Legends, Hoaxes and the Big Lie: A Model Citizen

The Gulf Breeze UFO sightings grew in intensity over 1989, with over 130 reports over a six-month time from independent witnesses. This attracted national media attention. Unsolved Mysteries aired two separate pieces on Gulf Breeze, one in which Ed Walters remained anonymous, and another after he himself had come out of the closet, and written his book with Dr. Bruce Maccabee.

In this second piece, Unsolved Mysteries began to examine some of the reports that indicated Walters hoaxed his UFO photographs. The accusations of hoaxing came from several different sources: (1) local citizens who knew, or claimed to know, Walters; (2) ufologists who found credibility problems in Walters’ claims; and (3) those critical of MUFON’s handling of the case.

In 1989, the resultant publicity surrounding Walters’ photos, story and coming out of the cosmic closet drove him and Frances out of their house. They purchased a new home, and sold their old one to Robert and Sarah Menzer, a couple who had recently relocated from the Washington D.C. area. As out-of-towners, the Menzers had no clue about the reported UFO activity surrounding it, and Walters offered them no information. So, it came as a surprise to Robert when, scrounging around in the attic to find a shutoff valve, he discovered a miniature flying saucer that looked like the one in Walters’ photographs.

Since he had no idea about the UFO flap in Gulf Breeze, Menzer didn’t know what to make of his discovery until June 1990, when Pensacola journalist Craig Meyers decided to write a follow-up piece on the Walters photographs. With other leads drying up, Meyers thought it wouldn’t do any harm if he talked to the people who bought the house at the center of all the hubbub.

I came by because, as I said, this house is where Ed and Frances claimed to have taken several of those photos in 1987 and 1988. I said.. 'Well, we were just wondering if possibly you had found or seen anything unusual since you moved in?'

The Menzers were beginning to look like the couple who had bought the home in The Amityville Horror.

'Found something? Like what?' Mr. Menzer said.

'Well, first of all, what about a UFO?' I asked, only half laughing.

'No, I can’t say we have,' Mr. Menzer said, chuckling.

'Okay. What about any photographs laying around?'

'No.'

'Books about UFOs, photography, unexplained phenomenon?'

'Can’t say we have.

'Any models of UFOs…'

I was ready to write down another 'no,' but there was only silence. I looked up and they were looking at each other. Then they looked at me. My heart was once again pumping like a kettle drum.

The Menzers produced the model. Even more damning, Menzer found a sketch of a property inside it. Walters had worked on the property. Ed’s handwriting was all over it.

On 17 June 1990, a few days after the publication of Meyers’ account in the Pensacola News Journal, teenager Tommy Smith, after telling his father about pictures he helped Walters fake, stepped forward to expose the ruse. Gulf Breeze Mayor Edward Grey held a press conference two days later to pronounce Walters a fraud.

While that could have settled the question of authenticity once and for all, there were some MUFON people who saw the revelation as spurious. After some digging, they found evidence that the model, the plans, and even Tommy Smith were not what they appeared to be.