Cryptomundian Attends “Most Convincing Evidence of Bigfoot” Press Conference
Posted by: Craig Woolheater on June 25th, 2011
Cryptomundian WeirdFresno posted yesterday:
I live in Fresno and was contacted by Gonzalez so I’m going to go. But I’ll be honest, the fact that they are asking for funding from the public has me a bit worried. I understand that it is a huge cost to do a DNA sequencing, but why not reach out to the crypto community instead? I remembering hearing an interview of Tom Biscardi on Spooky Southcoast where Matt Moniz had offered Tom the chance to do the DNA sequencing back when the Georgia hoax happened but Biscardi said he didn’t remember being offered that (shocking). I wonder if something similar could be done in this instance? Because if this isn’t as conclusive as the claims are being made, it’s going to be labeled as another hoax. In my opinion anyways.WeirdFresno
Below is WeirdFresno’s report from the press conference.
Having gone to this conference yesterday, I was disappointed with both the lack of clear evidence and they way the evidence they had was presented. Things weren’t that well organized with examples of a presenter reading from a laptop and then losing his place and then stating he was going to go “off the top of his head” to one person not turning in their notes and not be including in the presentation.
But what really got me was the way the evidence was handled. Gonzalez stated that his truck was the one with the evidence on it yet he drove it down a mountain and waiting two days for their forensics expert to swab for DNA and dust for prints. I don’t know the exact location of where the site was in relation to Fresno, but Yosemite is about 60 miles away so I will assume the same for this site given it was in the high Sierras. That being said any evidence they may have had on the truck was most likely compromised due to the distance traveled (at about 55mph since that is the speed limit on all state highways unless otherwise posted) and then waited two days to then actually try to procure evidence. When asked why he didn’t bring his expert up to the site itself Gonzalez claimed that he had to get his truck out of there and that there was no way to get the expert up there anyways. I’m sorry, but if I have potential evidence on my vehicle, I don’t care what happens to the thing as long as I am able to get the evidence from it. Moving it and waiting the two days makes any evidence they may get that less credible.
I don’t question the sincerity of the group, but I do question why a press conference was even called. They didn’t have any DNA evidence but said they hoped they did. They also said they didn’t have a lab lined up to do the DNA testing or an amount that it would cost. Yet they were asking for money. I understand this is an expensive procedure, but if you are going to convince people to give you their money (especially in today’s economy) you better damn well sure you have the DNA collected, a lab lined up and know how much it costs before you start soliciting for money.
Like I said I don’t question the sincerity of the group and don’t believe they are trying to hoax anyone. They truly believe they have evidence that will prove the existence of Bigfoot. The problem is there are so many holes in the procedure to collect the evidence that it won’t hold up. But I have to commend the group for going up to the middle of nowhere to search for this creature (where I’m just an arm chair searcher as it may be). Hopefully one day they will get the evidence that will help to prove the existence of Bigfoot. Unfortunately I didn’t see that evidence yesterday.WeirdFresno
Co-founder of Cryptomundo in 2005.
I have appeared in or contributed to the following TV programs, documentaries and films:
OLN's Mysterious Encounters: "Caddo Critter", Southern Fried Bigfoot, Travel Channel's Weird Travels: "Bigfoot", History Channel's MonsterQuest: "Swamp Stalker", The Wild Man of the Navidad, Destination America's Monsters and Mysteries in America: Texas Terror - Lake Worth Monster, Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot: Return to Boggy Creek and Beast of the Bayou.
Thank you, weirdfresno, for going to the press conference and giving us a first hand perspective. From what I saw of the online streaming, things didn’t go over all that well.
I am curious as to how many press were actually in attendance? (I was pleasantly surprised by some of the press’s questions) Do you think any of the SPS have either contacted or been contacted by anyone willing to do the DNA sequencing at this point?
I haven’t seen any press coverage on this story since the press conference previews (save on crypto sites) but its not unusual for main stream media to move onto the next distraction with no follow up to last week’s hot topic. Is it different closer to ground zero? Are your local news and papers following up on anything?
I think Weirdfresno, you’re missing the point. These guys are not professionals. Picking apart their amateurish presentation was kind of petty, and does not address the veracity of their claims. In terms of the DNA evidence, I think we’ve all been inundated with enough CSI shows to know that if there is DNA a two hour open air drive is not going to hurt it.
What I’d like to know is what did the video of the supposed bigfoot figure look like in person? I didn’t see any “arm movement” in the online version of the press conference. Did you?
The video was hard to see really, looked like another blobsquatch. The speaker mentioned that you could see both arm and head movement but didn’t point that out in the video. To me that would be better evidence than smudge marks on a window.
@flame821: There weren’t that many people in attendance, maybe thirty. Actual press seemed maybe eight the most. The rest I’m not sure of. I was invited as I have a site that deals with paranormal topics and urban legends in the Fresno area. I brought my best friend along as he knows more on Bigfoot than I do (he actually asked a few questions). I know the local media ran something that night, but after that it’s been quiet. I don’t know if you saw this on the stream or not, but about twenty minutes before the conference was over one of the camera guys walked up to the table and removed his microphone. As he was walking back he had a smirk on his face, almost like he had had enough. But that’s just my observation.
@mandors: I understand what you are saying but my reason for “picking apart” their presentation is that they called a press conference in the first place and weren’t prepared. Who does that? When I used to be a ghost investigator, I never called a press conference, yet this group felt with the evidence they had one was warranted. Or that was the impression that I got from the press release I was sent. Only when we got there, was the true purpose to ask for money. If they had a lab and a price lined up I would have been fine, but to ask for money without knowing how much they need seems silly.
Not really sure it’s a good idea to base one’s knowledge of DNA from TV shows (I’m assuming that’s what you are saying, if not I apologize). Granted I know little in the field, but when I did take a criminology class once, I was told you want to preserve any scene with evidence as close to the original as possible. Driving it down a mountain kinda ruins that.
Let me preface this again, as I’ve been accused elsewhere of being too hard on the group. My reason is that they called a press conference claiming to have evidence to prove Bigfoot, even to go as far as saying it was the best piece since the Patterson film. The fact they weren’t even 100% certain they had DNA, a lab or a price lined up is what made me question the purpose of a press conference to begin with. They were 100% sincere in what they said and I don’t think they are hoaxing one bit. And I give them credit for actually going out there and trying to find the creature. I just hope next time they call a press conference they are better prepared.
CNN has the news update usually running on the bottom of the screen and it did show the event that was to start in about 1/2 an hour and said they would update, but I went straight to Cryptomundo as they usually give more balanced information, while others have been known to downplay (or even ridicule) the events. I never did see the televised report or summary on CNN, but am enjoying the feedback here.
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