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The founder and Executive Director of The Cult Education Institute, Rick Alan Ross, will guest on a special episode of Expanding Frontiers with Erica Lukes. The show will air live on YouTube on Thursday, Sep. 5, 3pm Eastern . Mr. Ross is an internationally known expert regarding destructive cults and controversial groups. He is author of the book "Cults Inside Out: How People Get In and Can Get Out." Since 1982, Mr. Ross has been studying, researching and responding to the problems often posed by controversial authoritarian movements. Mr. Ross's commentary has been quoted within publications that include Time Magazine, The New York Times and The Washington Post. His appearances on national television have included a wide range of venues from news programs such as the "Today Show" and "Dateline" to popular interview shows such as "Oprah" and "Inside Edition." Mr. Ross has lectured at such prestigious institutions as the University of Chicago, Carnegie Mellon University, Baylor University, Wuhan University, China, and Assumption University, Thailand, among others. Join Expanding Frontiers live in chat on Thursday, Sep. 5, and keep track of our interviews and videos at our Youtube channel . Those so inclined may support our work via our homepage or Patreon . Thank you for your interest and support.

Utah HB29, recently signed into law by Gov. Spencer Cox, expanded upon previous legislation that allowed the challenging of “sensitive materials” in public schools. Some 13 books are now ordered to be taken off the shelves at every school library in Utah with more expected to follow. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Ken Ivory (R-West Jordan), allows for removal of books from schools statewide if officials in at least three school districts decide the material violates the law. Florida leads the nation in the unflattering category of book bans, passing ambiguous legislation that allows school districts to make their own rulings. National free speech group PEN America asserts that well north of 3,000 books were banned nationally during the 2022-23 school year, up 33% from the previous year, and that some 40% of the documented instances happened in Florida school districts. Erica Lukes, host of Expanding Frontiers, welcomes activists Peter Bromberg and Tasslyn Magnusson, PhD, to discuss the dangers of banning books in Utah and across the nation. Join them for a special Friday, Aug. 23, 5pm EST, edition of Expanding Frontiers with Erica Lukes. Peter Bromberg is the former Executive Director of the Salt Lake City Public Library and holds multiple key positions with nonprofit groups promoting literacy, advancing human rights and opposing censorship, including EveryLibrary and Let Utah Read. He consults on issues concerning libraries, educators and related legislation. Tasslyn Magnusson, PhD , is a writer and independent research consultant who works with EveryLibrary and PEN America. She researches censorship attempts in K-12 libraries and supports PEN America’s work in creating resources to support authors whose work is targeted.

Records ultimately provided by the FBI in response to a FOIA request further establish that a search for Nazi sympathizers led to the CIA. The investigation, conducted in the 1980s by the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO), included providing a list of organizations and projects to the FBI and requesting the Bureau search its files for information on each of the listed references. A 1982 memo, Subject: GAO Inquiry Into Alleged Nazi War Criminals , advised the FBI of and sought info on such CIA projects as the now infamous Operation Paperclip and a lesser known Project Permanent. The latter was described as enacted in 1948 at the request of the Director of Central Intelligence, who was Adm. Roscoe Hillenkoetter at that point in time. Additional material was subsequently obtained by Expanding Frontiers Research after filing an appeal of records initially withheld. The further released material includes names of individuals who were of interest to the GAO along with identifying file numbers. Download the 8-page document here: Pages withheld and redactions applied in response to the original 2021 request were appealed with guidance from FOIA activist Attorney Beth Bourdon. Her Patreon is a recommended resource for those wishing to study the FOIA process and support the work her network accomplishes. The original FOIA request to the FBI sought records pertaining to the Psychological Strategy Board (PSB), a CIA panel which operated from 1948-1952. The 1982 General Accounting Office memo to the Bureau was identified as responsive to the request because the PSB was specifically named on the list provided to the FBI. Part of the list reflecting U.S. projects and offices of concern to the GAO: Also making the list was the Office of Policy Coordination, a covert arm of the CIA and State Department which likewise operated from 1948-1952 before being merged into the CIA Directorate of Plans. The Office of Policy Coordination achieved extraordinary growth under the guidance of career CIA man Frank Wisner, ballooning from an early allowance of $4.7 million a year to an annual budget of $82 million by 1952. Personnel increased exponentially during the time and included such notable names as psychological warfare expert and UFO man of mystery Col. Joseph Bryan III; eventual Watergate “plumber” E. Howard Hunt, who worked on a psy warfare team assembled by Bryan; and DCI Walter B. Smith, who succeeded DCI Hillenkoetter and took full control of the Office of Policy Coordination into the CIA from its previously shared assignment with the State Department. Smith and Hunt were credited with what was considered a successfully executed 1954 coup in Guatemala, code named Operation PBSuccess, while Bryan and Hillenkoetter became staples of the Board of Governors of the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena. The saga is explored rather lengthily in this writer's nonfiction book, Wayward Sons: NICAP and the IC . It is all but impossible to separate right-wing extremism from the 20th century intelligence community, as has arguably remained the case for generations. The tendencies of select political figures to court fascism fuels conflict throughout American and global culture, and the UFO genre has certainly had its role in the circumstances. UFO organizations have been used to exploit the topic as a tool for conveying messages of political extremism to potentially credulous audiences. Additional material provided in response to the FOIA appeal includes a previously redacted entire page of the GAO list. The page is now released in full, as pictured below both before and after the appeal. Included are names of some formerly high profile Albanians of interest to the GAO along with select file numbers. Other now unredacted material includes the identification of John M. Anspacher as communicating with the FBI in 1952 on behalf of the Psychological Strategy Board. According to an FBI document, Anspacher “stated his responsibility as a PSB member was to survey the capabilities of various government agencies to determine what might be done in a deterrent or retaliatory manner to offset psychological advantages that momentarily are gained by Russian Satellite countries or the Soviets.” The material provides numerous directions for further research and more FOIA requests. The response contains additional previously undisclosed file numbers and a reference to “FCI,” or foreign counterintelligence. Other items of note for potential FOIA requests include references to correspondence conducted between the FBI and Psychological Strategy Board not included in the records provided. In related FOIA work, a request was submitted to the FBI for records on the CIA Office of Policy Coordination. The Bureau stated in a July 2022 letter it completed a review of responsive records but was withholding the material in its entirety, citing FOIA exemptions (b)(3), (b)(6), (b)(7)(c), and (b)(7)(e). A subsequent appeal was denied. "It is reasonably foreseeable that disclosure of the information withheld would harm the interests protected by these exemptions," the Department of Justice wrote in its Oct. 27 denial of the appeal.

