%20small.jpg)
Since 2013, Butch Witkowski and I had gathered and presented information about the Todd Sees UFO & unexplained death investigation. Since Butch's passing 2 1/2 years ago, scant new evidence or reports have surfaced. That recently changed.
PLEASE NOTE: Certain identifying information will be confidential until further notice. We are still collecting evidence.
On Monday, December 3, 2024, I received a telephone call from 'GT' who grew up in Winfield, PA. His father, 'JT', was a Methodist pastor, author, and a Biblical scholar and doctorate. 'JT' recently passed away.
During the Thanksgiving holiday this year, GT was visiting his mother. His mother informed him about an 'incident' that his father, JT, had witnessed on Sunday, August 4, 2022, at approximately 5:30 AM. JT usually woke very early, especially on Sundays, to spend reflection time alone. The residence was located at 19 Ridge Rd. overlooking the Montour Ridge in Winfield.
According to GT and his mother, JT observed a massive disc-shaped craft with various colored lights hovering above the power lines on the summit of Montour Ridge. The sighting lasted for several minutes.
GT stated that his father did not believe in the supernatural or in UFOs. In fact, he had always refused to talk about the unexplained. JT was strictly devout and based his beliefs on his faith and the Bible.
After the sighting occurred JT told his wife about the incident. She stated that he was extremely conflicted and shocked by what he witnessed. Because of his professional reputation and dedicated work, JT refused to report the sighting, fearing ridicule. He kept silent about the incident for the remainder of his life.
Currently, the family is going through JT's personal journals (he recorded a daily journal for most of his life) and other notes in an attempt to gather more details of his experience.
Any updates will be added to this report. Lon
-----
This has been an ongoing, though slow and tedious, investigation. The most up-to-date information and reports are located at Todd Sees Investigation (Ongoing). It is well-known that many aspects of this case have been hidden and removed from public record. Through sheer determination and luck, our team acquired the full official autopsy report. The property was again thoroughly documented and photographed in 2015. Other witnesses had come forward to assist in the investigation, but we need more help from the public, especially individuals who were in the actual search.
We have always maintained that investigators should work hand-in-hand to find the truth, but also give credit where credit is due. We have been committed to gathering and reporting the facts in the matter of Todd Sees' disappearance, death, and recovery.
In the meantime, any new information concerning this incident is welcomed. Please forward to lonstrickler@phantomsandmonsters.com.Thanks. Lon
2/2/2014 The Todd Sees Incident Briefing & Roundtable Discussion
Brief Synopsis of the Todd Sees Case
The disappearance and eventual death of 39-year-old Todd Sees has been one of the most mysterious cases in modern ufology.
In the early morning of Sunday, August 4, 2002, Todd Jeffrey Sees rode his ATV, starting at his home at the base of Montour Ridge in Northumberland County, PA. (Point Township), on a short jaunt up a mountain trail adjacent to a sprawling high power line. After he failed to return home by noon, the family became concerned and notified the authorities.
A massive search effort ensued, which included search and rescue personnel (with search dogs and helicopters), local and state police, as well as an organized search team that numbered 200+ volunteers. The entire area from the top of the ridge, adjacent woods, and the family property was explored, including a small pond located 70 feet from the Sees' house. Divers and dogs searched the area in and around the pond, without success.
The effort continued for approximately 36 hours, until the second morning of the search, when a family member noticed something in the approximately 70 yards from the house. Todd Sees body had been discovered, in an area that was heavily searched the previous day.
Since that time, there has been very little information released to the public. The death was ruled as 'fatal cocaine toxicity,' despite evidence in the autopsy report suggesting that something else most likely occurred. The circumstances involving the recovery, handling, autopsy, and final arrangements with the body are also mired in controversy.
A joint investigation by Butch Witkowski / Cold Case Unit of the UFO Research Center of PA and Lon Strickler of the Phantoms & Monsters Fortean Research team uncovered previously undisclosed information regarding this incident. You can read about the case at Alien Disclosure: Experiencers Expose Reality.
