "mutilated and stacked" in a deserted railroad yard in Somer¬
ville, Massachusetts. One dog was beheaded, the other had a stake
through its head, and the seven cats had apparently been burned alive
(MIDDLESEX NEWS, Mass.; credit: Loren Coleman).
In a course at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, law en¬
forcement officers can familiarize themselves with cult rituals, prac¬
tices and philosophies. Lt. William Reichert of Jupiter, Florida, took
the course and he told the PALM BEACH (Florida) POST (April 1979;
credit: Bob Pratt) that, ”In cults they have doctors, they have butchers,
they have all kinds of specialists".
190
17
December 1979 saw the publication of a paperback book entitled JAY'S
JOURNAL by Beatrice Sparks (Dell Books; P.O. Box 1000; Ptnebrook,
New Jersey 07058; $1.95 plus 75tf for postage and handling). The book
purports to be the diary of a 16-year-old high school boy (though the
location is not disclosed, the boy evidently lived in Utah) who eventually
committed suicide. Before that, though, he joined a secret occult socie¬
ty simply called "O". In his journal he writes of joining in their some¬
times bloody rituals, including the adroit and adept mutilation of cat¬
tle in western range country. According to the account, the "O' group
flourishes in many high schools across the country. Documentary pro¬
ducer Linda Moulton Howe of Denver, Colorado, after having read
JAY’S JOURNAL, consulted with a Catholic counselor (who was, in fact,
formerly an occult practitioner). He dismissed the idea of cults being
involved with the cattle mutilations, saying that none of the pagan or¬
ganizations are organized or disciplined enough - and he drew a dis¬
tinction between psychic phenomena and "real supernatural experience".
He told Linda Howe that "he deals with a lot of young people who are
psychic, feel out of it among other kids, turn to stuff like witchcraft
and pagan rituals but have no other motive for their acts beyond their
desperate confusion. He said the ceremony described in JAY'S JOURNAL
might be unique to a given cult and not nationwide".
We’ll close with a couple of Canadian opinions on the viability of the
"cult" scenario. On November 7, 1979, the following article appeared
in THE MELVILLE (Saskatchewan, Canada) ADVANCE (Credit: Denis
Comeau, editor). The author is an acknowledged cult expert, the Rev.
Colin Clay of St. Andrews College in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan:
CATTLE MUTILATIONS_CULTS DEFINITE POSSIBILITY AS CAUSE
There is a definite possibility that the cattle mutilations which have
been occurring recently may be the work of members of one or more
"satanic" cults. In fact, there now seems to be only two viable theo¬
ries: (a) they are the work of several mentally-deranged individuals;
perhaps one such person began the mutilation series with one or two
acts in Alberta which were then copied elsewhere by similarly disturb¬
ed people in that province and in Saskatchewan; (b) they are the work
of several "satanic" cults who would use the organs they remove from
191
18
the animals hi the course of their secret rituals. A complete, academ¬
ic study of the phenomenon would require us to examine a variety of
different traditions under the headings (a) Witchcraft, (b) Devil-wor¬
ship, (c) Occultism (which would include a number of relatively innoc¬
uous pastimes such as astrology, clairvoyance and spiritualism). As we
know, the third group has attracted an enormous following in the 20th
century, although Christians and jews have, throughout liistory, been in
opposition to it.
There are sufficient similarities between the "black" sicfo
and devil-worship for us to treat them together in this
of these are very ancient - pre-dating the Old Testame
turies. The Old Testament includes condemnations e.g.
Deuteronomy 18:10, the story of the witch of Endor in 1
7-25, and in the New Testament, Galatians 5:20. Both
Jews continued to be fascinated with the "black arts" ho
pressive measures were taken against witches in the m
ticularly at the time of the Inquisition. The Reformers
ed to witchcraft as were the Catholics, and Protestant
America executed many alleged witches in the 17th ceffl
e of witchcraft
In stance. Both
qt by many cen-
Exodus 22:18,
Samuel 28:
Christians and
wever, and re-
iddle ages, par-
were as oppos-
Ipirope and North
y*
ituir
The fundamental principle of both witchcraft and devil-w
on the assumption that "the world, the flesh and the dev
enjoyed - not suppressed, and that Christianity has set
commandments which inhibit men and women from expr<
selves completely. A close association with magic enco
of amulets and other superstitious objects. As the "High
modem Satanism in North America (Anton La Vey of Si
puts it, "Evil spelt backwards is live". He once appear
ny Carson show wearing a horned hood and brandishing
magic sword and explained that his church altar is a li
man to symbolize the "pleasures of the flesh" (THE OCC
SION; Nat Freedland, 1972, p. 168). According to Freed
Church of Satan in San Francisco the walls are black,
and the decor includes a deformed skeleton and stuffed
the bathroom has black towels and black toilet paper! If
it in such a way. La Vey's Satanic Church is quite
I believe ttot ip California, it is registered as a fully
authorized, among other things, to conduct marriages.
