2007 U.S. Military Investigation
In 2010, WikiLeaks leaked a number of U.S. government documents, one of which included a number of emails from a military officer (branch unknown), Major Tomas C. Witmoore, to his superior, Colonel Steven Bitman, pertaining to an investigation/hunt of what they believed to be the Slender Man.
Date: Oct. 23, 2007
Sender: Maj. Tomas C. Witmoore
To: Col. Steven Bitman
Sub: Ongoing S. Man Investigation
Colonel, as per your request, I am updating you as to our last investigation into the case. Having received the report from the police, we sent out a team to the last known site that the Slender Man was seen. Timeline of investigation is as follows:
0200: Car with the husband and wife pulls into the parking lot of the police station. Approx. 5 minutes later, police notice the car idling in the parking lot, and go out to investigate. The two civilians are then helped out of the car after pressure bandages are applied to their wounds, and brought into the station.
0230: After half an hour, both subjects are calmed down to the point where they could speak. Police are informed of what they were doing in the area, and why they were at the station covered in, according to the report, was "Blood, bits of human tissue, and unidentifiable pieces of what appeared to be some sort of bone or rock."
0300: The police sent the report in to the FBI, while sending out several deputies to the area, to investigate.
0315: All communication with the deputies is lost. Subjects sent to the hospital.
0330: Report comes in that the husband and wife fled from the ambulance at a red light. Location of them is still, at this time, unknown.
0400: FBI teams arrive to the police station, where they set up a perimeter around the area that the subjects had said they were camping in.
0415: First FBI team is sent in to find police deputies.
0417: Agent finds what appears to be a "clear bag, full of human intestine."
0420: Agent finds several corpses, including the police deputies, hanging from the trees in a circular pattern. Corpses have been opened on the front, with the ribcage cut in two. Internal organs seem to be in some sort of clear bag, arranged in their proper place in the human anatomy, except for the intestines.
At this point Sir, we are contacted and asked to form a perimeter around the area. Fog continues to thicken. Nothing has been seen, as of yet, but I believe it is simply a matter of time. Requesting further instructions.
Date: Oct. 28th, 2007
Sender: Maj. Tomas C. Witmoore
To: Col. Steven Bitman
Sub: Ongoing S. Man Investigation
Sir, as you requested, I am sending you another update. We’ve received yet another report of the Slender Man appearing. This time, it seems to have shown up near the edge of the Yellowstone National Park. Our analyst seems to think it may prefer to be near/around trees, as the body type of it appears to blend well with the trees. I have taken over as the head of this task force, and I am doing my best to keep things under control. The loss of the first team we sent in on the 23rd of October to attempt to remove the bodies that were discovered, is a shocking event. One that touched the people working on this task force deeply.
As to why so many of them committed suicide, I cannot say at this time. I reviewed their files extensively after the autopsies. All came back as confirmed suicide. None of the five men that committed suicide had any notes in their profiles to suggest suicidal tendencies. The psychological examination that everyone undergoes showed no suggestion of any mental disorder that might have pushed them to end their own lives. Investigation into this is still ongoing, we are interviewing family members and friends at this time.
I have sent in a suggestion to cease any further attempt to remove the bodies from the trees in which they were found in.
The sixth man, Sgt. Conner is currently in the hospital on base. He has been heavily sedated every hour, on the hour, after the incident. I have received the reports of the doctor on call at the time of the incident, and the report indicates that reattachment of his tongue is impossible, due to the damage caused by his teeth. The report states that the tongue was beyond repair. We are currently discussing which mental health facility he will be sent to for evaluation after he recovers. Despite what he had done to his brother, the psychologist we had brought in to evaluate him has stated that he has not been in a normal frame of mine for quite some time. I would venture as to say since the failed attempt at the body recovery.
Further information will be sent to you as I receive it.
