Travis Walton - Publicity

Publicity

Additionally by Saturday, word of Walton's disappearance had spread internationally. News reporters, ufologists and the curious began travelling to Snowflake.

Among the visitors was Fred Sylvanus, a Phoenix UFO investigator, who interviewed Rogers and Duane Walton on Saturday, November 8. While repeatedly expressing worry for Walton's well-being (and criticizing what they saw as a halfhearted search effort by police), both men would make statements that would return to haunt them, when seized upon by critics.

On the recordings made by Sylvanus, Rogers noted that because of Walton's disappearance and the subsequent search, he would be unable to complete his contract with the Forest Service, and he hoped the search for his missing friend would mitigate the situation. Duane Walton reported he and Walton were quite interested in UFOs, and that some twelve years earlier, Duane had witnessed a UFO similar to the one witnessed by the logging crew. Duane reported that he and Walton had both decided that if they had a chance, they would get as close as possible to any UFO they might see. Duane also suggested that Walton would not be injured by the aliens, because "they don't harm people". (Clark, 631) Without intending to do so, Rogers and Duane Walton had laid "the foundations for an alternative interpretation of the case" with their statements. (Clark, 632) Walton would later report that he never had a "keen" interest in UFOs, even after his supposed abduction, but the tape recorded statement of his brother Duane, while Walton was still missing, runs contrary to Walton's statements.

Shortly after the Sylvanus interview, Snowflake town marshal Sanford Flake announced that the entire affair was a prank engineered by Duane and Walton. They had fooled the logging crew by lighting a balloon and "releasing it at the appropriate time". Flake's wife disagreed, suggesting that her husband's story was "just as farfetched as Duane Walton's". (Clark, 632)

In the meantime, Police officers were making repeated visits to Kellett's home; Duane once returned there to find her in tears as she was being questioned in her living room. Duane told the police to leave unless they had something new to relate, or to ask. Duane suggested that she speak with police only on the front porch, which would allow her to end the interview anytime she chose by simply going inside. She did exactly that after Marshal Flake arrived to relate a message, which Clark notes, contributed to the feeling among skeptics that Kellett was "hiding something. Or someone". (Clark, 632)

Duane also spoke with William H. Spaulding of Ground Saucer Watch. Spaulding suggested that if Walton ever returned, GSW could provide a doctor to examine him in confidence. Spaulding also suggested that if Walton returned, he should save his first urination after returning so it could be tested.