legii:i
orship is based
il" are to be
out a series of
'easing them-
1 [rages the use
Priest" of
Francisco)
hd on the John-
a ceremonial
and naked wo-
ULT EXPLO-
land, in the
lights red,
Animals. Even
we can express
mate. In fact,
legal religion.
an
192
19 ,
If Anton La Vey's Church of Satan is something of a "showcase" for
those fascinated by witchcraft and s&tanism, it is certainly not in such
open congregations that the bizarre happenings in Alberta and Saskatche¬
wan would find general support. But the current preoccupation with the
occult, and the publicity given to groups like the Church of Satan, make
it relatively easy for small congregations or "covens" to spring up ac¬
ross the country, and the availability of books on black magic, the
"Black Mass", devil worship and other related topics make possible a
large number of amateur, "do-it-yourself" satanic cult organizations.
The author and evangelist David Wilkerson estimates that there are more
than 400 groups of witches practising in the United States today. We may
assume that there are a considerabke number active in Canada also.
Most of these would follow the traditional rituals: the "altar" is the na¬
ked body of a female volunteer from the group; sacred objects that have
been used in Christian churches are sometimes used; e.g., candles and
chalices. In some parts of the United Kingdom, satanic groups have been
known to seek out consecrated communion hosts for use (or abuse) in
the ritual. A token form of "human sacrifice” usually takes place in the
ritual, at:,which time a volunteer from the group is symbolically whip¬
ped. In keeping with the belief that pleasure is all-important, and that
the body represents sensual pleasure, most (if not all) satanic rituals
would be performed with all participants naked.
It is noticeable that in the recent spate of cattle mutilations, sensory
organs (e.g., eyes, ears, tongue, heart, genitals) have been carefully
removed. It seems very likely that these would be incorporated into the
ritual - possibly by drying, grinding, and adding the powder to a liquid
which the devotees would then drink together - possibly from a chalice¬
like vessel. This would be interpreted as a union with the sensual, ero¬
tic feelings of all living creatures.
As suggested earlier, it seems highly unlikely that these mutilations
would be performed by any overt satanic or witchcraft groups. But it is
distinctly possible that they are the work of small, secret "covens".
With respect to the latter, one can only make what is at best an "edu¬
cated guess", but based on some suggestions made to me when making
enquiries about satanism when in the United Kingdom some years ago,
I personally believe that the perpetrators of these bizarre mutilations
are members of (1) very small, secret groups of 8-10 people in each;
193
20
that (2) they are not strictly satanists, but have formed "covens” of
like-minded people whose principle fascination is with tl
pect of satanism* that (3) they consist of middle-aged,
fluent couples, probably living in residential areas, who
bored with the daily routine and with the bland nature
life and are looking for something that is erotic, bizarrje
highly secretive. It is not difficult for these groups to
tion on the various rituals of witchcraft and satanism.
each other, to form such a group, is a mystery; but s
have been brought together for other so-called "adult
imperative for all concerned that absolute secrecy be m
involved have too much at stake.
tie ’pleasure" as-
]reasonably af-
have become
their family
daring and
dbtain informs -
How they find
imilar groups
ctivities. It is
aintained - those
I put this forward as a suggestion only, but I think, m
quite likely to be true. There may not be many such
had started the mutilations in Alberta, it is probable
about it, were attracted to the idea, and followed suit.
yself, that it is
groups, but if one
t others heard
that
Another Canadian researcher, who has addressed himse
lity of cultist involvement in the Alberta-Saskatchewan
furnished the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with his fj
summarized for Project Stigma:
fe
In a population of one-and-a-half million people, c
very thin on the ground, and in contact with very
mind. The highest incidence of "cultism" in Alberta
cultism, and not "satanic”, "witchcraft", "voodoo
you. None of the latter were sufficient in number o
organized to carry out what we seemed to be faced
these cattle mutilations. Of cultists I have met in
I have met many of varied persuasions), few would
enough to approach a live bull in an open paddock
ing a sharp instrument with the intent of removing
family jewels or internal organs. Most cultists pre:
meetings with candles and incense in house basemeh'
my experience. The history of animal sacrifice rev
dence of activity quite like that reported by the
"mute" cases. Further, "satanic", "witchcraft".
