There have been countless claims of UFO sightings and abductions over the years, and while most experiencers walk away unharmed, a handful of cases ended with people died under mysterious circumstances.
Why People Died After UFO Contact
From strange lights to eerie craft, these ten incidents show how a seemingly otherworldly encounter can turn deadly.
10 Jose Viana And Manuel Pereira Da Cruz
In August 1966, a teenage kite‑hunter in Rio de Janeiro stumbled upon a grim scene: two rain‑coat‑clad men lying on their backs, each with a makeshift lead mask near their heads. Initial investigators ruled cardiac arrest for both, but the coincidence of two heart attacks at the same spot raised eyebrows.
The victims were identified as Jose Viana and Manuel Pereira da Cruz. Witnesses later reported an orange, glowing craft hovering over the area that night. UFO researcher Jacques Vallée noted the lead masks suggested they were trying to shield their eyes from a powerful, unknown light source.
9 Todd Sees
On a crisp August morning in 2002, Todd Sees set out from his home near Montour Ridge, Pennsylvania, on an ATV to survey deer before hunting season. He never returned.
When his son searched, he found Todd’s vehicle with the driver’s clothing neatly folded on the seat. After a two‑day hunt, Sees was located in dense underbrush, his body emaciated. MUFON reports from that day describe a silver disc hovering over the ridge, and a witness recalled a “shaft of light” descending onto the spot where Todd’s vehicle was later found.
8 Arcesio Bermudez
July 1969, Anolaima, Colombia. Children’s cries led 54‑year‑old Arcesio Bermudez to a glowing object hovering above the family’s property. The craft drifted to a hillside, where Bermudez saw a creature inside a glass dome.
He shone a flashlight at the being, causing the object to flare before shooting away. Within 48 hours, Bermudez fell ill with nausea and strange blue spots on his skin. A week later he died, the official cause listed as gastroenteritis.
7 Jonathan Lovette
March 1956, New Mexico. Sergeant Jonathan Lovette and Major William Cunningham were retrieving missile debris when Lovette vanished toward a sand dune, screaming. Cunningham arrived to see a silver disc hovering, with a massive snake‑like appendage wrapping around Lovette and pulling him aboard.
Three days later, Lovette’s body was recovered, riddled with gruesome mutilations: eyes and tongue removed, blood drained, and other horrendous injuries. Some skeptics claimed Cunningham fabricated the story, but the physical evidence told a chilling tale.
6 Rivalino Mafra Da Silva
August 1962, Diamantino, Brazil. Rivalino Mafra da Silva and his three sons awoke to heavy footsteps and human‑shaped shadows drifting toward their home. One son spotted two black spheres hovering nearby.
When Rivalino investigated, the spheres merged, releasing a yellow mist that wrapped around him. In an instant, the mist, the spheres, and Rivalino vanished without a trace.
5 The Guarapiranga Reservoir Man
1988, Guarapiranga Reservoir, Brazil. A body was recovered showing the kind of precise mutilations seen in cattle‑mutilation cases: ears, eyes, tongue, and genitals neatly removed, skin and tissue cut with surgical precision, and the entire body drained of blood. Tests indicated the victim had been dead for at least 48 hours, yet there were no signs of decomposition.
4 Abel Boro
October 1981, Panorama, Brazil. Locals reported “chupas” – rectangular, fridge‑shaped crafts shooting beams across the sky. Abel Boro and friend Rivamar Ferreira witnessed a circular, spinning craft that descended, enveloping Boro in a bright, glittering glow.
When Ferreira fetched help, Boro was found dead, his body white and completely drained of blood.
3 Karl Hunrath And Wilbur Wilkinson
November 1953, Gardena County Airport, California. UFO investigators Karl Hunrath and Wilbur Wilkinson rented a plane to fly into the desert and meet extraterrestrials they claimed to have contacted psychically.
The pair vanished without a trace—no wreckage, no radio contact. The FBI later showed interest in Hunrath’s alleged invention that could bring down any military aircraft, adding a layer of intrigue to their disappearance.
2 Seven Killed In India By UFOs
August 2002, Lucknow, India. Reports described disc‑shaped and ball‑like UFOs zipping through the sky, flashing bright lights. Over several days, seven locals died with injuries resembling electrocution.
In a 16‑kilometer radius, more than 20 people simply vanished, their whereabouts still unknown.
1 Joao Prestes Filho
March 1946, Aracariguama, Brazil. Joao Prestes Filho burst into his sister’s house, frantic after a fishing trip. He claimed a strange craft shot a beam of light that struck his leg.
Hours later, his leg wound worsened dramatically—skin and flesh peeled away as if boiled. He died shortly after reaching the hospital, with no definitive cause of death recorded.