Joe Nickell, Paranormal Investigator and ‘Real-Life Scully,' Dies at 80
Photographs, via the Nickell family
As a paranormal investigator, Joe Nickell was in high demand, studying ghosts, the Loch Ness monster, crop circles and appearances of Jesus, including one on a tortilla.
His search for legendary creatures included Bigfoot, particularly in Bluff Creek, Calif., which was famous for a 1967 film that that purported to show the elusive creature walking in the forest.
He solved hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of mysteries, drawing skills from his previous work as a magician, which taught him how to deceive others.
At one point he traveled to Conyers, Ga., to debunk a rumor that the statues there had heartbeats.
He often addressed the subject of aliens — and had fun in the process. Here, he staged what he called an 'abduction' by 'aliens' in Kelly, Ky., the site of a supposed alien sighting.
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