pres
If to the possibi-
mutilation siege,
ladings, which he
ultists would be
w of a like
is Christian
or what have
: sufficiently
with in
life (and
be brave
night bear-
the animal's
J'er huddled
ts - from
eats no evi-
s in the
oodoo" or any
ny
at
194
glnai
b !
other folk religion were seldom Innovative or ima
such people usually stick to rituals that have been
down from earlier practitioners. In my opinion, "c
were not responsible for "mute" atracks, because
to believe and base our opinions on press reports,
only come to the conclusion that those attacking the
had flight capability of an unfamiliar order, plus advanced
surgical training.
tive -
passed
tjltists"
we were
we could
animals
Whether all of the evidence pertaining to classic mutilations can be ex¬
plained by the actions of cults remains a matter for ser ious debate and
conjecture; and, indeed, we have our doubts. And for tqe purpose of
this report we have admittedly and arbitrarily omitted
ible origins of mute-causation. One might attempt to maLke a case for
the proliferation of Information about cults as a deliberate program of
disinformation, designed to steer mutilation research away from other
realms. Again, conjecture. Bsrhaps the most likely conclusion to be
reached at this point is, yes, some cults and cultists have apparently
been involved in some acts of animal (and human) mutikition. Precisely
how this fits into the larger picture (If at all) remains to be determtaed.
21
Letters
Personally, I think that aliens are behind this. One reas
iousity of animal life on Earth. A second reason, which
little "far-out", is that the aliens enjoy the taste of theii
of the animals they mutilate. Now, why so many mutilatp
word has gotten out to other aliens that there is "good
Earth. Now thirdly, the aliens may be trying to scare i|
press with their extraordinary surgical ability. As for
sightings around the mutilated corpses: If they are adva;
build and fly extraterrestrial spacecraft, they are proba
of building a mere helicopter. Now, why would they use
confuse us is one possibility;another is to make us think
are performing these mutilations. Let the UFO critics
(Continued)
on could be cur-
might seem a
e certain parts
ons? Maybe the
gating" on planet
si Or maybe im-
le helicopter
need enough to
3ly very capable
helicopters? To
that earthlings
skeptics think
and
195
22
what they want. Maybe they are afraid to face the fact
alone in all of God's creation. Myself, I believe in UFOb
mgs. If I ever meet one. I hope it will be a peaceful enp
pat we are not
and alien be-
ounter.
God bless,
A Michigan reader (name on file)
After carefully reviewing (Kenneth) Rommel's final repoijt
manuscript consisting of his fifteen personal mute inves
sy and analytical data, plus various state and federal c
find that it is not a definitive study of the total mutUatiof]
but only briefly scratches the surface to this most perp
A number of facts concerning this mystery have been ov^
report, and the report in itself seems to be a vendetta
outspoken individuals that emphasized human involvement
lations. Those of you who have the report will notice t
listed in the acknowledgement section in the front since
search into the UFO phenomenon was discussed by Romi
pages of this report; however, he did not use all of my
merely used that research which would further support
hat
red
aid
I can agree with some of Rommel's findings, but 1 canni
his conclusion to the entire phenomenon. There were a
ported mutilations in various states that were due to p:
venger activity, just as a few were due to pranksters
ses, but there were those that cannot be placed in these
remain unexplained. I find it rather unusual to say the
hearing of knife cuts supposedly done on the animal afte
some natural disorder or disease.
me
This would seem to
someone is always in the right place at the right time,
already dead animal in many different states, and in so
are very isolated and away from public roads, etc. Yet,
indicated by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, state
just recently the veterinary pathologist in Canada workinjg
Canadian Mounted Bailee.
