The Associated Press has reported that a Montana man was killed while trying to create a fake Bigfoot sighting.
A man dressed in a military-style “ghillie” suit and apparently trying to provoke reports of a HAIRY HOMINID sighting in northwest Montana was struck by two cars and killed, authorities said.
The man was standing in the right-hand lane of U.S. Highway 93 south of Kalispell on Sunday night when he was hit by the first car, according to the Montana Highway Patrol. A second car hit the man as he lay in the roadway, authorities said.
Flathead County officials identified the man as Randy Lee Tenley, 44, of Kalispell. Trooper Jim Schneider said motives were ascertained during interviews with friends, and alcohol may have been a factor but investigators were awaiting tests. According to Schneider:
“He was trying to make people think he was Sasquatch so people would call in a Sasquatch sighting. You can’t make it up. I haven’t seen or heard of anything like this before. Obviously, his suit made it difficult for people to see him.”
This is a tragic event and while we here at American Monsters do everything in our power to discourage hoaxers from setting back the field that we respect so much, in this time of sorrow our hearts and prayers go out to he family and loved ones of Mr. Tenley.
Ghillie suits are a type of full-body clothing made to resemble heavy foliage and used to camouflage military snipers. Tenley was struck by vehicles driven by two girls, ages 15 and 17, who were unable to stop in time, authorities said.
