Geographical Index > United States > West Virginia > Mercer County > Report # 24061
(Class A)
Submitted by witness on Wednesday, June 25, 2008.
Family gathering interrupted by 8-foot tall visitor at the kitchen window
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YEAR: 1979
SEASON: Summer MONTH: August DATE: 10 STATE: West Virginia COUNTY: Mercer County LOCATION DETAILS: about 8 miles from town limits. NEAREST TOWN: Princeton WV NEAREST ROAD: mountian dirt rd. OBSERVED: I was 11 yrs old and we often visited my dads family during the summer break. We arrived about 11pm and were all sitting around talking (4 men, 3 women & 5 kids). I noticed my grandmother kept looking over her right shoulder towards the large kitchen window. She suddenly grabbed my grandfathers leg and whispered "Benny, there’s something in that window".
My grandfather looked at the window and calmly went into his bedroom. He called my father and uncles in after him.
I got up and went in also as my granddad was taking guns off the rack and he said, "There is something at that back window; we got to run it off". My dad and his brothers smiled at each other, thinking it was a joke until granddad loaded his double barrel 12ga (paw-paw did NOT play with guns).
My dad & uncles took the guns and ammo handed them and started for the front door. I being the oldest grandson tagged along at the rear (with an unloaded .22 rifle) feeling like I was one of the men. I remember feeling scared but also brave going out in the dark to deal with this bear or whatever it was.
Granddad and uncle got to the rear of the house, turned the corner and froze in their tracks. My uncle said "Daddy what the hell?" My grandad fired both barrels one after the other. I dropped my gun spun around, heading back to the front door which was locked tight!
I was pounding on the door and screaming, “Let me in!” I looked to my left and where the roof meets the wall of the house I saw the outline of one shoulder and a head and two small greenish yellow eyes reflect in the porch light.
During this time the men were at the rear of the house, the women and kid's were inside screaming because of the shotgun blasts, and I was pounding on the front door all, within about 5 seconds of the shots.
My dad came around from the right side looking for me. I pointed to it and he put me behind him, yelling for them to open the door. In about 30 minutes we were all back in the house and pretty well freaked out.
None of us slept well that night. I do remember my granddad talking to himself saying, "Wonder where them dogs got off to?"
A couple Years later, I asked my granddad what is was he saw that night and he said it was not a bear that’s for sure. By the way, the kitchen window is about 8 feet off the ground due to the slope of the mountain.
ALSO NOTICED: 4 dogs which stay around the house at night were gone during the sighting but came back scared in the morning. so scared that they pushed their way into the house, these dogs had never seen the inside of a house before that morning. OTHER WITNESSES: 2 saw the shape and size in the dark, 2 saw just head/face & eyes in low light OTHER STORIES: none TIME AND CONDITIONS: late night, Johnny Carson was on the t.v.
Weather was clear but no moon. ENVIRONMENT: mountains, very rocky and wooded very few homes around
Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stephen Willis:
Witness stated that following this incident his grandmother made a change in her walking habits. Previously she carried a .22 rifle when walking in the woods. Following that night, she switched to carrying a Winchester 30-30 on her daily walk.
There were no more visitations following the events of this night. His grandfather told him of an unseen individual throwing rocks at him while camping in another location in Mercer County.
About BFRO Investigator Stephen Willis:
Grew up in central West Virginia. Retired from the US Army in 2003. Small manufacturing business owner. Lived for almost 7 years in Germany and 1.5 years in the Mideast.
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