PLEASE NOTE: Though the investigation continues, the team eventually formulated a probable scenario as to what occurred and why Todd J. Sees died. The only statement we could give at this time is that, as of 1/22/2016, the UFO abduction theory has a greater than 50% likelihood to have transpired in this case. This information is by the evidence we currently have. Lon
**********
Since I wasn't able to attend the event on Saturday, I discussed the new findings with UFORCOP Director Butch Witkowski on Sunday and began to peruse the recently discovered evidence after it was forwarded to me.
At this point, the current consensus among the team is that Todd Jeffrey Sees of Point Township in Northumberland County, PA, who went missing on August 4th, 2002, was a victim of unexplained circumstances that resulted in an extraordinary death.
This is not a final conclusion, but only the best theory currently available. Specific details, other than what had been presented earlier, will not be disclosed at this time. The team is making significant progress, but there are other inquiries and leads to examine.
If you have information applicable to this investigation, please contact Lon Strickler / Phantoms & Monsters Fortean Research. Thanks!
**********
On Sunday evening, I posted an update in reference to the Todd J. Sees death investigation and the UFORCOP team's current consensus according to the information and evidence. It has become obvious to the team that Mr. Sees' death was the result of unexplained and extraordinary circumstances. The evidence suggests that Mr. Sees' body was positioned, then discovered, at a location that had been searched extensively during the time he was missing. In other words, we believe the body was placed at the scene shortly before it was found. That being said, we have NOT discounted intervention by unknown forces....possibly otherworldly.
During the time of Mr. Sees' disappearance, 2 subsequent sightings of a saucer-shaped UFO occurred...both reports were forwarded to NUFORC. These reports suggested that a human figure was seen being transported, by means of a beam of light, into the underside of the UFO. The location was above the Montour Ridge along a high power line. For several decades, this general area has had it's share of reports detailing UFO activity. Here are just a few offered on the MUFON CMS:
2/17/2014 - I was driving my tractor trailer north on US15, approximately 4-5 miles south of the intersection of PA44. Straight above the Susquehanna River, to my northeast, also, in the direction of Watsontown, PA, I saw two bright white lights. They were probably about 1.5-2 miles away when I first saw them. Maybe even slightly farther. I thought it was an aircraft that had taken off from Montoursville regional airport, heading south. But as I drove further, I realized the lights were not moving. I would describe them as very bright white, large-looking headlights. They appeared to be pointing towards the river, as a beam projected from them straight down. I would guess the beam only projected about 25-40 from the craft, which was around 600-800 feet above the river. The entire duration of seeing it was probably about 3-4 minutes or so. I slowed my speed from 55-60 to low 40s once I realized the object was not moving. The truck seemed to drive itself as I got "lost" watching this. This may sound odd, but I had an overwhelming feeling that "nothing was going on". That's the best way I can describe how I felt.
There was nowhere for me to pull my truck over until a mile or so down the road, where I know of a small diesel station where I have been before. In hindsight, I regret not pulling into the shoulder to film it. I was able to capture a 20 second iPhone5 video of it. The video is shaky because I was still driving, and using elbows to steer. The object appears to be moving because the phone is bouncing everywhere. The object was definitely not moving though. When I pulled into the diesel station, trees and a ridge blocked any view I could have had.
I also pinned on an iPhone map where the object was. It is the PURPLE pin, not the red pin. Red pin denotes the town of Dewart, PA, which I simply searched as a starting place to pinpoint location. I am born and raised about 15 miles from this location, I drive the roads often, and am very literate with maps. The purple pin is an accurate location.
