The photos first aired publicly on TV-33 in nearby LaGrange, Georgia, on
the "Heston & Steve" show. Guests John C. Thompson and Jimmy Smith,
field investigators for the International Society for
UFO Research (ISUR), have since posted the pictures on the Web and
called for the photographer to step forward with the original negatives.
Jeff Sainio, photoanalyst for the Mutual UFO Network, was
initially optimistic until he concluded his examination: "The
Unidentified Object moves considerably with respect to the treeline and
fencepost, indicating considerable camera motion, but has a stable height
and size with respect to the latter, even though the distance from the
camera to fencepost changes considerably. This is most simply explained
if the UFO is a small model strung up near the fencepost."
Says Thompson, "We will continue our investigation until we are certain
that the photo-taker will not come out of the closet to prove his photos
are real. Reluctantly, without the negatives, more photos -- he says he
took a whole roll! -- or the man and exact location of the photo-taking,
we will, eventually, have to declare them a hoax."
-- Dennis Stacy
A radio station and newspaper in Valley, Alabama, recently received
copies of six photographs of an alleged UFO resembling the old Mercury
space capsule. They were accompanied by a letter from the photographer,
who wishes to remain anonymous, "in order to protect my family and myself
from the ridicule which always follows matters such as these."