The investigator turned author spoke to a standing room only crowd on the mysteries of UFOs.

Photo: Author and UFOlogist Ray Szymanski signs books after his August 20, 2024, presentation at the Dexter District Library. Photo by Doug Marrin

Ray Szymanski, a renowned UFO researcher and author, captivated a full house at the Dexter District Library with his riveting presentation on the 1966 Dexter UFO sightings. All 250 seats were filled, and overflow attendees stood around the perimeter for the hour-long talk.

Szymanski, who spent nearly four decades at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, has gained a reputation for his meticulous investigation into the UFO phenomena. His previous works, including “Swamp Gas My Ass,” “50 Shades of Greys,” and “Victoria’s Secret Truth,” have delved into some of the most enigmatic UFO cases, making him a sought-after speaker on the subject.

Szymanski began his presentation by discussing his background and his journey into UFO research, which was initially driven by curiosity rather than a belief in extraterrestrial life. He recounted his experiences at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where he first heard stories about the Roswell crash and other UFO-related incidents. His quest to uncover the truth led him to investigate numerous cases, culminating in the books that have made him a prominent figure in the field.

After a brief overview of several notable UFO sightings and the Air Force’s flimsy explanations, which he easily debunked, Szymanski shifted focus to the heart of his presentation: the 1966 Dexter UFO sightings. He provided context by discussing the broader wave of UFO sightings that occurred in the mid-1960s, highlighting how southeastern Michigan, particularly Dexter, became a hotspot for these mysterious events.

Talk of UFO (now UAP – Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon) experiences, government coverup, ridicule of the eyewitnesses, and eventual coming to light of these instances is a heavy subject. Still, Szymanski kept the atmosphere light-hearted with humorous quips and a bright tone. At the end of his presentation, he had fun with the audience by donning his Men in Black sports coat and held up the iconic neuralyzer from the movie. Flashing its light, he announced to the audience’s laughter, “You were never here!”

The crowd listened intently as Szymanski recounted the events of March 20, 1966, when Dexter resident Frank Mannor and his son Ronald witnessed a strange light on their property. What started as a curious observation quickly escalated into a significant event as they ventured closer to the light and realized they were in the presence of a mysterious object.

“Frank Mannor and his son got within 100 yards of the object,” Szymanski told the audience. “They described it as flat on the bottom with a cone on top. Frank even mentioned that it looked like it was quilted like cardboard. That’s how close they got.”

The Mannor family wasn’t alone in their encounter. According to Szymanski, multiple law enforcement officers from various jurisdictions also saw the lights on Mannor’s property. “Before the night was over, there were 12 police officers with flashlights running all through Frank Mannor’s property, chasing these lights,” Szymanski said, emphasizing the credibility of the witnesses involved. These officers later filed official reports detailing what they saw over a five-hour period.

But it wasn’t just the Mannor property buzzing with activity that night. Szymanski explained that Patrolman Honeywell, stationed at Brand & Quigley, observed a similar phenomenon. “Honeywell saw an object hovering over his car for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, three other objects appeared, hovered for a bit, and they all took off together,” Szymanski recounted. The story was eerily consistent with the Mannor sighting, adding to the mystery.

One of the most compelling pieces of evidence Szymanski presented came from an interview he conducted with Connie Bell, who was near Peach Mountain on the night of the sightings. Bell’s testimony, recorded by Szymanski, described a close encounter with a UFO that had flashing red and white lights. “It freaked me out,” Bell said in the recording. “The maneuverability of it was amazing. It made no sound whatsoever.”

In the almost seven-minute recording of Connie’s riveting story, she added, “And even though they tried to say it was swamp gas, I knew that they were full of sh-crap…It’s like being discredited. Basically, it’s trying to make you feel like you’re delusional…I knew in my mind I wasn’t crazy anymore. I know what I saw.”

During a press conference in Detroit, Szymanski then addressed the infamous “swamp gas” explanation, a term coined by Dr. J. Allen Hynek, a consultant for the Air Force’s Project Blue Book. Hynek’s assertion that the sightings in Dexter and nearby Hillsdale were caused by swamp gas was met with widespread skepticism and, as Szymanski pointed out, anger from the local community and even President Ford.

“The government lied to the American people for 75 years about flying saucers,” Szymanski asserted. He cited a confession from a former Air Force consultant who admitted to debunking UFO sightings as part of a deliberate cover-up. Szymanski’s research, particularly his interviews with Colonel Gary Kent Carroll, an F-106 pilot who was scrambled to intercept a UFO in March 1966, provided further evidence of the government’s obfuscation. “Colonel Carroll kept this secret for 55 years, but before he died, he wanted the truth to be known,” Szymanski said. Carroll detailed how the UFO made an impossible right-angle turn at high speed, evading their pursuit.

The evening concluded with Szymanski’s passionate plea for transparency and his determination to continue uncovering the truth about UFOs. “The Dexter UFO incident was real,” he told the audience, “and the government’s explanation of swamp gas was nothing more than a cover-up.”

As the event wrapped up, Szymanski stayed behind to sign copies of his books and chat with attendees. The Dexter UFO incident remains one of the most intriguing cases in Michigan’s history, and thanks to Szymanski’s dedication, the story continues to captivate and challenge our understanding of the unknown.

For those of you who missed Szymanski’s presentation or would like to hear more from the author, he will speak in Taylor, MI, at the Taylor Community Library on October 16 at 6:00 p.m. Seats are very limited, and registration opens in early September.