By Jack Brewer and Erica Lukes If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit  SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources  for additional resources. The Uintah County Attorney's Office recently provided Expanding Frontiers Research another release of records in response to a March 1 request seeking material on an abandoned motorcycle and a deceased body recovered near Skinwalker Ranch. The request was initially denied by the Uintah County Sheriff's Office (UCSO) and appealed to both the county's Chief Administrative Officer and the Utah State Records Committee. Records subsequently obtained indicate Andrew Crowe committed suicide, shooting himself within a few yards of an isolated road in Uintah County. As previously reported by EFR , Crowe left his Harley Davidson on the roadside with a several-page letter to Thomas Winterton, a cast member of The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch and organizer of Uintah County's PhenomeCon. The letter warned of paranormal dangers at the ranch as cultivated by Winterton and his fellow cable television and conference cast members, referred to as “talents” in their Uintah County PhenomeCon contracts. Police surmise from the letter that Crowe wanted Winterton to have his Harley. A July 18 email from the county attorney's office informed EFR of the release of three police video recordings that were created when the sheriff's office responded to reports of the abandoned motorcycle. “The redactions being made to these documents are pursuant to Utah Code Ann. §63G-2-302 to protect personal identifying information of individuals,” the Uintah County Attorney's Office wrote in the email. “We would like to acknowledge that there are still more records being reviewed that we will be providing as we receive and review them.” The image above is taken from dash cam video recorded by the UCSO. It shows officers from the sheriff's office and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) examining the letter to Winterton while standing in the snow and rain the morning of November 24, 2023 (Black Friday). The resulting law enforcement investigation required time and resources from multiple agencies and jurisdictions spanning at least two states. While records obtained indicate circumstances surrounding the motorcycle and its owner were primary points of interest, police notably showed no concern whatsoever about the dubious narratives of public safety hazards often promoted by the Skinwalker Ranch crew and enabled by Uintah County public officials. Law enforcement eventually requested to search Skinwalker Ranch for the presumed deceased person and, as a matter of fact, a responding officer initially laughed when they first saw the large envelope addressed to Tom Winterton left at the motorcycle. The clip below is taken from a longer UCSO body cam video. It includes the officer discovering the letter. He then describes items he observed on the bike to the BIA officer and can be heard laughing as he holds the envelope up for his colleague to see the apparent intended recipient, Thomas Winterton. The officer then begins to read the letter aloud. As it becomes increasingly difficult to follow, he reads and comments, “It is a refined power source... event horizon... what ?” Upon heading back to his vehicle, the officer remarks, “Alright, gimme a sec, this is gettin' weird.” View the video recording in its entirety, as well as the two other videos, as uploaded to Google Drive . The following clip is taken from UCSO dash cam video of the same sequence of events. The UCSO officer is observed examining and photographing the contents of the bike. After discovering the large envelope addressed to Winterton, he can be seen gesturing to the BIA officer to come have a look. They then share the pages of the letter, contemplating what it indicates. The clip below is from a longer video from a camera pointed at the backseat of the UCSO vehicle. The video serves as audio confirmation of conversations taking place by radio between the officer and other UCSO personnel. He requests information on Thomas Winterton, to which he is advised of Winterton's possible status as manager of Skinwalker Ranch. “Copy,” the responding officer replies, “that might make sense,” adding he will be submitting more information. He then begins backing the vehicle down the narrow road and away from the scene. The first of the three recently released longer-length videos begins with officers initially arriving at the scene of the motorcycle. They speak to surrounding residents. The owner of a nearby farm explains he found the bike and a plastic bag taped to its windscreen. The bag contained a signed title along with handwritten operating instructions. The man directly states there was no suicide note in the plastic bag but interpreted the act was implied. He further stated he had not searched the surrounding area because of his concerns about locating a body, suggesting perhaps police should have that responsibility. Video contained in the release additionally shows the responding UCSO officer conferring with a colleague by cell phone about proper protocols for impounding the motorcycle. The footage provides multiple angles of police response to the incident, both literally and figuratively. Read the EFR previous reporting about how law enforcement agencies collaborated to locate the body of the deceased individual about three months after the motorcycle was found abandoned on Thanksgiving. Access a folder containing the most recently released video records and view all of the records obtained thus far on the case. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you for your interest in our work at Expanding Frontiers Research. Please consider joining the EFR Patreon  or making a contribution via our secure “Donate” button located on our homepage . Your donations help fund fees associated with our FOIA and GRAMA work, the costs of producing our YouTube show, maintaining our website, and general operating expenses. As a Patreon subscriber, you are provided and kept updated on the records we obtain, offered instructional information about submitting records requests, and much more. Expanding Frontiers Research is a Utah nonprofit corporation, tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. EIN: 88-3794616.