Date: Nov 2nd, 2007
Sender: Maj. Tomas C. Witmoore
To: Col. Steven Bitman
Sub: Ongoing S. Man Investigation
The latest attempt to study the Slender Man was a disaster. I was adamant in my belief that trying to enclose the Slender Man into a contained area would be a mistake. Time line of the incident is as follows:
0600: Task force, with Major Thompson in command, arrives in area where Slender Man was last sighted. Perimeter is started to be established.
0620: Temporary HQ for analysts and equipment is started to be established. Perimeter is still not complete.
0645: Perimeter is established. Men are sent out to set up weapons and equipment for recording and analyzing.
0700: Three men sent into the area inside the Perimeter to set up motion-sensitive video camera, thermal camera, sound recording devices.
0705: The three men return, having finished their task. Reported seeing ‘wisps of fog near the bases of the trees.’
0705-0750: Nothing of note. Wisps of fog appear at tree line. No other movement or unusual sound noted.
0815: First of the sound recording devices picks up unusual sound. Described as ‘small children laughing‘ Noted that it sounded as if there was more then one child.
0823: The motion-sensitive cameras are activated simultaneously. Nothing of note except fog. Children’s laughter continues off and on, several minutes between it being heard.
0852: First camera on north-eastern edge of the perimeter captures footage of Slender Man. Appears to be looking directly at the camera.
0900: Second and third cameras both capture video of Slender Man. Second camera is in the south-west area. Third in the north-west edge. Both recorded images nearly simultaneously.
0925: All recording equipment are disabled. Repeated attempts at contact fail.
1000: Recovery teams discover the corpses of the first task force. Major Thompson found alive underneath a fallen pile of sandbags.
Date: Nov 15th, 2007
Sender: Maj. Tomas C. Witmoore
To: Col. Steven Bitman
Sub: Ongoing S. Man Investigation
I apologize for not sending you a response sooner. I have been informed that my visit to the doctor about my recent insomnia has been sent to you. Sir, dealing with the aftermath of the last attempt to analyze the Slender Man has been very difficult. Though the scientists say the video and sound that was recorded is important, I do not find this to be very comforting over the fact that we lost over a dozen lives.
As to the question of what exactly was gained, I honestly cannot say. After many hours of studies, the exact nature of the Slender Man is still in question. Nothing has shown how it moves, or if it breathes, or what it exactly looks like, nor how it seems to be surrounded by fog when it appears. It has been suggested that it might be able to find fog banks. Some sort of defensive mechanism, perhaps. Personally, Sir, I do not believe it feels any need for a defensive mechanism.
More information will be sent after today’s meeting.
Date: Nov. 29th, 2007
Sender: Maj. Tomas C. Witmoore
To: Col. Steven Bitman
Sub: Ongoing S. Man Investigation
Sir, I have recently visited Major Thompson. Our conversation follows. Note that he wrote down his responses.
Witmoore: Steven, thank you for seeing me. I was thinking you’d deny a visit again. I will make a deal with you. I will be completely honest with you if you ask me a question, if you will do the same with me.
Thompson: Yes.
Witmoore: The video on the cameras was recovered, but it cut off before the attack occurred. Can you tell me what happened?
Thompson: It came. It came to us.
Witmoore: It approached and attacked?
Thompson: It appeared. No movement. Never saw it move. It was in one place, then another place. No movement.
Witmoore: Did it have any weapons? The bodies of the soldiers showed no marks that would resemble that of a knife or wounds of a gun.
Thompson: It came and they died as it did. They couldn’t fire at it.
Witmoore: Did it touch them?
Thompson: I don’t know. I heard them fall down. Heard them die. The rattle of their breath.
Witmoore: Did it leave once they all died?
Thompson: No. It drew a line on their bodies, and they opened.
Witmoore: What do you mean opened? It removed their vests?
Thompson: Like a flower. Like a door. It drew a line down, and they opened. It watched as they opened, and began to work.
At this point, he refused to answer any more questions, and I left shortly after.