A Texas Man Claims to Have Killed Bigfoot

Screencap via

Rick Dyer, a member of the Bigfoot-hunting community in San Antonio is attracting media attention with his new claim that he "shot and killed a Bigfoot." The weirdly narcissistic statements he made about it on YouTube are, for the moment, a substitute for evidence of any kind to back up his claim.

However, Dyer says that in the coming days the public should expect a "major university" and "a major news source," to come out and confirm his statements, and that there will be two press conferences next month, one of which will include, "Doctors, scientists, and all that mess, and paperwork proving it because I know some of you want to see paperwork."

In the meantime, he has circulated a photo of what he calls the creature's face for our viewing pleasure:

Did he make this Bigfoot face out of Fimo, or did he murder a mall Santa? You decide, America.

I'm conflicted about whether to direct you to his YouTube channel. It's the rawest, most unfiltered version of Rick Dyer, and it gives you a glimpse of what's in his head—but on the other hand, he has enabled ads. He's made 225 videos in the past nine months, some of which have attracted thousands of views, and others of which are advertisements for $120 DVDs. He's probably made a few nickels off the latest version of his little circus. Given that he plans to charge for viewings of his new whatever, I'd hate to add to his revenues by increasing his YouTube view count.

So here are some highlights from what was his most recent statement on this subject when I wrote this article. Given the rate at which he posts videos, there'll probably be eleven more by the time you read it:

"There is zero doubt now that this is real. And I’m the one that did it. It’s big redemption for me and I am really happy. And I’m really happy at all the support that I’ve been given. So thank you. 

It’s going to get bigger of course, and the reason it’s going to get bigger is because I really killed Bigfoot. And I know it’s hard for people that’s not [sic] in the Bigfoot world to comprehend.

And I know they compare Bigfoot to the tooth fairy or whatever, but I’m here to tell you that’s going to stop really quick, because people are starting to comprehend what I did. And when you know the whole story of what happened September 6th of 2012, y’all would be fibroblasted [sic]."

The folks who devote their time and money to cryptozoological studies aren't short on trolls who shit on them from the safety of their laptops, as well as bullying from the likes of Bobcat Goldthwait and others. If you watch documentaries or TV shows about Bigfoot hunters, some of them are downright heroic in the way they soldier on, despite mountains of scientific evidence contradicting them. And unlike [other deluded wackos](http://www.darling motherish.com/2013/08/18/anti-vax-a-new-trend-amongst-the-rich/), their hobby generally hurts no one.

Rick Dyer, on the other hand, is a huckster and a fraud.

Via National Geographic, Credited to www.searchingforbigfoot.com

This is the same former corrections officer you remember from 2008, when he and two of his friends claimed they'd shot a Bigfoot and were keeping the body in a fridge. Suddenly America collectively said, "Someone is claiming to the mainstream media that they killed Bigfoot? First of all, if that's true, did they have to kill it? Second of all, the only thing that makes this credible is that, if this is a hoax and they're trying to profit from it, wouldn't that be illegal?" So we all felt vaguely curious for a few days, and then, disgustingly, it turned out to be a rubber mask on top of a pile of roadkill. Given his penchant for setting up little sideshows for people, it was probably a small moneymaking operation that got out of hand when someone photographed it.

That's why Dyer's newest testimony about what would be one of the most important discoveries in the history of science is chock full of sanctimonious claims about his own personal redemption:

"All these people who said, 'Aw Rick Dyer don’t have nothin’ because of the 2008…' There was a hoax in 2008. There was a hoax in 2008. Absolutely, and I was a part of that hoax. It didn’t start off as a hoax, and that’s what people don’t understand. It ended up as a hoax, and I take full responsibility for that.

And yes, this is about redeeming myself. I don’t want to go down as a hoaxer. I want to go down as the best Bigfoot Tracker in the world, which I am, the best Bigfoot tracker in the world."

If I had to speculate without evidence (and given the group I'm talking about, why the fuck shouldn't I?), I'd say Dyer started out as a member in good standing with the Bigfoot tracking community before being labeled a fraud. Now he's some kind of persona non grata, and this is his twisted way of trying to get back in.

Wouldn't that be sad?

@MikeLeePearl