Before I filmed, I zoomed iPhones video camera because with no zoom it probably would not not have picked up the lights. Although the zoom does increase blurriness, it was necessary here. - MUFON CMS
NOTE: this sighting was approx. 7 miles north of the Todd Sees incident location...Lon
**********
Northumberland, PA - 11/30/2014: My wife and I were on our back deck after taking the dog outside. It was overcast and there were no stars or planes in the sky. The object was very bright and easily seen. This is the second time we have viewed this object within the last week. This time I had my phone. I have a pic and a 2 minute video of the object. The object was oval in shape. It was orange in color at first and then changed to red. The object came slowly from the east. It stopped and hovered for a few seconds. It then went to the left and right slightly. It proceeded to move backwards and headed in a northeastern direction until it was behind the trees and out of our view. When witnessed last week the object acted in the same manner. It came from the east and hovered only to move left and right slightly. Last time it headed back east but it faded out. It didn't go behind any trees or move to a distance not seen, it just disappeared. We were mesmerized and weren't quite sure what we had witnessed or what the object was. - MUFON CMS
**********
Watsontown, PA - 7/15/1994: My mother said they were watching TV in the middle of a sunny day when all of a sudden it became very dark outside. My mom went to the door to see if a storm was there and she said when she looked up she saw a gray object hovering over the house. The object made a low humming noise, it was very large my father said a football field at least or more. Mom said it hovered for a long time then just sped away very fast. It was also documented in various newspapers across a wide area (Williamsport down towards Harrisburg?)(been awhile memory of details are fading to be honest but I am trying to describe details best I can)and she showed me the clippings. Its amazing that no-one ever followed up on what this was. I want to know..I saw something in the skies in Texas while sitting outside at night with my son (1993-1995?)he saw it and I looked up when he asked me what it was. I thought I could explain it away until I saw it. I never saw a ball of light that bright of a white ovulating? back and forth up and down such as it was wobbling? and it moved fairly slow until it shot up into space. WTF? I can't believe no-one has an answer I am not a skeptic anymore since I saw things with my own eyes. I also saw an object just race across the horizon after the light had been just blinking about every 20 seconds. I didn't really watch the skies in Texas until the neighbors said they saw stuff a lot. I was skeptic until my son noticed that white ball of light that night then I watched a lot. I reported these things awhile ago on this sight but no-one had an answer for it. - MUFON CMS
**********
Northumberland, PA - 2/22/2011: Let me begin by saying that I am very reluctant to file this report. I had an experience a year and a half ago which I did not disclose until 6 days ago when I filed my first report with MUFON. I spoke to an investigator on Monday, and then I had this terrifying experience on Tuesday. I have not seen anything since my first sighting in 2009. Now, one day after talking to your investigator, I have been visited up close and personal. I am not saying that one led to the other, but it is a very eerie coincidence. I was out on my deck Tuesday night and I noticed a few "flashing stars," not unlike what I had seen in my first report. It was 9 o'clock. These "stars" were then accompanied by these randomly flashing orbs that were descending to rooftop level. Then I saw a bright red flashing object low to the ground. It was not a plane, and it disappeared after a minute or two. After that, the real chaos began. Around 9:30, I noticed a huge streak of blue/white light flash across the sky, and after that, they were everywhere. Little flashes of what looked like laser beams, but they were coming from all directions and not from one source in the sky. There was a bright hovering orb directly in front of my house, and these little flashes of light were surrounding me. One came within 5 feet of me. They were constant. I was quite scared. I ran inside and called my brother to let him know what was happening, when I heard a helicopter fly over my house so low that I was almost shouting to make myself heard on the phone. I was on the phone for about 10 minutes, and in that time I counted 3 more helicopters and 2 planes fly directly over my house. They must have been very low for me to hear them from inside my home while on the telephone. After I hung up, I went back out on to the deck. At this time, there were planes and helicopters everywhere, but the bright orb in the sky was still above me (about a block or two away and the height of the planes flying at it) but hovering, not flying. The flashes of light were still all around. Some were in the distance, some were high in the sky, some were on the street, and some were in the alley directly in front of me. I began to feel strange. Not ill, but my stomach began to feel very odd. It was