By Jack Brewer and Erica Lukes If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit  SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources The final response was issued to a public records request submitted to the Uintah County Sheriff's Office concerning an abandoned motorcycle and deceased individual located in the vicinity of Skinwalker Ranch. The July 31 release represented the last in a series of responsive records transferred to Expanding Frontiers Research from the Uintah County Attorney's Office. Items include a suicide note, medical examiner report, and video filmed by a drone as law enforcement personnel located what was later confirmed to be the lifeless body of Andrew Crowe. His motorcycle was reported abandoned Nov. 24, 2023, and a search of the surrounding area was conducted Feb. 29, 2024. Drone video obtained from the Uintah County Sheriff's Office Items obtained July 31 also include numerous images and police records. The material is available in a folder uploaded to Google Drive. You may also access the final response along with records previously received in a master folder available for viewing. Please be advised the images, videos, and documents represent original source law enforcement records and may be found disturbing in some instances. The Uintah County Attorney's Office advised in a July 31 letter that certain specifically identified records were withheld due to reasons including their graphic and shocking nature. The law office also indicated select records were withheld “that would disclose investigative techniques.” Utah Code cited for material exempt from disclosure included 63G-2-305(10)(e) and (51) and 63G-2-302(2)(d). As previously reported, the late Andrew Crowe expressed significant interest in the narratives surrounding Skinwalker Ranch. According to records obtained, he formerly lived in California and traveled to Uintah County, penning a letter to Skinwalker personality Thomas Winterton. The letter was found on the motorcycle Crowe abandoned on Thanksgiving of 2023 and reflected his thoughts about alleged paranormal phenomena and UFOs. The letter also suggested he wanted Winterton to have his Harley Davidson, referred to as “Haley” in notes left by Crowe. A suicide note found Feb. 29 in Andrew's front coat pocket is shown below. As interpreted in a report authored by a detective , it read, “My Last Wishes/Will Andrew B. Crowe 1) Do not notify or bother next of kin or family ties 2) Donate my body to a forensics body farm, so mother Earth can reclaim what's rightfully hers. Use any monies found on body to assist with transport costs. Thank you (back of page) There's no blame to be had or be put on anyone or anybody for my choice to move on in this way. Its an act of futility to waste any more resources on this failing piece of work (my body) which has stolen all pleasures from eating to long uninterrupted rides on Haley. Please find her a good home. Andrew B. Crowe”. Also located with the body, according to the detective, was a Smith and Wesson .38 Special, four corresponding bullets with one spent shell casing, and a black holster. A medical examination dated March 1 indicates Mr. Crowe sustained a gunshot wound to the chest from close range. “Given the circumstances surrounding the death as currently known and the examination findings,” the report continued, “the cause of death is gunshot wound of torso.” The manner of death is suicide, the medical examination concluded. The report further indicated toxicology and postmortem blood was negative for ethanol and tested drugs of abuse. Cocaine, methamphetamine, morphine, and THC were documented to not be detected. Expanding Frontiers Research learned of the circumstances and subsequently obtained a statement from the sheriff's office in a March 4 email. The agency acknowledged the recovery of a deceased individual but declined to provide details or comment on the interest the person had in local paranormal lore. EFR submitted a public records request under the Utah Government Records Access and Management Act, leading to a series of denials and appeals. It was after submitting an appeal to the State Records Committee, resulting in negotiations conducted with the Uintah County Attorney's Office, that records were obtained as published in articles posted June 25 and July 21 .

