In August 1966, a boy flying a kite discovers two dead bodies in a patch of overgrown weeds. The bodies were wearing matching suits, matching waterproof coats and lead masks covering their eyes.
Most baffling of all was the handwritten note that contained some bizarre instructions...
Most baffling of all was the handwritten note that contained some bizarre instructions...
An Odd Find
The bodies where they were discovered. 20th August, 1966, 18 year old Jorge Costa Alves heads to Vintém Hill near Niteroi, Brazil, in order to fly his kite for the afternoon. It would no doubt have been a carefree day, the first day in a while as there had been quite a bit of rain recently.
As he walks about the hill holding onto his kite strings he is unaware that on this day he would make a odd and macabre discovery - that of a mystery that would remain unsolved...
Alves is trampling through the overgrown grass and weeds, keeping his kite in the best winds when he stumbles across two bodies, laying side by side. They were well hidden in the weeds and should Alves had not happened to pass so close to them they may have remained undiscovered.
Finding two bodies is odd enough but the discovery gets even stranger. The men appeared to be dressed identically in light coloured suits and waterproof jackets. Fair enough, it had been raining... as was the presence of two towels.
However both men were wearing masks made out of lead covering their eyes. The masks had no eye holes and were of a type that would protect the men from radiation.
As he walks about the hill holding onto his kite strings he is unaware that on this day he would make a odd and macabre discovery - that of a mystery that would remain unsolved...
Alves is trampling through the overgrown grass and weeds, keeping his kite in the best winds when he stumbles across two bodies, laying side by side. They were well hidden in the weeds and should Alves had not happened to pass so close to them they may have remained undiscovered.
Finding two bodies is odd enough but the discovery gets even stranger. The men appeared to be dressed identically in light coloured suits and waterproof jackets. Fair enough, it had been raining... as was the presence of two towels.
However both men were wearing masks made out of lead covering their eyes. The masks had no eye holes and were of a type that would protect the men from radiation.
A very strange note. Alves, realising he had stumbled on a possible crime scene quickly alerted the authorities and soon enough the scene was thick with police and other investigators.
Other strange objects were located nearby – a empty water bottle and a notebook. It was this notebook that proved the most baffling clue – in it were a couple of lines of writing, in Portuguese which when translated read:
"16:30Hs be at the determined place,
18:30Hs swallow capsule after effect protect metals and wait for mask signal."
Other strange objects were located nearby – a empty water bottle and a notebook. It was this notebook that proved the most baffling clue – in it were a couple of lines of writing, in Portuguese which when translated read:
"16:30Hs be at the determined place,
18:30Hs swallow capsule after effect protect metals and wait for mask signal."
Identities Discovered
The bodies being removed. Investigators soon discovered the identities of the two men. They were both electronic repairmen from the city of Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil and had last been seen three days before their bodies had been discovered. They had left their town that same day saying they were off to buy work supplies and a new car. The two men jumped on a bus and made the 3 hour trip to where they were next seen.
Miguel Jose Viana and Manoel Pereira da Cruz were last seen alive in a bar purchasing a bottle of water. Miguel appeared to be in a hurry and the bartender stated that he kept fidgeting with his watch in order to hurry Manoel along.
So there you have it... Two men hurriedly leave town, stop off to buy water, are found dead in overgrown weeds on a hill three days later wearing identical suits, waterproof clothing, a set of towels and a note with instructions to be at an arranged place and to take some mysterious capsules and put on masks that protect from radiation poisoning....
A complete mystery and one that was never solved.
Miguel Jose Viana and Manoel Pereira da Cruz were last seen alive in a bar purchasing a bottle of water. Miguel appeared to be in a hurry and the bartender stated that he kept fidgeting with his watch in order to hurry Manoel along.
So there you have it... Two men hurriedly leave town, stop off to buy water, are found dead in overgrown weeds on a hill three days later wearing identical suits, waterproof clothing, a set of towels and a note with instructions to be at an arranged place and to take some mysterious capsules and put on masks that protect from radiation poisoning....
A complete mystery and one that was never solved.
The lead masks. The need for the waterproof coats and the towels was likely just because it had been raining.
It is assumed that the two men were found at this 'determined destination' and had taken the capsules, unfortunately toxicology reports turned up nothing as their organs had not been properly preserved before an examination could be carried out.
As for the masks, once again it is assumed that they followed the instructions to the letter and once the capsules had started to kick in they put on their masks. The reason for the masks to be lead rather than say cotton or some such material is that they were expecting radiation. However no latent radiation signatures were found at or anywhere near the site.
It is assumed that the two men were found at this 'determined destination' and had taken the capsules, unfortunately toxicology reports turned up nothing as their organs had not been properly preserved before an examination could be carried out.
As for the masks, once again it is assumed that they followed the instructions to the letter and once the capsules had started to kick in they put on their masks. The reason for the masks to be lead rather than say cotton or some such material is that they were expecting radiation. However no latent radiation signatures were found at or anywhere near the site.
Theories
Miguel Jose Viana and Manoel Pereira da Cruz. Many theories have been put forward ranging from them making a trade or sale of radioactive goods, meeting with aliens to a possible experiment in time travel.
Were they murdered, was the capsules poison unbeknownst to the two men?
Was it suicide, ritualistic or possibly in order to transfer their spirits to a awaiting ship (ala Heavens Gate)?
The UFO theory gets a good working over – the two men were avid UFO enthusiasts and knew that Vintém Hill is a UFO hotspot...
Were they murdered, was the capsules poison unbeknownst to the two men?
Was it suicide, ritualistic or possibly in order to transfer their spirits to a awaiting ship (ala Heavens Gate)?
The UFO theory gets a good working over – the two men were avid UFO enthusiasts and knew that Vintém Hill is a UFO hotspot...
Ashley Hall 2013
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