The Jim Motley Disappearance: Missouri's Unexplained 1984 Paranormal Encounter
April 10, 1984 began as an ordinary evening for Jim Motley, a caretaker for a large rural Missouri property. While chatting on his CB radio at 9:30 PM, he spotted two unusually bright lights in the back pasture, approximately seven to eight feet off the ground. Concerned about potential poachers or cattle thieves, Motley grabbed his rifle and drove his pickup toward the mysterious lights despite having a broken foot from a recent accident.
What happened next defies conventional explanation. After approaching the lights, Motley experienced a blackout. When he regained consciousness, he was disoriented and confused, unable to start his truck for several minutes. Most perplexingly, he discovered he had somehow traveled to the west pasture - half a mile away from his original location - with no explanation for how he and his vehicle traversed there. Multiple witnesses, including his wife Joyce, friend Arnold Spencer, and even the local undersheriff, confirmed that only one set of tire tracks existed, with no connecting path between the two pastures.
Key Takeaways
Jim Motley encountered mysterious bright lights in a rural Missouri pasture and experienced a 12-minute blackout during the evening of April 10, 1984.
Upon regaining consciousness, Motley and his vehicle were inexplicably relocated to another pasture with no connecting tire tracks between locations.
Following the incident, Motley's truck experienced electrical problems with both the alternator and voltage regulator failing to function properly.
The Incident of April 10, 1984
Jim Motley's Experience
On April 10, 1984, Jim Motley was tending to his regular duties as caretaker of a large rural property in Missouri, located approximately three miles between Noel and Southwest City. The property, owned by Burl Harris of Gravette, required Motley to monitor the grounds and care for the cattle. Around 9:30 PM that evening, Motley was sitting in his pickup truck engaged in his nightly hobby of chatting on his CB radio.
While conversing on his CB, Motley spotted something unusual at the far end of the property. He observed two large, extremely bright lights that resembled floodlights positioned about seven to eight feet above the ground. Concerned that poachers or cattle thieves might be trespassing, Motley immediately went inside to alert his wife.
Despite having a broken foot from a recent auto accident, Motley grabbed his rifle and returned to his truck. He drove across the wet pasture toward the lights, which appeared to be coming from a northeasterly direction near a stand of trees by the back gate, approximately a quarter mile from his house.
The Mysterious Lights
As Motley approached the stationary, bright lights, something extraordinary occurred. He suddenly lost consciousness, and when he regained awareness, he found himself completely disoriented. According to his account to reporter Dan Townsend of the McDonald County Press, "It seemed like I had vertigo or something. I was dizzy and couldn't keep my head up. I didn't know where I was and was really confused."
The disorientation was so severe that Motley:
Could not start his truck for several minutes
Had difficulty determining his location
Struggled to clear his head and think properly
When he finally managed to start his pickup, his confusion remained. He reached for his CB radio and repeatedly stated, "I don't know where I am," forgetting to use his CB handle "Thumb Sucker."
His wife Joyce and her visiting friend Connie Pendergrass recognized his voice immediately. Another CB operator, Arnold Spencer (known as "Feet Hauler"), joined the conversation and attempted to help the disoriented Motley.
The Confusion and Aftermath
When Joyce instructed her husband to turn on his headlights, a puzzling discovery was made. Motley was now located in the west pasture—half a mile away from the back gate where he had initially been heading. This was physically impossible without driving past the house, which Joyce would have noticed.
The property's layout made this movement particularly baffling:
The property featured a deep, tree-filled hollow running north to south
To travel between the east and west pastures normally required driving past the house
The wet grass would have clearly shown any vehicle tracks
Concerned for Motley's well-being, Spencer gathered a group including his father-in-law Lewis Herring, brothers-in-law Robert and Billy Herring, and another CB operator known as "Whipperwolf." They all drove to Motley's house to investigate.
Upon examination of the area, they found only Motley's single set of tire tracks going to the back gate. No tracks connected this location to the west pasture where he was found. Undersheriff Don Slessman also investigated and confirmed these findings.
Following the incident, Motley realized he had lost approximately 12 minutes of time. Additionally, his truck suffered electrical problems—both the alternator and voltage regulator ceased functioning properly afterward.
The physical evidence suggested something truly unexplainable had occurred: Motley and his vehicle seemed to have been transported from one field to another without leaving any connecting tracks in the wet grass.