Records on Gen. Albert Coady Wedemeyer (1896-1989) were recently provided by the FBI to Expanding Frontiers Research as the result of a 2021 Freedom of Information Act request. The Bureau explained in its July 17 final response that 101 pages were reviewed and 61 of those pages were being released. The previously released material includes FBI memos and correspondence spanning decades, as well as a report published in January 1958 by the Congressional Committee on Un-American Activities about its consultation with the career intelligence officer. FBI advised of the existence of another ten files in the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration containing records potentially responsive to Gen. Albert C. Wedemeyer. Expanding Frontiers Research submitted a FOIA request to NARA for the records. Gen. Wedemeyer commanded troops in the United States Army and served in Asia from 1943 until the end of World War II. He was a key member of the War Planning Board, which formulated strategy for D-Day, a massive invasion of Normandy that went on to liberate Western Europe from occupation by fascist Germany. The initiative was known to planners as Operation Overlord. Wedemeyer was an outspoken anti-Communist. In 1947 he returned to China to assess the circumstances and present a report to President Truman on proposed strategy. The general subsequently became deeply involved in the China lobby, adamantly opposing the forming of a Communist regime in China and its admission into the United Nations. He would interestingly go on to be known as an advisor to the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP), ostensibly incorporated as a UFO group in 1956. NICAP organizers included an almost certain CIA asset, Nicholas de Rochefort, who was an expert in psychological warfare and credited with founding The Committee of One Million, the most powerful and wealthy group in the Beltway China lobby, as covered by this writer in the book Wayward Sons: NICAP and the IC . The high-profile lobby group opposed Red China and de Rochefort was a recognized authority on the nation's political structure, as was Wedemeyer. A NICAP magazine published in July 1957, as brought to our attention by writer and researcher James Carrion, described the UFO org's affiliation with Wedemeyer and characterized his activities as evaluation of UFO reports. However, fascinating questions arise in hindsight as the magazine further explained the general was leaving NICAP because he never wanted his involvement to be known publicly. “We regret that the general's name was released,” the announcement concludes: Additional NICAP organizers of note include former State Department and CIA personnel, as well as others with interests in the Department of Defense, who shared ties to activities related to China. A number of these people, which include the very incorporators of the organization, vacated their NICAP positions within weeks of its October 1956 launch, as suggested in the above July 1957 references to "former management." Wedemeyer was apparently yet another. In a 2021 interview conducted by Erica Lukes, James Carrion described his research which included Wedemeyer's potential involvement in disinformation surrounding purported UFO cases. James also favorably described this writer's work which is most appreciated. The discussion of 1940s events of interest and the later incorporating of NICAP takes place about 1:43:45 into the video: Among the FBI records is a 1949 inner-agency memo to Director J. Edgar Hoover. It demonstrates Wedemeyer's expressed respect for the FBI director and the Bureau, as well as his seemingly intimate knowledge of certain operations, such as FBI personnel located in South America. The memo, pictured below, is coincidentally written by Special Agent in Charge Guy Hottel, a name UFO enthusiasts may recognize as the author of a 1950 Roswell-related FBI document. Also provided is a 1960 letter from Wedemeyer to Hoover, advising the director on political developments and, specifically, activities related to 1964 presidential candidate Sen. Barry Goldwater. The Senator would go on to be a member of the NICAP Board of Governors. In a 1967 letter to Hoover , Wedemeyer describes his attendance at the “Bohemian Club Encampment” in the redwoods of California, a reference to what became known as Bohemian Grove and its so-called secret society. The general informs Hoover about talk of subversive elements, questionable individuals, and circumstances of concern in the orbit of the University of California and physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer of the Manhattan Project: In a 43-page pdf containing Wedemeyer's consultation with the Committee on Un-American Activities and printed in early 1958, the general warned members of Congress about Soviet ideologies and advances in areas including science and psychological warfare. His role in combating this, he suggested, involved designing and implementing effective strategies. “The term 'strategy' disturbs many people,” Gen. Wedemeyer explained, “just as the word 'propaganda' does. I define 'strategy' as the art and science of using all of a nation's available resources to accomplish national objectives. There are four major categories of resources: political, economic, psychological, and military. If the first three of these resources – that is, political, economic, and psychological – are employed intelligently and boldly in consonance with a well-thought-out plan, it may never be necessary to use actively our military force. Obviously that is exactly what we should do at all times...”

Join us this week for a special live Wednesday edition of Expanding Frontiers with Erica Lukes. Wednesday, July 31, 4pm Eastern, Erica and Jack Brewer welcome investigative journalist and disinformation analyst Dave Troy for what will no doubt be a timely discussion as the 2024 election cycle moves into full swing: Dave Troy analyzes and writes extensively on topics including the intersection of politics, disinformation, and the economy. Tune in and join us in chat as we discuss his research findings and interpretations of what he believes matters most. Those unfamiliar with Dave's work may find the indications both shocking and concerning about extremist agendas and those driving them. Subscribe to the EFR YouTube channel to stay up to date on interviews and discussions, and browse the EFR video page to check out past episodes and informative content published by Expanding Frontiers Research.

