MUFON Receives Report of 'Tall Creature' with 'Bright Red Eyes' and 'Large Wings' near Chicago's O'Hare Airport

Updated 10/10/19

The Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) received a report early Monday from a witness who said he was sitting in his car outside of Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport on October 5th at around 9:45 p.m. when he spotted a "tall creature" with "bright red eyes" and "large wings."

According to case 103855:

I was sitting in my car awaiting my next Uber/Lyft call. I was parked on the side of the road near Toll Booth Plaza 31; it is a spot many [drive-share] drivers like to park to be close to the O'Hare terminals, which allows us to pick up rides from the airport. As I was sitting there, fiddling around my car, I saw something walk out of the trees. It was a tall creature about six to seven feet tall and kind of hunched over. It walked with a sort of gait like almost a waddle. It was completely black; when it swiveled its head, I saw two bright red eyes glowing. This thing opened a pair of large wings, as wide as it was tall, and began to flap them. It took off and headed to the south toward that large indoor driving range and the baseball park. It was gone in a few seconds.

This report was published to the website UFO Stalker, before being covered by UFO Clearinghouse and Phantoms & Monsters.

The Singular Fortean Society was able to confirm with MUFON’s Illinois State Director Sam Maranto that the case was being pursued.

Maranto said that a MUFON investigator had "exchanged a number of emails" with the witness, but that the witness "is refusing to talk on the phone or meet them." He added that the investigator following up on the case "knows the location very well, and will be interviewing folks around the site."

The demeanor of the witness seemed odd, said Maranto, since "most folks are anxious to talk, give more information, or help in any way."

Maranto compared this latest report to what he deemed "many of the more questionable reports we received in 2017."

The MUFON state director offered to keep the Singular Fortean Society informed of any new developments in their investigation.

Investigator Lon Strickler of Phantoms & Monsters told the Singular Fortean Society that the witness had contacted him by email after deciding not to speak directly with MUFON. According to Strickler, the witness said he was contacted by a MUFON representative who “told him that he [wouldn’t] believe him unless he came forward…with his name and a photo of himself.”

Maranto denied that the investigator assigned to the case made the alleged requests, and stated that the majority of questions sent to the witness were taken directly from the standard MUFON interview questionnaire—the only deviation being a request from the investigator asking the witness to review photographs of the sighting area to provide more details.

Strickler hopes that the witness will agree to speak with him over the phone if he promises anonymity.

“He’s just a guy trying to make some extra money as an Uber driver,” Strickler said. “He seems not to want other drivers to know. He’s afraid they’ll ridicule him.”

The Singular Fortean Society will publish any new developments in this investigation as they are received from any of the involved parties.

This is the latest news in a string of ‘Mothman’ sightings from within a few hundred mile radius surrounding Lake Michigan, including every state bordering the great lake. These sightings ostensibly began in the spring of 2017, but more historical accounts are being reported as more people become aware of the phenomenon. Sightings of weird winged beings around Lake Michigan have been reported at all hours, often in or near a park, and around water. Witnesses consistently describe a large, gray or black bat or bird-like creature—although in a small number of cases the creature was described as insect-like—sometimes with glowing or reflective red, yellow, or orange eyes; and humanoid features such as arms and legs are often reported. Many of the sightings are also of something seen only briefly or are described only as a flying creature with few details, which leaves open the possibility that a large avian being could explain some encounters. Sightings of anomalous avians, including thunderbirds and pterosaurs, are often reported in or near the same locations as those where witnesses have reported winged humanoids.

To report a sighting, reach out to us directly at the Singular Fortean Society through our contact page.

You can view a timeline of the sightings so far here, and an interactive map here.

To report your own encounter with the impossible, reach out to us directly at the Singular Fortean Society through our contact page.

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