uncomfortable.. almost an empty feeling as if I hadn't eaten in days. At this time I was getting really worried, and the helicopters kept coming. The flashing beam phenomenon was practically happening on my deck, so I quickly came back inside out of fear. I called around and found that some of my neighbors were also aware of the heavy air traffic. One had actually heard all the commotion while in the shower and had gotten dressed and gone outside to see if there was an air raid or something. None had witnessed the lasers or orbs, but these were so low and directly in front of my house... so unless you were in my backyard, they would have been obstructed by other houses and trees. The 10-20 planes in the sky at any given time were visible to everyone though. I am sure that others had to have seen what I witnessed last night. I watched all of this go on for about an hour total. I was home alone, so I was very disturbed, especially since the lights were coming so close to me. I came back inside and continued to hear planes and helicopters go by one after another until about 11:30. Around that time, I went back outside and saw that the bright orb was moving away from my house toward the farms and fields beyond. I watched it move slowly away, still flashing beams of light in the distance. The planes were still flying by. I went back out at 12:30 and the orb was gone. In it's place there were two sets of three lights in the shape of triangles, with planes flying at them. By this time, my mind was exhausted, and I just couldn't comprehend anything else, so I came inside and tried to go to bed. Wednesday morning I found out that my father had also seen strange orbs in the woods by the creek on his property earlier that night, around 8 o'clock. He said they looked like lanterns, but were sporadic and would disappear after a few seconds. I am not sure that they are related, but he lives about 25 minutes from me, and it is very odd that we both saw similar phenomenon on the same night after almost 2 years of not seeing anything else substantial. I am at a loss for words when it comes to describing just how unreal and amazing last night's events were. There must be someone else out there that witnessed that same thing. It left Northumberland PA and headed toward Danville PA around 11:30-12. Anyone driving Route 11 at that time must have noticed an unusual number of low flying planes if not the orb and flashes themselves. - MUFON CMS
**********
Northumberland, PA - 8/2009: It was August 2009 and my father (Age 53 at the time), my brother (21), my boyfriend (29) and myself (24) were house sitting for my boyfriend's sister. Her home is isolated and sits atop a mountain outside Northumberland, PA. It is surrounded by trees which frame an outstandingly clear view of the sky. We were inside the house, chatting and finishing dinner (about 9 or 10 0'clock) when we heard a very strange sound, a low roar that lasted no more than a few seconds, but was quickly followed by what we thought was an earthquake. The house is huge by anyone's standards, 3 floors, 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, and built solid. It would take quite a natural force to shake the whole thing. The vibration was enough to rattle items on shelves, but it lasted only a second or two. We were startled because the weather was beautiful, no clouds or rain or wind. It was a perfect summer night. We didn't know what to make of it, so we went about our business, clearing dishes and then stepping out onto the upstairs patio to enjoy the night. We hadn't been outside for long when I noticed a strange "star" in the sky. I thought I had seen it move, so I watched it. It began turning different colors - red, green, white, blue- so I quickly pointed it out to the others. They picked it out of the sky right away and the four of us watched as it moved, ever so slightly, as if it were hovering in place. The lights came and went, and almost looked like they were rotating, as if the object they were attached to were spinning. We were all pretty convinced that this was not a star that we were looking at, when it started darting in short spurts. It would hover, then dart to the right, then up, then back to it's starting position. It didn't travel far in these spurts, but it was moving in ways that no plane could. We were utterly convinced that this was something none of us had seen before. We watched, in awe, for about half an hour - all of us staring at the sky, unable to explain what we were seeing, when all of a sudden, it disappeared. Just like that. All the rest of the stars in the sky were visible, it wasn't a cloud. It just...vanished. We all kind of gasped and cursed and got excited when it suddenly reappeared in a completely different region of the sky. We didn't witness it traveling to that spot - but we should have. It was inexplicable. It hovered and darted in that spot for about a minute when all of a sudden it flashed a bright light and began coming toward us! I know this sounds unreal, and maybe that's why I've kept our story between the four of us and a few close friends for 2 years, but I swear to you that this next experience has changed all of our lives forever. We cannot explain what we saw. We saw the bright light, and then we saw