The Ivy League has a long and well-documented history with the intelligence community, or IC. This goes back to the mid-20th century and includes connections to the UFO subculture. DCI Allen Dulles was a Princeton man, as were many of those who worked with Princeton alum Col. Joseph Bryan III on his CIA psychological warfare team. The colonel went on to be a staple of the Board of Governors of the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP). A talent of NICAP front man Maj. Donald Keyhoe was public relations. His background included managing the tour of famous aviator and politically controversial Charles Lindbergh, and Keyhoe's experience served him well while at the helm of NICAP. He effectively collected pro-UFO statements from influential community leaders and distributed them widely. This included a statement attributed to Dr. Harlow Shapley, director of the Harvard Observatory, as disseminated in NICAP literature published approximately 1958 ( see p35 ): Hundreds of pages of FBI records were obtained on Dr. Shapley . They indicate internal security investigations conducted during the 1940s identified concerns about his political interests. Follow-up FOIA work undertaken by EFR resulted in more responsive records located at the National Archives. EFR is in the process of obtaining this material, which includes numerous internal security investigations launched by the FBI during the mid-20th century. A high-profile colleague of Dr. Shapley was fellow Harvard astronomer Dr. Donald Menzel. FBI records on Menzel similarly show repeated investigations and interviews. Menzel was issued a clearance for national security work he did with the Navy, among other projects. As indicated in the FBI memo below, Menzel worked on communications, consulting about the significance of atmospheric conditions: Menzel was frequently the subject of security investigations to either clear him for participation in a project or ensure he remained a low security risk. Among the biggest FBI concerns was consistently his association with Shapley. Menzel disagreed with Shapley's positions on both politics and UFOs, but he publicly defended Shapley's right to hold and express his opinions. Menzel was adamantly skeptical about the UFO topic. He authored books and articles on the subject, and intellectually sparred with NICAP Chairman of the Board and former DCI Roscoe Hillenkoetter. This included going as far as diplomatically calling out Hillenkoetter for questionably supporting Keyhoe in public while denouncing the major's assertions and the UFO topic in general in private.  Incidentally, Menzel and Hillenkoetter were each listed as members of the infamous MJ-12, a fictional group of leading intelligence officials tasked with managing the retrieval of crashed alien spaceships. Given Menzel's status as a skeptic, some researchers suspected his inclusion on the contrived list may have been considered a joke by the architects of the hoax. All of this raises a number of legitimate questions, and they're not going to become any less complicated by a memo found in the Menzel FBI files. In 1974, after a lifetime as the subject of surveillance, FBI considered recruiting Dr. Menzel as a potential security informant or double agent ( see p12 ):  This might lead the discerning reader to formulate salient questions surrounding more recent events linking the Ivy League, the IC and the UFO meme, as raised by FBI records obtained on Avi Loeb's Galileo Project . The records released by the FBI observe the Harvard astronomer's endeavor raised $1.7 million from private investors to look for possible evidence of artifacts or equipment made by extraterrestrial technological civilizations, as shown in the 2021 communication below. If history is any indication, which it often is, the convergence of Harvard, the Bureau, and talk of alien spacecraft may have much more to do with topics such as telescopes, satellites, and the security thereof than it has to do with UFOs.

By Jack Brewer and Erica Lukes Jan Harzan was found guilty by a jury Thursday of contacting a minor with intent to commit a specified offense and meeting a minor to commit lewd conduct, according to court records obtained by Expanding Frontiers Research. The former executive director of the Mutual UFO Network was removed from his position after reports surfaced of his July 3, 2020, arrest in Newport Beach, California. Harzan was booked on the charges after police accused him of soliciting sexual activity from a detective who was posing online as a 13-year-old girl. A case summary obtained from the Orange County Superior Court of California : The summary reflects a long series of hearings that began in 2020. Harzan pleaded not guilty to the charges that culminated into a jury trial that concluded this week. Sentencing is scheduled for July 26. The felony charges could result in up to eight-year prison sentences, substantial fines, and sex offender registration under California guidelines.

By Jack Brewer and Erica Lukes If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources. Uintah County Sheriff's Office records obtained by Expanding Frontiers Research state the body of a deceased individual recovered earlier this year in the vicinity of Skinwalker Ranch died by suicide. The remains of Andrew Barton Crowe were discovered in a rural wooded area during a search conducted by rescue personnel on February 29. The decomposing body was located about 40 yards from where Crowe's motorcycle was first seen abandoned on the roadside the evening of November 23, 2023. It was Thanksgiving. A witness statement provided to the Bureau of Indian Affairs indicates a person who saw the bike Thanksgiving night decided to take a closer look when it was still there the morning of November 24. They then called police after finding written material leading them to become concerned the rider left to commit suicide. It is not entirely clear why three months passed between the time law enforcement was made aware of the circumstances and a coordinated search of the area was conducted for the motorcycle owner. Andrew Crowe was formerly of California and was 61 years old. Records obtained suggest he parked his trouble-prone Harley Davidson on the side of the remote road before walking away, a .38 Special in his possession. Police believe he used the gun to end his life. The revolver was found at the feet of the deceased, five rounds of ammunition - one of them spent - still in the cylinder. The existence of a suicide note, the contents of which have not been released as of this writing, is documented. The note was wrapped in a plastic bag and seemed to be left for whoever found the body, the report states. A responding officer surmised suicide was the cause of death, adding that no evidence of foul play was found at the scene. Reference is made in the officer's report to the medical examiner for final judgment and further details of the death. It was further stated that a medical examiner's report had not yet been provided to the Uintah County Sheriff's Office as of June 13. Skinwalker Ranch Connection A manila envelope addressed to Thomas Winterton was found on Andrew Crowe's motorcycle. Winterton is a cast member of The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch cable television show which promotes speculation about paranormal phenomena while purporting to be conducting scientific investigation. He is also an organizer of PhenomeCon, an annual event underwritten by Uintah County which directs the attention of the public to such topics as Skinwalker Ranch, UFOs and Bigfoot. The envelope addressed to Winterton contained a series of handwritten pages, one of which, an officer documented, provided a phone number, yet stated the number was