FBI Releases File Detailing 1976 Examination of Hair That Purportedly Came from Bigfoot

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently released a series of correspondences from 1976 which show the investigative agency tested samples of what was purportedly hair from a Bigfoot.

The correspondences began with a letter from Peter Byrne of the Bigfoot Information Center and Exhibition; Byrne also sent in the samples to be tested.

In a letter dated August 26th, 1976, Byrne inquired whether or not rumors of the FBI testing prior samples of Bigfoot hair were true.

“From time to time we have been informed that hair, supposedly of a Bigfoot, has been sent for examination to the FBI, has been examined by the FBI, and with the conclusion as a report of the examination, that it was not possible to compare the hair with that of any known creature on this continent,” he wrote.

Jay Cochran, Jr., Assistant Director of the FBI’s Laboratory Division, replied that “we have been unable to locate any references to such examinations in our files.”

However, the FBI was willing to examine hair and tissue samples submitted by Byrne.

The samples were examined by transmitted and incident light microscopy, and it was ultimately concluded that they were “of deer family origin” and returned to Byrne.

In an interview with NBC News, Byrne said that while in the ‘70s his search for Bigfoot was “full time, seven days a week”, these days “it’s a hobby for me now.”

This could be due in part to the fact that he pleaded guilty in 2013 to defrauding the Social Security Administration, the Oregon Department of Human Services, and Medicaid out of over $78,000 by concealing his travels outside of the United States from 1992 through 2012.

He also had more than $85,000 in bank accounts while receiving SSI and food stamps, said authorities.

Byrne is the author of several books on topics including Bigfoot, cryptozoology, and hunting; and, according to federal prosecutors, had directed his publisher to send future royalties from his books to his girlfriend.

He denied receiving royalties when questioned by investigators.

Byrne was sentenced to three years probation and full restitution.

When asked directly about the letters and samples sent in 1976, Byrne replied “I don’t remember this.”

“It’s out of my memory,” he added.

However, Byrne is still a believer in the phenomenon.

“There’s been sightings,” he said. “We had a sighting 10 days ago [of a Bigfoot] from a very reliable, very good friend of mine."

Although the FBI has just officially released the file, this isn’t the first time it has been seen publicly; John Greenewald, Jr. of website The Black Vault received the same file via a Freedom of Information Act request, and published it to his site on May 24th, 2019.

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