YEAR: 2006

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: August

DATE: 26

STATE: Illinois

COUNTY: Morgan County

NEAREST TOWN: Jacksonville

NEAREST ROAD: Illinois 267

OBSERVED: The following interview was conducted by Stan Courtney. The first name of the witness has been changed.

Stan - Can you please explain what you saw?

Mark - It was just before football and I was trying to get into shape so I went for a run. The sun was still up a little bit. I went running and stopped at the road and looked in front of me and saw this big tall thing standing in the road looking right back at me, I saw the outline of it, it was too far away to tell what it was. But I knew it was too big to be a person.

Stan - How tall would you say it was?

Mark - I would say close to nine feet. It was tall enough I could see its whole body.

Stan - What was the animal doing when you first saw it?

Mark - It wasn't doing anything, it was just standing there watching me.

Stan - And what did you do?

Mark - I turned around and went home.

Stan - Were you able to tell what color it was?

Mark - It was very dark brown.

Stan - And how was it built?

Mark - It was very muscular.

Stan - Did it make any sounds?

Mark - I didn't stick around long enough to hear anything. I don't think I told my dad about this, but the night I saw it while I was out running, I saw it looking through my front window.

Stan - Of the house?

Mark - Yes, and I was the only one at home, I was watching the Sci-Fi Channel. Its face was hairy but you could tell it had a human face to it. It was between a human face and an apes face I would have to say.

When I looked out the window, I saw it. I didn't hear anything, I saw it once and took off and ran as fast as I ever have in my life. I turned on every light and ran up-stairs and got in the corner of my bedroom and I took the gun I had and pointed it at the door until my mom and dad got home.

ALSO NOTICED: None

OTHER WITNESSES: None

OTHER STORIES: Yes, I had a sighting the year before while driving home.

ENVIRONMENT: Woods, fields

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

I spoke with both witnesses by phone. I visited the site and spoke personally with his parents in their home.

In summary:

- The animal was close to 9 feet tall.
- The color was very dark brown.
- The body build was very muscular.
- The face at the window was described as hairy, and its appearance was between an apes and human.
- His story about seeing it in the family window is consistent to what the mother had happen to her as well. The mother believes that she has also been watched from the window. However, when she turned around it was gone. His dad was also under the opinion that the family had been followed home before. They were very concerned about their safety.

About BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

Stan Courtney has a special interest in wildlife audio recording. He has attended numerous BFRO Expeditions. See Stan's blog StanCourtney.com for recordings he has collected over the years.

Stan Courtney can be reached at illinois@bfro.net