only good until midday November 24. The officer wrote further, “The first of the pages states that the bike was being turned over to Mr. Winterton.” Police interpreted Andrew Crowe wanted Winterton to have his Harley. Six pages apparently intended for Winterton, images of which are provided below, contain such references as dangerous energy sources believed to be on the property; planetary portals; exotic craft; Robert Bigelow; and a UFO investigation group known as UAPx, a member of which was portrayed as mysteriously falling ill during a visit to the ranch as televised on an episode of The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch. The pages could be interpreted as an effort by Crowe to inform Winterton of the inherent otherworldly dangers of the ranch and the perceived solutions. Thomas Winterton Winterton is among those who financially benefit most from their involvement in PhenomeCon. Uintah County records obtained by Expanding Frontiers Research indicate he was issued over $5,800 for the three-day conference in 2023. He is a speaker at the event and is featured in what are termed “add-on” activities. Those are events such as “behind the scenes” meals and guided tours to the perimeter of Skinwalker Ranch. Attendees pay extra to participate in each add-on they select while PhenomeCon personalities like Winterton receive up to 50 percent of the additional revenue generated. This is on top of speaker fees paid to the “talents,” as the speakers and add-on hosts are termed in Uintah County PhenomeCon contracts. It is not clear how well members of the Uintah County Commission understand what is happening at PhenomeCon, which it approved for $215,000 in the 2023 annual county budget. During a Commission Work Session held May 13, 2024, Travel and Tourism Director Lesha Coltharp advised commissioners that terms and conditions of PhenomeCon contracts must be open to the public (The circumstances arose out of a series of records requests and appeals executed by Expanding Frontiers Research). Commissioners subsequently asked Coltharp about who must pay to get into PhenomeCon and if the reason the participants were referred to as “talents” in the contracts was because it was a talent show. "Yeah, no, no, no," Coltharp responded. “It's just a speaker contract. They're basically called 'talents' because – of the speakers that come in – most of them are actors on different paranormal... shows?" Briefly pausing, Coltharp added, "They're talented." Andrew Crowe In late February, before discovering the body but long after impounding the abandoned Harley and its contents, the Uintah County Sheriff's Office documented its efforts to contact relatives and acquaintances of Crowe. All of them resided out of state and said they had not seen him in six months or more. One individual explained they received a telephone call from Crowe on November 22. Andrew was calling from Park City, Utah, and said he had just come from Uintah County where he was trying to see Skinwalker Ranch. The report documented that the individual described Andrew as fascinated with the ranch. A detective collected statements and observed evidence from the bike that formed a profile of a depressed recovering drug addict and alcoholic who was taking pain medication for hip and knee problems. A contact of Andrew's told the detective they suspected Andrew may have committed suicide due to statements he made about being done with life; the motorcycle being abandoned a few miles from Skinwalker Ranch; an empty handgun case left with the motorcycle; and the signed vehicle title located with the motorcycle along with the note about wanting the bike to be given to Thomas Winterton. The detective documented telling the contact, based on all of these facts, they believed Andrew's body may be somewhere near the ranch, to which the contact agreed. Sheriff's Office Investigation The incident report for the discovery of the abandoned motorcycle states multiple attempts were made to reach Thomas Winterton but phone calls were not returned. This was presumably in 2023 and due to the manila envelope and letter to Winterton found on the bike. “I learned that [Thomas Winterton] could possibly be associated with the Skinwalker Ranch which was near the area where the bike was located,” the report continued. “I drove up to the front gate of the property in hopes to make contact with the property's security team and found there was no one available to speak to and the guard shack was empty.” Three months later, on February 29, according to the incident report concerning the retrieval of the body, officers coordinated a search with the Uintah County Sheriff's Office, Bureau of Indian Affairs and two search and rescue teams. It was determined likely that Andrew could be found near the location where the motorcycle was abandoned or he possibly walked to the Skinwalker Ranch property. Winterton was successfully contacted at this point and stated he did not know Andrew Crowe. According to the report, a Detective Leishman asked Thomas if they could search the Skinwalker Ranch property for Andrew's body, “to which he informed us that we could on 3/1/24 as they had a film crew doing work at the ranch currently.” Officers proceeded with searching the surrounding area. Within about 20 minutes of commencing, one of the search and rescue personnel located a body 40 yards from where the motorcycle was found. The scene was described in writing and photographed. Though decomposition made an initial identification difficult, a wallet was present that contained a driver's license and debit cards belonging to Andrew. Officers were satisfied with an assessment of the scene and circumstances, pending a final autopsy report by the medical examiner. Reasonable Skepticism Philosophies grounded in the benefits of critical thinking typically suggest that not much good comes out of overindulging the fantastic. Mislabeling entertainment as science and subscribing to wild speculation as fact often carry consequences, sometimes tragic. The Skinwalker Ranch legend is used by an entire subculture of entertainers, writers and filmmakers to create content. In addition to television shows and county-sponsored conferences, the unverified rumors are echoed and embellished through countless books and blogposts. Likewise, hosts of YouTube channels regularly pump out an endless assortment of videos purporting to be hot on the trail of some ever-elusive mystery. The related debate about social responsibility was going on long before the recovery of a body near Skinwalker Ranch and the content creators will continue clamoring for clicks and views with little to no pause. As a matter of fact, the Andrew Crowe case was framed by at least one dubious video creator as suggestive of alleged paranormal phenomena, presumably in an attempt to perpetuate mystery and drive site traffic, before his name was even known. Also noteworthy in this chain of events is that the Expanding Frontiers Research request to the Uintah County Sheriff's Office was denied for records responsive to the abandoned motorcycle and the deceased individual. An appeal was virtually ignored. It was not until an appeal was submitted to the Utah State Records Committee and two mediation meetings were conducted that records began to be released. The first release was issued 111 days after the request for records was submitted and would never have happened at all if the previous denials were accepted without question. Two emails containing responsive records have now been received from the Uintah County Attorney's Office. Each of the emails advised, “We would like to acknowledge that there are still more records being reviewed in both cases that we will be providing as we receive and review them.”

