As mentioned last week, in part three of this four-part series, investigators from the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization, the Mutual UFO Network, and the Center for UFO Studies travelled to Liberty, Kentucky, to interview three women there who’d reported an unusual UFO encounter. According to the women, Louise Smith, Mona Stafford, and Elaine Thomas, they suffered physical effects after the encounter including one-inch-by-three-inch rectangular burn-like marks on the backs of their necks, a burning sensation on certain areas of skin when in contact with water, and red irritated eyes. They also seemed to have lost around 80 minutes. This was on January 6, 1976, so it was an early abduction case before the narrative of a “typical” abduction by beings that came to be known as “greys” became prominent.
Jim and Coral Lorenzen of APRO were told about the case by APRO Field Investigator Bill Terry. He told them that abduction might have been involved, and they arranged for APRO Psychiatric Consultant Dr. Leo Sprinkle to travel to liberty and interview the women at APRO’s expense. He was a specialist in hypnotic regression and APRO was hoping that the women would agree to undergo the procedure.