Shivangi Sinha
UFO theories have long captivated public interest, with many investigators dedicated to uncovering evidence of possible extraterrestrial encounters. Figures like Budd Hopkins, a prominent UFO researcher, have shaped the field, seeking to legitimize and understand alien abduction claims. Among these, Linda Napolitano has become a pivotal figure known for her extraordinary “Manhattan Abduction” story. Her account, involving high-profile witnesses and alleged government involvement, has left a lasting impact on UFO lore, stirring debate and fascination. In Netflix’s ‘The Manhattan Alien Abduction,’ Linda stepped forward to defend her experiences, standing firmly by the claims she made decades ago.
Linda Napolitano Proclaimed She Was Kidnapped By Aliens For a Second Time
Linda Napolitano grew up in New York’s Little Italy, where her father was a Golden Gloves boxer. She shared that her mother had always taught her to expect a traditional life: to marry, raise children, and support her family. However, alleged events in her later years altered her view of reality and transformed her life’s direction. Linda’s story entered the public eye when she first reached out to Budd Hopkins, a renowned UFO investigator and author, in late 1989. She told him she had read some of his books, but she could not get through them because they were traumatizing for her. She recounted an incident when she went on a holiday with her husband to the Catskills, New York, and had a very eerie dream.
She felt that she was levitating and then woke up the next morning in the forest with a nosebleed. She claimed that she went to the doctor, and upon doing an x-ray, found a spring-like object in her nose. She sent the x-ray to Budd, who was very interested in getting to know about her supposed experience. During the time she was working with Budd through hypnosis sessions to unravel her alleged experience, she called him and told him that she might have been abducted again. Linda claimed that around 3:15 am on November 30, 1989, she was lifted from her apartment bedroom by a bright blue light. She described feeling paralyzed and being floated out of her window, high above the street, toward a hovering, metallic UFO.
Linda claimed that she was transported into the craft, where she encountered several grey-skinned beings with large, almond-shaped eyes who performed various examinations on her. Budd asserted that he had found 23 witnesses corroborating Linda’s supposed abduction, and added that many of them had reportedly seen her being taken on the night she mentioned. He started working on a book based on her alleged experiences, and they started doing interviews to elaborate on what they were trying to understand. At the time, Linda used the name Linda Cortile to be in the public domain.
Linda Claimed Her Family Were Also Abducted by Aliens
As Budd Hopkins and Linda Napolitano continued their investigation, they began to suspect that government agencies, particularly the FBI, were monitoring their activities, fueling an increasing sense of paranoia. One day, Linda called Budd in a state of alarm, explaining that two men, identifying themselves as FBI agents named Richard and Dan, had visited her. She said that they allegedly questioned her intensely, demanding to know how she had managed to “float” out of her apartment window. It was further claimed that the two of them even reportedly contacted Budd and told him that they were, in fact, security personnel for Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, the United Nations Secretary-General at the time. According to their claims, the security personnel had seen Linda’s alleged abduction in November 1989 and wanted answers.
One night, Linda claimed she awoke to an eerie sight: her husband, Stephen Napolitano, and their two sons stood together in the hallway, each with a nosebleed. This shocking event, she alleged, was evidence that her entire family had also been abducted by aliens. Budd Hopkins supported Linda’s theory, suggesting that UFO abductions are often part of a broader attempt to study human behavior, DNA, and familial connections. He posited that aliens may abduct multiple family members to gain insight into genetic patterns and inherited traits, which, he argued, could explain why Linda’s family might have been subjected to these experiences as well.
Linda Reported She Was Being Threatened By Two Security Personnel
Over time, Linda began to feel increasingly unsafe, always sensing that she was being followed. To protect herself, she got a gun and started wearing a wire whenever she left her home. During one outing, she claimed she was abducted by the same two mysterious agents, Richard and Dan. Linda said she managed to record parts of their interaction, capturing disturbing statements in which they referred to her as a “half-breed” and made threats, allegedly because they believed she was somehow connected to alien beings. Linda stated that she ultimately managed to escape, though the encounter deepened her sense of vulnerability and fear.
Budd published her account in his 1996 book ‘Witnessed: The True Story of the Brooklyn Bridge UFO Abductions.’ He wanted it to be republished a few years later and a movie to be made, but it did not pan out. Linda’s story remains one of the most debated cases in UFO and alien abduction literature. Critics argue that the lack of independent verification, particularly of Pérez de Cuéllar’s alleged involvement, weakens the case. Some skeptics suggest that Linda’s story may have been influenced by the growing cultural awareness of alien abduction narratives or by Budd’s own research methods, which often included the use of hypnosis. This technique has come under scrutiny for its potential to create false memories.
Linda Napolitano’s Accounts Remain Relevant and Sought-After Even Today
In addition, Richard and Dan’s identities have never been verified, and no independent evidence has surfaced to corroborate Linda’s claims about their involvement. Skeptics argue that without more concrete evidence, the story remains speculative and may be the result of fabrication or confabulation. Despite the controversy, Linda Napolitano’s case has become one of the most famous in UFO lore, often cited by those who believe in extraterrestrial encounters and alien abductions. Her story has appeared in television documentaries, books, and paranormal media, fueling discussions about the reality of alien encounters and the possibility of government involvement in suppressing information about extraterrestrial phenomena.
Over time, Linda has remained an important part of the community that claims to have experienced alien interactions. In a 2013 Vanity Fair article, Linda was reported to have been a member of an Alien-Abduction Support Group that met annually. In 2022, the documentary ‘Linda Napolitano: The Alien Abduction of the Century’ revisited the case and her accounts and several theorists as well as scholars have maintained an interest in her case.
Linda continues to reside in New York, maintaining a low profile and rarely engaging in public appearances. When given the opportunity to speak, however, she stands firm in her accounts of what she experienced. Her sons, Tony and Johnny Napolitano, have grown into responsible adults who deeply love and respect their mother for everything she has done for them, and she now enjoys being a grandmother to two young boys. She remains in touch with Peter Robbins — who was Budd Hopkins’ assistant during their time working together — and considers him a lifelong friend. Her current life is focused on family and health, and peace of mind is of foremost importance to her.
Read More: Stephen Napolitano: Where is Linda Napolitano’s Husband Now?