FBI records recently obtained from the National Archives indicate the Bureau compiled a file from 1950-1971 on Carleton W. Alsop, once considered the CIA's most valuable asset in Hollywood. Alsop was a member of a political and psychological warfare unit assembled within the Office of Policy Coordination, a covert arm of the CIA and State Department, which officially operated from 1948-1952. The unit was led by Joseph Bryan III, who went on to be an influential and long-term member of the Board of Governors of the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena, as explored in this writer's book, Wayward Sons: NICAP and the IC. The FBI opened what is known as an applicant investigation on Alsop in 1950. Select details continue to be redacted and numerous entire pages of responsive records were deemed exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, but the investigation almost certainly reflects Alsop's formal induction into the CIA. From a May 2 email received from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA): From the files received: FBI agents composed some nine reports on Carleton Alsop and his then-wife, actress Sylvia Sidney, during the applicant investigation. While there is no direct correlation in these specific files between Alsop's CIA affiliation and his career management of actress Judy Garland, the circumstances nonetheless provide a dark backdrop through progressing FBI reports and memos. From Bureau files: An apparent truth of the Carleton Alsop files is that those reported for decades to have abused and exploited Judy Garland seem to have included a man who became a CIA asset, or at least his neglect and complicity potentially factors, even if that is not the primary takeaway of the Carleton Alsop story. One might consider the circumstances somewhat reminiscent of the George White saga, an apparent rogue narcotics squad cop with a drinking problem who became an MKULTRA asset, haphazardly managing Agency brothels under its notorious Operation Climax. Alsop was often described by those the Bureau interviewed as an excessive drinker, as well as accused in multiple divorce proceedings of cruel and abusive behavior. Nonetheless, Alsop was often given highly supportive assessments from those interviewed by the FBI, many acknowledging his drinking habits but stating the behavior didn't seem to impair his judgment, and certainly not his patriotism. Confidential informants similarly stated his several divorces did not reflect unfavorably on his character, but were attributable to understandable circumstances, such as differing career paths. A minority of informants were much less generous, expressing concerns about Alsop's trustworthiness and even his ability to keep his mouth shut, given his fondness for night life. Obviously, he was ultimately considered loyal to the causes and retained for Federal service. The Stockton, CA, native and University of Southern California class of 1926 grad became well-connected in the circles of the rich and famous in both Los Angeles and New York City. According to Watergate “plumber” E. Howard Hunt, Alsop and he were the only members of Bryan's team who were not Princeton alumni (Director of Central Intelligence Allen Dulles was also a Princeton man). Alsop was undoubtedly seen as beneficial to intelligence services for any number of potential reasons during the 1950s Red Scare and Cold War climates. As a matter of fact, the Bureau's deep concern with the women in Alsop's life (they even investigated a man who became the husband of one of Alsop's ex-wives) probably reflects the hunt for Communists in Hollywood. In this writer's experience, the mid-20th century FBI typically had a tendency to lack interest in the potentially criminal activities of females, if not to a sexist fault (That opinion is not necessarily shared by professional historians, but just happens to have been developed through the material explored to date). It therefore seemed significant that FBI took such interest in women during this specific investigation. The Bureau also tapped some 16 redacted confidential informants in addition to many interviewees directly named, the latter consisting of people ranging from co-workers to telephone operators. Frances Stonor Saunders, author of The Cultural Cold War, reported Alsop worked with the CIA as part of a larger campaign to discredit Soviet efforts to attract attention to U.S. racial tensions and discrimination against people of color. Alsop monitored and reported on potential Communist activity in Hollywood and furthered CIA objectives through introducing specific themes into films. He and fellow psychological warfare asset Finis Farr secured the rights to Orwell's Animal Farm from the writer's widow, and E. Howard Hunt assisted with CIA-funding for production of an elaborate animated film version which began in 1951. These were the things Carleton Alsop did. Joseph Bryan III makes an appearance in the Alsop files in a 1953 FBI memo, Subject: Carleton William Alsop, when D.M. Ladd reminded the director an investigation of Bryan led the Bureau to conclude the man talks trash about the FBI: Disrespecting the FBI is not necessarily a bad thing, depending on who you ask and when you ask them, but it's safe to say Director Hoover would disagree adamantly, under any scenario. Incidentally, and arguably fascinatingly, all of the men referenced in the memo above and scheduled to visit the FBI lab, Bryan, Alsop, and Hugh Troy, worked together on the Office of Policy Coordination political and psychological warfare team. This all ties into a few obscure letters located in a previously obtained Joseph Bryan FBI file as described in Wayward Sons. The murky gist of the situation is Hoover was corresponding in 1950 with a Judge Edward Allen Tamm, who forwarded the director a letter from Cornelius Vanderbilt. All of this somehow relates to Bryan, but FOIA requests have not yet fully clarified the circumstances. What is clear is Bryan, like Alsop and many of his fellow Ivy League CIA recruits, rubbed elbows with those of influence who were attractive to the CIA for reasons ranging from control of newspapers to personal wealth. Interestingly, the Alsop FBI files specify to refrain from interviewing Vanderbilt about Alsop. What is also clear is that while some of these people overtly professed interest in UFOs, FBI files fail to demonstrate that to actually be the case, and UFO evidence is rarely to never so much as referenced, much less observable. For instance, another personal