Investigation by Officials and Community Members
Initial Response and Public Speculations
The strange occurrence involving Jim Motley quickly drew attention from both local residents and authorities. After Motley regained consciousness in a disoriented state, he made contact via CB radio, unintentionally alerting others to his confused condition. His wife Joyce immediately recognized that something was wrong when he repeatedly stated, "I don't know where I am." Fellow CB enthusiast Arnold Spencer (handle: "Feet Hauler") noted that Motley sounded genuinely frightened and confused during these communications. Concerned about Motley's welfare, Spencer organized a group including his father-in-law Lewis Herring, two brothers-in-law Robert and Billy Herring, and another CB user known as "Whipperwolf" to investigate the situation.
Physical Evidence Examination
The physical evidence at the scene presented a perplexing situation that defied conventional explanation. When Spencer and his companions arrived at the property, they methodically examined the wet pasture area for vehicle tracks. They discovered only one set of tire impressions leading to the back gate—Motley's own truck tracks. Spencer emphasized, "No one can exactly drive over the same tracks," highlighting the impossibility of Motley having driven to the west pasture without leaving additional tracks. The group even checked for possible head injuries and confirmed Motley had not been drinking.
Robert and Billy Herring specifically walked from the back gate to the house to verify whether Motley might have driven through the trees in the hollow to reach the west pasture. They found no evidence of this occurring. The wet grass conditions would have made any vehicle passage immediately apparent, according to Spencer's assessment. Joyce Motley also confirmed she would have seen her husband had he driven past the house to access the other pasture.
Deputy Don Schlesman's Findings
When Undersheriff Don Schlesman arrived at the scene, he conducted his own thorough investigation of the property. His examination yielded identical results to those of Spencer's group—the physical evidence simply didn't align with any conventional explanation for how Motley and his truck could have moved from one pasture to another. The deputy found the same perplexing single set of tire tracks and no logical path between the two locations.
Following the incident, Motley reported that his truck experienced electrical problems. Both the alternator and voltage regulator ceased functioning properly. "I don't know if they just went bad or were a result of that night. All I know is that they don't work anymore," Motley explained to reporter Dan Townsend of the McDonald County Press.
Eyewitness Accounts and Emergency Response
Radio Communications During the Incident
Jim Motley's confusion following his encounter with the strange lights was first documented through CB radio transmissions. Without using his usual handle "Thumb Sucker," Motley repeatedly stated, "I don't know where I am" over the CB radio. His wife Joyce and her visiting friend Connie Pendergrass immediately recognized his voice despite his disoriented state. Joyce responded quickly, informing him he was near the back gate of the property. Motley's distress was evident in his communications, as he continued to express confusion about his location.
Search Team Formation and Investigation
Arnold Spencer (known as "Feet Hauler" on the CB) heard Motley's disoriented calls and instructed him to turn on his vehicle lights. After Joyce spotted the lights in the west pasture—mysteriously half a mile from the back gate where Motley had been—Spencer organized a rescue team. The group included his father-in-law Lewis Herring, brothers-in-law Robert and Billy Herring, and another CB operator identified as "Whipperwolf."
Upon arriving at the Motley property, the search team found Jim had managed to drive back to the house. Spencer noted Motley seemed less confused than during his radio communications, though Motley reported losing approximately 12 minutes of time. The team's concern prompted them to call the Sheriff's Department, with Undersheriff Don Slessman responding to the scene.
The five-man team conducted a thorough investigation of the area, examining:
Vehicle tracks in the wet pasture (finding only Motley's single set)
Physical signs of injury (checking Motley's head for trauma)
Possible driving paths between pastures
Their findings left them bewildered. Spencer emphasized to reporter Dan Townsend: "I don't care how good a driver you are, no one can exactly drive over the same tracks."
Joyce Motley's Perspective
From her position at the house, Joyce Motley provided crucial observations that further complicated the mystery. She firmly stated that Jim had not driven past the house to travel between pastures, which would have been the only conventional way to move from the east pasture to the west pasture. "I would have seen him," she insisted, eliminating the possibility that her husband had simply taken a normal route between the two locations.
Joyce's identification of her husband's vehicle lights in the west pasture—when he had previously been heading toward the back gate in the east pasture—remains unexplained. This observation, combined with the single set of tracks found in the mud and the missing 12 minutes, contributed significantly to the mysterious nature of the incident.
The Mechanical Difficulties Encountered
The Truck's Power System Complications
After Jim Motley's perplexing experience in the pasture on April 10, 1984, his pickup truck developed some unexpected mechanical problems. The truck's alternator completely stopped functioning properly. Additionally, the voltage regulator—a crucial component that helps maintain consistent electrical output—also failed to operate.