this giant, black mass coming right at us. I will never know how it traveled from a distance relative to stars to the rooftop so quickly. It was literally seconds. We all kind of screamed, watching the light get closer, but never taking our eyes off of it. It came so close that we thought it would begin to knock over treetops or crash into the house. The object we saw was enormous. It dwarfed the house and the property and was the blackest black, with no details visible except for a few orangish white lights on the bottom. It was shaped like a guitar pick and it seemed as if these dull lights were placed in the corners of the triangle. It was traveling fast and made NO SOUND. It is impossible for something so gigantic to fly. It is even more impossible for it to do so silently. As it flew directly over the house, I ran inside, through the house and out a door on the opposite side to catch the rest of it's descent. I saw the mass, but it was so low that I lost it to the trees as soon as it passed. We were hysterical. My father and I were yelling, excited and scared at the same time, recounting what we has just seen. My boyfriend was quiet, stunned, not sure how to react. My brother solemnly whispered "Holy F*&#, that was the Starship Enterprise", not trying to be funny, but in a reflective, shocked manner. We all went over the sequence of events a hundred times that night, and probably hundreds since then. We assumed no one outside the house would take us seriously, so we kept it to ourselves. The family and close friends we did tell gave us pitying looks and offered up explanations like 'planes' and 'search lights.' That is not even close to what we saw. We are all level headed, educated people, and we were the first to try and debunk what we were seeing, but we could not. This experience has changed our lives, and I think that we are finally ready for real answers and real input. Was the strange sound/shaking of the house related to what we saw? Why did it come so close to us? Where did it go? Did it land? How could it have been so big? WHAT WAS IT?? It has taken me a year and a half to share my story, but I have thought about this every day. I live not even 2 miles from where this sighting took place, and have since witnessed other UFO activity which I would happily share with anyone who is interested or willing to offer answers, but what happened on that night is the most haunting experience of my life. I need to know what we saw. - MUFON CMS
NOTE: On September 14th, 2002 at 1:45 PM, approximately 3 weeks after the See's incident, a large silver disk-shaped UFO was reported to me by a resident in Northumberland, PA. The UFO was hovering above the Montour Ridge, very near the See's property. The witness, who was an attorney in the area, stated that they estimated that the craft was over 400 ft in diameter, 1500 ft above ground and silent. There was a soft glow around the craft which allowed a visual description. It hovered for approximately 30 seconds, then disappeared completely. I received the report on September 17th, 2002...before I had any knowledge of the Sees incident.
There have been 30 UFO-related sighting reports to MUFON for Northumberland County, PA since 1995. We are constantly checking with databases and researchers for other reports. Your cooperation would be appreciated. Lon
**********
NOTE: This information was posted on Phantoms & Monsters on 10/23/2014
The disappearance and eventual death of 39-year-old Todd J. Sees has been one of the most mysterious cases in modern ufology. A joint investigation by Butch Witkowski / Cold Case Unit of the UFO Research Center of PA and myself, Lon Strickler of the Phantoms & Monsters Fortean Research team has uncovered previously undisclosed information in regards to this incident.
Here is a brief synopsis of the incident:
In the early morning of August 4th, 2002, Todd Jeffrey Sees rode his ATV, starting at his home at the base of Montour Ridge in Northumberland County, PA. (Point Township), on a short jaunt up a mountain trail adjacent to a sprawling high power line. After he failed to return home by noon, the family became concerned and notified the authorities.
A massive search effort ensued...which included search & rescue personnel (with search dogs and helicopters), local & state police, as well as an organized search team that numbered 200+ volunteers. The entire area from the top of the ridge, adjacent woods and the family property was explored...including a small pond located 70 feet from the Sees house. Divers and dogs searched the area in and around the pond...without success.
The effort continued for approximately 36 hours...until the second morning of the search, a family member noticed something in the bushes around the fore-mentioned pond. Todd Sees body had been discovered...in an area that was heavily searched the previous day.
Since that time, there has been very little information released to the public. The death was ruled as 'fatal cocaine toxicity'...despite evidence suggesting that something else most likely occurred. The circumstances involving the recovery, handling, autopsy and final arrangements with the body are also mired in controversy.
So, we are left with the obvious question...what happened to Todd Sees?
