Kenneth Rommel

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Contents 4
Kenneth Rommel
Illustration of official papers and files
Illustration: official papers and files. An artist's impression drawn for this site, not a photograph of the event.
TypePerson
Also known asRommel
On the Timeline4 events, 1975–2001

Kenneth Rommel was a former FBI agent who in 1979 was hired to lead an investigation into cattle mutilations in New Mexico. The project was funded by a federal Law Enforcement Assistance Administration grant, after Sen. Harrison Schmitt pressed for an inquiry into the many reported cases in the western United States.

Findings

Illustration of an observer watching the sky
Illustration: an observer watching the sky. An artist's impression drawn for this site, not a photograph of the event.

Rommel's report, released in June 1980, examined several dozen cases. It concluded that the animals had died of natural causes and that the "surgical" wounds were caused by scavengers and normal decomposition, such as soft tissue being eaten first and bloating. He found no evidence of UFOs, cults or secret government operations.

Reaction

Linda Moulton Howe receiving Emmy Award for Audio Achievement in documentary A Strange Harvest
Linda Moulton Howe receiving Emmy Award for Audio Achievement in documentary A Strange Harvest Photo: Larry W. Howe · CC BY 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

Researchers such as Linda Moulton Howe and police officer Gabe Valdez disputed his conclusions, saying he avoided the most unusual cases. The report remains the main official study of the subject.

On the UAP Timeline

Harrison Schmitt: Harrison H. Schmitt astronaut
Harrison Schmitt: Harrison H. Schmitt astronaut Photo: NASA · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons

References

This page was last edited on 29 October 2026. Articles are written in our own words from the sources listed under References; disputed claims are attributed to the people who made them.

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