There are three points to consider here: (L) Certain indi
mg about their findings; (2) farmers and ranchers are do
someone is just damn good at locating a dead animal aft
a 297-page
tigations, necrop-
o rrespondence, I
>n phenomenon
ijexing problem.
rlooked in this
^gainst certain
in these muti-
my name was
some of my re-
within the
research and
conclusion.
tis
i<bt agree with
number of re-
ation and sca-
natural cau-
catagories and
ljeast to keep
r it had died of
indicate that
to cut on the
areas that
this has been
Agencies, and
with the Royal
viduals are ly¬
ing it; and (3)
er it has died
196
23
and does ttieir carving on it for some unknown motive. It seems highly
unlikely that items number (2) and (3) would satisfy all of the findings
to date. Let’s use a little common sensei
Tommy Roy Blann (August 1980)
1002 Edmonds Lane - No. 152
Lewisville* Texas 75067
NOTES* COMMENTARY AND FOLLOW-UPS
Correction: Re: "A Mutilation Documentary" in STIGMATA No. 10 -
On page 5, in discussing the case of Judy Doraty, featured in the do¬
cumentary, "A Strange Harvest", we stated that Mrs. Doraty and her
family all observed a calf being "sucked" up through a beam of light
into , a UFO. As far as was known, only Mrs. Doraty herself observed
the levitation of the calf (she was standing outside her car while the ot¬
her witnesses remained in the car). Our tha nk s to Linda Howe, who
wrote, produced, directed and edited "A Strange Harvest", for pointing
this out.
And in regard to another UFO-abduction/mutilation case, one that we
mentioned only briefly on the back page of STIGMATA No. 10: The in¬
cident occurred in Colfax County, New Mexico in the spring of 1980. A
woman and her young son were driving along a highway when they ob¬
served one or more UFOs. They subsequently somehow found themsel¬
ves aboard a craft where the mutilation of an a n imal was witnessed.
After the incident was reported to authorities, the witnesses were hos¬
pitalized. Reliable sources indicate that, although the boy is okay, the
woman attempted twice to commit suicide while hospitalized, and it was
thought at one time that "something" may have been implanted into her
during an "examination" on board the craft. Members of a prominent
UFO investigative organization are probing the occurrence, and we will
hope to eventually learn more details.
Thanks for recent plugs given to STIGMATA by: THE STARK FIST OF
REMOVAL (Newsletter of the Church of the SubGenius )(The SubGenius
Foundation; P.O.Box 140306; Dallas, Texas 75214; $1.50 per copy); also
SLUGGO (P.O.Box 755; Austin,Texas 78767; $2.00 per copy); and THE
MUFON UFO JOURNAL (103 Oldtowne Rd.; Seguin, Texas 78155; $15.00)
197
24
In STIGMATA No. 5, we •voiced our support for the use of competent
and proven psychics in the analysis of mutilation data. We are, in fact,
continuing to pursue this avenue of investigation ourselves (an up-date
on the results will be published in the near future). Thankfully, we are
not alone. Writer and paranormal investigator Peter Jordan has compil¬
ed and published a fascinating, (possibly) groundbreaking report entitled
GLIMPSES THROUGH A LOOKING GLASS - subtitled "Four Psychics and
Their Readings On The Subject of Unexplained Cattle Mutilations". Indeed
there are some curious correlations among the psychics; but as Peter
Jordan admits confirmation of the readings is difficult if not impossible
at the present time and "only time will tell". But it’s a start. GLIMPSES
THROUGH A LOOKING GLASS is available at a cost of $5.00 per copy,
postpaid, from: Peter A. Jordan; 217 Connecticut Road; Union, NJ 07083.
Peter Jordan has also authored an article on the livestock mutilation
phenomenon which will appear in an upcoming issue of SCIENCE DIGEST.
Follow-Up: In STIGMATA No. 4 (Summer 1978) we published what we
knew of the story of a woman we called "Mrs. L.", a series of episodes
we termed "Ordeal In Arkansas". We have probably received more in¬
quiries about that story than about any other material we have publish¬
ed. To be sure, if the account could be verified, it could easily be of
paramount signifucance. "Mrs. L's" idemtity and location are now known.
She does, indeed, live in south Texas, and she contacted the headquar¬
ters of the Mutual UFO Network for help in unravelling and understand¬
ing her experiences. The case is currently under investigation by MU-
FON and hopefully the complete story will he available for dissemina¬
tion in the near future.
We have been advised that an updated version of the 1976 novel, THE
MUTILATORS, by Mervin Casey is now available. We have not seen a
copy, but the book can ordered for $7.45 postpaid from: MODI, Ltd.;
P.O. Box 22104; Denver, Colorado 80222.
The articles-in-the-works on mutilations scheduled for LIFE and NEW
WEST have apparently been shelved, and It’s doubtful they will ever ap¬
pear in print.
