A Brazilian boy stumbled upon the bodies of Manoel Pereira da Cruz and Miguel José Viana while flying a kite in a field 1966. They were dressed in their best suits and wore lead masks on their faces. The situation baffled police, as there appeared to be no violence against the men. A notebook was found with the bodies, but when they pieced together the men’s day, more questions than it answered.

According to the notebook, the men were to meet at the location, take capsules, put on the masks and wait for an event. It’s unclear what they expected to happen, but the lead masks were designed to protect against radiation poisoning. One of the men also had a coupon to return the water bottle they were using, which all indicates that they were not planning on committing suicide. Because their organs were not properly preserved, it was impossible to tell whether or not they were poisoned. It’s even possible that no crime was committed; but still, what were they waiting for? and more importantly, did it happen? We may never know.

The two men were identified as Manoel Pereira da Cruz and Miguel José Viana, two electronic technicians from, a town several kilometers to the northeast of Rio de Janeiro. Following an investigation, police reconstructed a plausible narrative of the men’s last days. On August 17, Cruz and Viana left Campos dos Goytacazes with the stated intent that they needed to purchase some materials for work. The two men then boarded a bus to Niterói, and arrived at 2:30 pm. Evidence shows that the waterproof coats were purchased at a shop there, and one bottle of water from a local bar. Upon being interviewed, the waitress from the bar described Miguel as “very nervous,” and noticed he frequently checked his watch. That is the last time they were known to have been seen alive; it is presumed they went directly from the bar to the spot at which they were discovered.

Theories

There are multiple theories that have been proposed to explain this case, ranging from foul play to UFOs. One theory revolves around the testimony of a friend of the two men, who claimed that they were members of a group of “scientific spiritualists”. The men were apparently attempting to contact extraterrestrials or spirits using psychedelic drugs. Believing that such an encounter would be accompanied by blinding light, the men cut metal masks to shield their eyes and may have died of drug overdoses. This account is corroborated by the esoteric diary entry found at the scene and by mask-making materials and literature concerning spirits found at the men’s homes. Of course these could ass be bullshit, but with us not having any conclusion people tend to make one.