Peter B. Davenport, President of the National UFO Reporting Center investigated the information forwarded to UFORC by witnesses, including the following report:
The craft was seen on Montour Ridge on August 04th, 2002 at 5:30 in the morning by a farmer and also 3 fisherman on the Susquehanna River. It was at the very top of the mountain on the western end, just hovering above the power lines. The farmer said it appeared out of nowhere, he could see some sparks flying from the tower and dropping to the ground. The whole incident lasted about 10 minutes, then it (the object) got very bright and took off very low heading west, then it stopped and went straight up, it was gone in seconds. The horses on the farm were very upset and nervous for about 12 hours.
Subsequently, NUFORC received this excerpt from another report:
Farmer saw an object above Montour Ridge at the powerlines, on top of the mountain, it was round and very still over the lines. Suddenly it moved what looked like a few hundred feet to the east, it stopped and a beam of blue and white light shined to the ground. What was seen next was very unnerving, he saw what appeared to be a man suspended in the light, he was being pulled up headfirst, he was moving his arms slowly in the light. What looked like a man was pulled up into the bottom of the craft. A few seconds later and it started shuddering, then went west very fast stopped briefly, then went straight up and out of sight.
On August 29, 2002, the day after NUFORC had posted the two reports shown above, NUFORC received a third report from an individual, who provided their name and contact information...though, that information was never made available. Much of that report, along with another report that soon followed, contained a considerable amount of false information. As a result, speculation has run rampant for almost a decade. This is why Butch & I are investigating this case...to find the truth behind the speculation. If you’d like to hear the remainder of the Davenport report, including the information we've uncovered, please listen to the following radio presentations:
2/2/2014 The Todd Sees Incident Briefing & Roundtable Discussion
Preview & References: Todd Sees Incident Briefing LIVE - this link includes maps and other historical links to this case.
This Week On 'Beyond The Edge' Radio: The Todd Sees Incident - Briefing & Roundtable Discussion
NUFORC Sighting Report
National UFO Reporting Center Case Brief
Possible ET Abduction And Death Of PA Man Reported - Peter Davenport, Director - National UFO Reporting Center
MUFON Journal - Feb. 2013 - Davenport Article - Part 1
MUFON Journal - March 2013 - Davenport Article - Part 2
-----
The following maps can be enlarged by clicking on the image. May I suggest you copy the enlarged images and print for easy reference:
-----
Since our initial report in February 2013, some of Todd Sees’ personal information has come to light. But more data and intelligence is needed in order to form a reasonable hypothesis for this incident.
Some of the documented facts and evidence-based deductions include:
- There was a cover-up by local officials and, most likely, Federal officials.
- There were reports that the FBI was involved. It seems more likely that this was a military operation (USAF) and that all people involved with the search, including the family, were instructed not to disclose any information.
- Todd Sees body was found in an area, on his property, that was searched by officials and trained dogs. It seems reasonable to assume that the body was placed at the recovery area.
- The physical condition of the body was inconsistent with the amount of exposure and time of death recorded.
- The toxicology report and the coroner's determination of death was inconsistent with the time and evidence provided.
- Much of Todd Sees personal information was unavailable after his death...though some information was made available immediately after our on-air disclosure in February 2014.
There are many other inconsistencies and false data that were found and/or being investigated. Some of the newer intelligence is currently being researched by our groups.
In recent months, there have been other groups who have stated that they are now looking into the Sees case, after sitting on their collective hands for over a decade. Much of bluster was created after Butch & I made our assessment in February 2014. Since then, we have been subjected to countless attacks by others, namely, a few individuals associated with Pennsylvania MUFON. The fact is, we uncovered startling details that others now want to take credit for. As well, there is a concerted effort to maintain the cover-up associated with the death of Todd Sees.
We have always maintained that investigators should work hand-in-hand to find the truth, but also give credit where credit is due. This is why Butch & I are proposing the formation of a conference and/or discussion group in order to consider the facts in the matter of Todd Sees' disappearance, death & recovery. This would be an opportunity to bring together investigators and possible witnesses, and add fresh eyes and perception on the evidence. We would welcome your input on this concern.
In the meantime, any new information concerning this incident is welcomed. Please forward to lonstrickler@phantomsandmonsters.com.Thanks.
