Big Muddy Monster

The First Encounter: Terror by the River

June 25, 1973 – A Lovers’ Lane Nightmare

Just before midnight, Randy Needham and Judy Johnson were parked near the old boat ramp by the Big Muddy River, enjoying a secluded moment. Suddenly, an unearthly shriek pierced the night—described by Needham as an “eagle shrieking into a microphone.” As they sat frozen in fear, another screech erupted, accompanied by the sound of rustling in the nearby brush.

When Needham turned on the headlights, the couple was horrified to see a massive, humanoid creature covered in matted, mud-streaked white hair advancing toward them. The stench was overwhelming, and the sheer size of the being defied belief.

Without hesitation, Needham slammed on the gas, speeding away to the Murphysboro Police Station. Though they feared exposing their secret rendezvous, the terror they had experienced far outweighed the potential scandal.

Big Muddy Monster Police Investigation & Further Sightings

June 26, 1973 – Footprints and Frightening Sounds

The Murphysboro police took the couple’s claims seriously. Officers Meryl Lindsay and Jimmie Nash were dispatched to the boat ramp, where they discovered a set of strange footprints:

• 10-12 inches long
• 3 inches wide
• Deeply pressed into the mud

As Officer Nash inspected the tracks, an ear-piercing shriek—identical to the one Needham and Johnson had described—echoed through the darkness. Nash panicked, fleeing the scene so quickly that he dropped his revolver in his haste.

Two hours later, Officer Bob Scott and Needham returned to the scene, accompanied by Lindsay and Nash. They soon encountered another set of fresh tracks. Then, as they cautiously followed them, the silence was shattered by the same horrific cry. The officers abandoned their search, overwhelmed by fear.

June 26, 1973 – The Backyard Sighting

At 10:30 p.m., Christian Baril, a five-year-old boy, was playing outside when he saw a huge white figure looming beyond his backyard fence. Terrified, he ran inside, crying, “Daddy! There’s a big ghost in the backyard!”

His parents were skeptical—until their neighbors confirmed seeing the same creature.

June 26, 1973 – The Porch Encounter

That same evening, Cheryl Ray and her boyfriend Randy Creath were sitting on Ray’s porch when they heard rustling in the nearby woods. Thinking it was neighborhood kids, Ray turned on the porch light—only to reveal the massive, mud-covered creature staring at them from just 15 feet away.

Creath described it as:

• 8 feet tall
• Stocky like a football player
• Covered in long, filthy, white hair
• Emitting a sickening odor

Most chillingly, both Ray and Creath reported that its eyes glowed red, though Creath attributed this to the reflection of a distant streetlight.

The beast stared at them for about 30 seconds before turning and walking away into the woods.

The Hunt for the Monster

Police Response & The Terrified Tracking Dog

Murphysboro Police Chief Toby Berger took the matter seriously, dispatching officers with rifles and flashlights. One of the most eerie moments of the investigation came when Officer Jerry Nellis, a trained dog handler, brought his German Shepherd, Reb, to track the creature.

Reb followed the scent through dense woods until he reached an abandoned barn. But when they tried to coax him inside, the dog—known for his bravery—cowered, whimpering in terror. Something inside that barn had scared the seasoned tracking dog beyond reason.

By the time additional officers arrived, whatever had been lurking inside had vanished without a trace.

Carnival Chaos: The Final Sightings

July 7, 1973 – The Carnival Incident

About 10 days later, a traveling carnival set up camp in Riverside Park—the same area where the first sighting occurred. Late at night, three carnival workers, Otis Norris, Ray Adkerson, and Wesley Lavender, heard their ponies whinnying in terror.

When they checked, they saw a massive, hairy creature standing nearby, watching the frightened animals.

One hour later, another worker, Charles Kimbal, also saw the beast, describing its curious posture as it observed the ponies.

Later That Night – The Final Sighting

That same night, Nedra Green, a local woman, heard an unnatural scream coming from her barn but wisely decided to stay inside.

The Search Party & National Attention

With panic spreading through Murphysboro, Chief Berger feared armed citizens might accidentally shoot each other in their pursuit of the monster. He called for expert assistance, bringing in Harkan Sorkin, a cryptid researcher, to lead an official investigation.

Sorkin’s team was prepared with:

• A stun gun capable of taking down a 500-pound animal
• Chocolate and bananas (intended to lure the beast)
• Loaded shotguns (for self-defense)

Despite hearing an unearthly roar and discovering more giant footprints, the expedition ultimately came up empty-handed.

However, the story gained national media coverage, with the New York Times publishing an article titled “Yeti-Like ‘Monster’ Gives Staid Town in Illinois a Fright”.

Cryptozoologist Loren Coleman investigated the case, concluding that the Big Muddy Monster was likely a type of aggressive, albino Bigfoot.

The Mystery Remains

After the summer of 1973, sightings of the Big Muddy Monster dwindled. Sporadic reports surfaced in 1975, including truckers describing a bear-like creature near the Illinois 149 junction, but the creature was never captured or identified.

Chief Berger summed up the case best:

“A lot of things in life are unexplained, and this is another one. We don’t know what the creature is, but we do believe what these people saw was real.”

Today, Murphysboro embraces its cryptid legend, with Big Muddy Monster-themed murals, statues, and festivals celebrating its eerie history. Whether the creature was an unknown species, a wandering Bigfoot, or something else entirely—its presence still lingers in the town’s collective memory.