feud in which Bryan became embroiled during this same historic time period involved Robert A. Winston, a retired Navy and CIA man. As the work of James Carrion showed, Winston was curiously the author of a 1946 intelligence report which significantly called into doubt the legitimacy of the so-called ghost rockets of the era. It all keeps looping back around on itself. FBI records contain accusations of the spreading of derogatory rumors and the Bureau's efforts to find their sources and counter the narratives. Much like the UFO chase of today, the circumstances descend into personal arguments and conflicting statements from one instance to the next. One might reasonably question if creating confusion and chaos were some of the players' intent for reasons that had little to nothing to do with ghost rockets, UFOs... tic tacs or UAP. So, why did the Alsop FBI files extend into the 1970s if it started as a 1950 applicant investigation? The answer to that may lie in this writer's observations that once a person becomes the subject of an investigation to clear them for security purposes, they often stay under surveillance indefinitely. That may be to ensure they remain a low security risk. In other words, keep tabs on who they hang out with and watch for signs they become compromised and start spying for adversaries. Just because someone was apple pie in 1950 doesn't necessarily mean they're not fed up and drowning in debt in 1952. Records on Alsop show he and Hoover publicly spoke favorably of one another and employed similar language in personal letters exchanged. Hoover even eventually stated in written FBI orders that he considered Alsop a personal friend. Alsop and his family were to be extended the highest courtesies as they traveled abroad. FBI men were positioned to receive the family at airports and even assist them through customs, in one instance removing their car from a cruise ship for them. Was this protecting the safety of a United States asset, or perhaps something more akin to offering an encouraging slap on the back while keeping a watchful eye on a man deemed to have poor self-control and subject to changing loyalties with the direction of the wind? Perhaps only Hoover – and more research – could truly tell.

Thomas Winterton told EFR he objected to the release of Uintah County 2023 PhenomeCon contracts because he does not like the details of his financial agreements made public. He also suggested in an email received Saturday it was EFR "tasked with doing the research" to prove or refute his revenue-related claims surrounding the event before closing the message by threatening EFR with "legal action." "I am very upset at your targeted untrue claims and if you make one more untrue claim about me, I will take legal action," Winterton wrote in response to a request for comment emailed Tuesday. "I contacted my attorney yesterday and had a consultation over the phone with him about you and Ms. Lukes. I will not tolerate anyone to repeatedly impugn my name or make false claims damaging my reputation without taking legal action." It is not entirely clear exactly what Winterton deems "untrue" and "false" about EFR reporting on PhenomeCon. He has expressed ambiguous objections and insinuations via a variety of online mediums about material obtained by EFR through the Utah Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA). Proponents of PhenomeCon, which promotes doubtful paranormal claims, argue ticket sales offset the expenses covered by Uintah County public funds, and that attendees spend dollars in the area. Critics counter that the revenue raised is primarily shared among select event organizers and speakers, leading to multiple conflicts of interest. The Tuesday EFR email sought comment from Winterton about why he objects to EFR obtaining PhenomeCon contracts, known as "Talent Agreements," from Uintah County. The County budgeted $215k for the event in 2023. He was also offered an opportunity to provide documentation to support his claims the conference creates over $600k in local revenue during the week it takes place. "Just like ANYONE," Winterton wrote, emphasis his, "I do not like the details of my financial agreements made public. Surely you could understand this." He added, "Making the details public could easily lead to hard feelings with other events moving forward." EFR reported throughout what has now become a two-year process of investigating the Uintah County public PhenomeCon records that it often seemed the involved parties did not understand the GRAMA, the transparency responsibilities of managing public funds, and the fundamentals of public records legislation. That assessment results from interactions with government officials, PhenomeCon organizers, and those entering into agreements with them. It could be well argued that Mr. Winterton's above statements support that assessment. To wit, a cornerstone aspect of the GRAMA, the Freedom of Information Act, and any open records legislation is the public has a right to know how its business is conducted. As EFR successfully argued in its case versus Uintah County at the State Records Committee, resulting in release of the contracts at issue, the GRAMA is an impersonal process. The only relevant factor when requests are submitted is whether or not the responsive records are subject to disclosure. In an arguably rambling paragraph about PhenomeCon finances, Winterton wrote in part, "How do you know that the sales numbers would not have reflected a $600K drop had Phenomecon not taken place? The truth is Mr. Brewer, is that neither you nor anyone else can honestly make that claim, because the overall numbers do not even begin to tell the story. I can go much more in depth on this but you are the one tasked with doing the research, so I will just say that if you make the claim that the sales tax numbers do not support the $600K, then be prepared for me to do another YouTube video sharing the facts and making your claim look like complete lies." In closing, Winterton wrote, "Your last report was grossly misrepresenting. I have yet to see any public retraction or apology to the Skinwalker Ranch team. IF you do another report that refers to me in any form, and you misrepresent or lie in it at all, thereby attaching my name to some type of unethical or illegal behavior, You [sic] better make sure you have your facts straight and well sourced because at this point, I am very upset at your targeted untrue claims and if you make one more untrue claim about me, I will take legal action."