Motley noted these issues emerged directly following his unusual encounter with the bright lights and his unexplained movement between pastures. "I don't know if they just went bad or were a result of that night. All I know is that they don't work anymore," he explained when discussing the truck's electrical system failures.
These mechanical issues added another layer of mystery to the already puzzling incident. The timing of these electrical component failures was particularly notable since the truck had operated normally before Motley's encounter with the strange lights. The simultaneous failure of both the alternator and voltage regulator seemed too coincidental to some of those investigating the case.
When Motley initially attempted to restart his truck after regaining consciousness in the field, he reported that the vehicle wouldn't start for two or three minutes. This initial difficulty starting the vehicle may have been the first indication of the electrical system damage that would become more apparent later.
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The Jim Motley Incident in UFO Research
In rural Missouri on April 10, 1984, caretaker Jim Motley experienced an unexplained event that has become a compelling case in UFO research. While chatting on his CB radio around 9:30 PM, Motley spotted two large, bright lights approximately seven to eight feet off the ground in the back pasture of the property he maintained.
Concerned about potential poachers or cattle thieves, Motley took his rifle and drove his pickup toward the lights near the back gate. As he approached the lights, which appeared to be coming from a stand of trees, he suddenly lost consciousness.
When Motley regained awareness, he experienced severe disorientation and confusion. His truck wouldn't start for several minutes, and when it finally did, he was so disoriented he used his CB radio to report that he didn't know where he was. His wife Joyce and others listening recognized his voice and tried to help him.
Most significantly, while Motley had driven toward the back gate in the east pasture, he somehow ended up in the west pasture—a half-mile away with no connecting tracks between the two locations. The wet grass made it impossible to hide vehicle paths, yet investigators found only single entry and exit tracks in each separate field.
Timeline of Events Details 9:30 PM Motley spots strange lights in the field Shortly after Motley approaches lights and loses consciousness ~12 minutes later Regains awareness in a different location Aftermath Truck's alternator and voltage regulator fail
Multiple witnesses, including CBer Arnold Spencer and several others who arrived to help, confirmed the impossibility of Motley's truck traveling between fields without leaving tracks. Even Deputy Don Schlessman investigated and found the same physical evidence, with no explanation for how Motley and his vehicle relocated.
Comparison to Classic UFO Cases
The Jim Motley incident contains several elements commonly reported in well-documented UFO encounters. First, the initial observation of unexplained lights is a hallmark of many credible UFO reports. These bright, stationary lights that appeared to hover approximately 7-8 feet above ground match descriptions from cases like the 1967 Falcon Lake incident and numerous police officer sightings throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
Second, the missing time element—Motley's 12-minute gap in consciousness—appears frequently in abduction narratives. This pattern emerged prominently in the Betty and Barney Hill case from 1961, where the couple experienced a two-hour period they couldn't account for during their drive home.
Third, the physical displacement of both Motley and his vehicle represents a particularly rare but documented phenomenon in close encounter cases. Similar to the 1976 Stanford, Kentucky case involving multiple witnesses, Motley's vehicle was somehow transported across impossible terrain without leaving appropriate tracks.
The physical aftereffects on mechanical equipment also align with documented cases. The failure of Motley's truck alternator and voltage regulator following the encounter matches electromagnetic interference patterns reported in cases like the 1957 Levelland, Texas sightings, where multiple vehicles experienced electrical system failures in proximity to UFO sightings.
The Theory of Alien Intervention
The unexplained transportation of Motley and his vehicle between two separate fields suggests a technological capacity beyond conventional explanation. The evidence points to some form of levitation or teleportation technology—the vehicle entered one field and exited another with no connecting tracks in the wet grass between locations.
The bright lights Motley observed before losing consciousness may have been part of an advanced propulsion or scanning system. Similar light configurations have been reported in numerous cases where witnesses describe craft hovering or preparing for some form of interaction.
Motley's disorientation upon regaining awareness has several possible explanations:
Neurological effects from exposure to unknown energies or fields
Psychological trauma from an encounter his conscious mind couldn't process
Deliberate memory suppression by advanced beings
The precision with which Motley was relocated suggests intentionality rather than accident. While investigators speculated about why he would be placed in a different field, this could indicate:
A deliberate action to provide evidence of the encounter
Disorientation as part of a study of human reactions
Simple navigational error by the entities involved
The electrical system failures in Motley's truck following the incident further support the intervention of technology operating outside known physical principles, possibly utilizing electromagnetic fields powerful enough to permanently damage vehicle components.
