by Charles Lear
The April 24, 1964 sighting by Socorro, NM, Police Sergeant Lonnie Zamora of a landed UFO with two beings standing next to it has been written about extensively and remains a fascinating mystery to this day. What’s noteworthy about this case is the large number of people who investigated it. Representatives from the Socorro Police, the New Mexico State Police, the F.B.I., and the Army were first on the scene. They were followed by the Lorenzens from the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization, members of the Air Force and J. Allen Hynek as part of Project Blue Book, and Ray Stanford for the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena. Besides the testimony of Zamora, there was trace evidence to examine, there were witnesses to interview who’d reported a similar craft, and there were reputed witnesses to the very craft Zamora reported who were searched for but never found. Despite the thoroughness of the inquiries and analyses by so many experienced investigators, no one was able to come up with an agreeable earthly explanation.
According to Zamora’s written report, he was chasing a speeder around 5:45 p.m. in the southeast section of Socorro when he heard what he described as a roar and saw a flame to the southwest. Just over a nearby hill was a dynamite shack belonging to the mayor, and Zamora was concerned that it might have blown up, so he broke pursuit and went to investigate.
As he drove, he saw a funnel shaped, narrower at the top, blue and “sort of orange” flame slowly descend behind the hill. He turned onto a dirt road, made it up a hill after three tries, and after looking around for 15-20 seconds, saw what he thought was a car standing on end in a gully. As he got closer he noted two figures in what looked like white coveralls standing next to the “car.” As he drove quickly towards them to help, one of the figures turned towards him and seemed startled.
In our last 
According to the report, Donald Shrum, 28, was bow hunting with two friends in the Loch Leven Lakes region, southeast of Cisco Grove, on Friday night, Sept. 4, 1964. He became separated from his friends, and as it became dark, he decided it would be safer to remain where he was than to risk making his way back to camp in the darkness over rough terrain.