Incident #991027
Murphysboro, Jackson Cty, Illinois
Jun 1973
Account
Randy Needham and Judy Johnson (someone else's wife) parked just before midnight at Murphysboro boat ramp on Big Muddy River. They heard a loud cry from the woods next to the car, like an amplified eagle shriek. Needham then saw approaching the open window a light-colored, hairy, 8-foot creature covered with mud. He drove off and reported to police, who found some "peculiar" footprints in the oozing mud, heard a shriekd themselves, followed splashing sounds, but found nothing.
When
- Observation Date
- JUN 25 1973
- Month
- Jun
- Year
- 1973
- Season
- summer
- Time of Day
- 10 to midnight
- Duration
- brief
Where
- State / province
- Illinois
- County
- Jackson Cty
- Nearest Town
- Murphysboro
- Latitude
- 3746
- Longitude
- 8941
What was seen
- Individuals
- one large, sex unknown
- Total Individuals
- 1
- Population Status
- urban
- First Seen
- beside
- Terrain Object
- occupied machine
- Near or/at
- trees
- Multiple Sightings Y/N
- Yes
- Tracks
- found later
Witnesses
- No. of Witnesses
- 1
- Witness(es) Sex
- Male
- No. of Track Witnesses
- several
Setting
- Nearby Water
- river
Source
- Source
- New York Times, Nov. 1, 1973, quoting Randy Needham, Murphysboro, IL. Also Carbondale, IL, Daily Egyptian, about Jun 27, 1973. both 17, Murphysboro, IL
Creature description
- Hair Covered
- yes
- Height
- 8 ft
- Posture
- erect
- Appearance
- matted
- Hair Colour
- light
- Movement
- walking
- Movement re observer
- towards observer
- Sound
- scream
- Position when first seen
- erect
Footprints
- Set of Tracks
- 1
- Material Tracks Made in
- mud
Witness
- Witness Saw with
- naked eye
- Observer Was
- in car
- Closest horizontal distance
- 50 feet
- Action on sighting
- fled