Lead masks deaths on Vintém Hill
- Date
- 20 Aug 1966
- Place
- Morro do Vintém, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil
- Record
- Curated case
- Assessment
- Contested
- Evidence strength
What was reported
Two electronics technicians, Manoel Pereira da Cruz and Miguel José Viana, were found dead on Vintém Hill on 20 August 1966, in suits and raincoats with lead eye masks, beside a notebook reading 'ingest capsules, after the effect protect metals await signal mask'. The autopsy was delayed until the organs had decomposed, so no cause of death was established. Days later Rio newspapers carried a resident's report of an orange object over the hill that night, which tied the case to UFOs. Police learned the men belonged to a 'scientific spiritualist' group, and the prevailing explanation is an accidental overdose during an attempt at contact.
What officials concluded
No conclusion stated
Police investigation and autopsy did not determine the cause of death
Strongest ordinary reading
Accidental drug overdose during a spiritualist contact attempt; the UFO report is unrelated testimony
Evidence profile
- Yes: Visual
- No: Infrared
- No: Radar
- No: Video
- No: Photo
- No: Film
- No: Audio
- No: Night vision
- No: Other sensor
- Yes: Civilian
- No: Military aircrew
- No: Military ground
- No: Airline crew
- No: Sensor operator
- Yes: Law enforcement
- No: Scientist
- No: Astronaut
- No: Intelligence official
- No: Other
- No: Light only
- Yes: Orb or sphere
- No: Disc
- No: Triangle
- No: Cylinder
- No: Cube
- No: Other shape
- No: Physiological
- No: Physical trace
- No: Electromagnetic
- No: Sound
- No: Silent
Outside sources
- Wikipedia: Lead masks caseen.wikipedia.org
- Skeptoid episode 398skeptoid.com
On the map
22.88° S, 43.07° W, plotted at the town or city
Show on the map