Discovery+ 'Shock Docs' Promise New Evidence in Classic Cases of UFO Abduction

In a recent press release, Discovery+ announced that it will offer two new Shock Docs (documentaries based on reportedly true tales of terrifying phenomena) covering the reported abductions of the Hill family and Travis Walton by otherworldly beings.

According to the release, Alien Abduction: Betty and Barney Hill and Alien Abduction: Travis Walton will present "the real stories, recounted by the eyewitnesses and victims themselves, and supported by exclusive audio and hypnosis tapes, of the most fascinating and frightening close encounters ever reported."

With new forensic technologies not available in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and access to the remarkably preserved physical evidence from these two cases, investigators reexamine the key pieces of evidence to see if they can prove that humans have had physical contact with extraterrestrials. The Shock Docs reveal new discoveries in both cases. In the Walton case, which took place in Arizona in 1975, unique tree ring growth may prove where the UFO was hovering, and separately, the program uncovers details behind the man who led a complex plot to debunk Travis' story. In the Hill case, which took place in New Hampshire in 1961, UFO expert Ben Hansen and his team run DNA testing on Betty Hill’s dress and corroborate parts of Betty's examination story.
“Even after decades, these are still active cases,” Hansen said. “We've been following up on leads and field research in the last few years that have uncovered incredible discoveries. As the world is hearing official confirmation of the existence of UAPs that may be of extraterrestrial origin, we now have to ask the next question: how up close and personal are these visits? No matter the agenda of these visitors, the vivid and dramatic details of the encounters in these historic cases should make everyone pause and wonder what might be coming.”

The Hills said that they were approached by a saucer-shaped craft after spotting a bright light in the sky seemingly following them during a return trip from Niagara Falls, and Barney was able to observe a number of humanoid figures in its windows with his binoculars. They later returned home much later than anticipated, showing signs of physical distress; Betty’s dress was torn, and Barney had scuffed his new shoes and torn the strap of his binoculars. Their watches had also stopped working, and they were displaying odd behavior, such as Betty placing their bags by the back door and Barney examining himself in the bathroom.

Although their memory of the UFO sighting remained following the encounter, it was only later, through dreams and hypnotic regression, that they would “recover” memories of an abduction and subsequent medical examination.

The Hill’s experience was investigated for the Air Force by Major Paul W. Henderson, who wrote in his report that the couple had probably misidentified the planet Jupiter, and by Walter N. Webb, a Boston astronomer and member of the National Investigations Committee On Aerial Phenomena (NICAP), who determined "they were telling the truth and the incident probably occurred exactly as reported except for some minor uncertainties and technicalities that must be tolerated in any such observations where human judgment is involved.”

Walton was said to have encountered an unidentified flying object while working on a lumber contract with six other men in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest near Snowflake, Arizona. Walton was reportedly abducted after approaching the saucer-shaped craft seen by the men while leaving their job site.

The seven men were riding in a truck when they saw the UFO hovering just over 100 feet away. Walton left the truck to examine the object, and was knocked unconscious by a beam fired from the craft. Fearing he was dead, Walton’s fellow lumberjacks fled the scene.

Walton was missing for five days, during which time his disappearance was treated as a potential homicide—but the men present for the event were cleared when Walton later turned up outside of a gas station in Heber, Arizona. All of the men later passed polygraph tests regarding the incident save one, Allen Dallis, whose results were inconclusive.

Since then, Walton has consistently recounted his tale of medical experiments performed at the hands of small, bald beings aboard a flying saucer.

Professional skeptic Philip J. Klass was outspoken in his belief that Walton invented the story for monetary gain, although no clear evidence to support that claim has yet surfaced. Other skeptics, including Michael Shermer, believe the incident could have been a confabulation brought on by Walton’s own interest in UFOs.

Betty and Barney Hill have both since passed away; Barney in 1969 and Betty in 2004.

Travis Walton, 64, is slated to appear in the documentary covering his experience.

Both documentaries are scheduled for release on Discovery+ this Friday, February 18th.

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