'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQI/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgP/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAM4wFj//xAAfEAACAQQCAwAAAAAAAAAAAAABAwQAAhEhBRMSMTL/2gAIAQEAAT8Ahvhq4+Yt0TtkMttCXeZHSQdnA+sjW6JXk+6//8QAFBEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/aAAgBAgEBPwB//8QAFBEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/aAAgBAwEBPwB//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The ultimate goal of John J. Ford, the creator of the Long Island UFO Network, was to prove to the world that aliens exist in reality. But when his dream to communicate with aliens remained unfulfilled, he went as far as plotting the murder of three men.
He was taken into custody in 1996 on several counts, however, the judge refused to hold a trial for him in 1997 deeming him mentally unfit. After that, he was transferred to Mid-Hudson Psychiatric Center.
Episode 2 of Out There: Crimes of the Paranormal on HULU will focus on John J. Ford. The episode is titled Lights Over Long Island and the synopsis of the same reads:
"A UFO enthusiast in Long Island is arrested for allegedly attempting to poison elected officials. But he insists he’s innocent – and alleges the real criminals are the officials covering up."
Trending
Five important facts about John J. Ford, his attempted murders, and his unsuccessful trial
1) John J. Ford tried to burn the Suffolk Republican Headquarters
John J. Ford could not contact any aliens, even though he believed that a UFO had crashed near the Brookhaven National Laboratory in November 1992. He also believed that government officials were hiding the aliens in the Brookhaven labs so that the public had no idea about extraterrestrial life.
Reportedly, he got so obsessed with his desire to come into contact with aliens that he wanted to burn the Suffolk Republican Headquarters so that the Conservative Party could come into power and help him on his mission to trace extraterrestrial beings.
2) John J. Ford intended to murder three people
According to a New York Times report, John J. Ford plotted to kill three prominent figures when failing to communicate with aliens after the supposed Long Island UFO crash. These individuals were allegedly former Suffolk County Republican Committee chairman John Powell, former Conservative Party leader Anthony Gazzola, and former Suffolk legislator Fred Towle. However, Ford was arrested before he could harm his targets.
3) John Ford schemed to murder his targeted victims with radiation
As per reports by The New York Times, John J. Ford wanted to lace the toothpastes of people he wanted to kill with radioactive elements. He had also planned to plant radium in the cars and homes of Anthony Gazzola, Fred Towle, and John Powell, so that they would die a slow and painful death by radiation poisoning, without them even knowing, but he remained unsuccessful.
4) The law authorities found a ton of evidence at John's residence
Reportedly, after John J. Ford was arrested in 1996, the Long Island authorities found several knives, canisters with radioactive elements that he planned to use on his targets, several grenades, arms and ammunition, and more, from his home.
Two other men, Joseph Mazzuchelli and Edward Zabo, who were Ford's accomplices in the murder plot, entered guilty pleas, received respective sentences, and agreed to testify against him when the above-mentioned items were found.
According to reports, Zabo admitted providing Ford with the radioactive material, and Mazzuchelli admitted that he had agreed to assist Ford in planting those materials.
5) John J. Ford was found unfit for trial
After John J Ford’s arrest in 1996, he was charged with 3 counts of second-degree criminal solicitation, 3 counts of second-degree conspiracy to commit murder, and also one count of illegal possession of radioactive items.
However, in 1997, the Judge found him unfit for trial after reviewing reports from various psychiatrists, following which, he was sent to a psychiatric institution for further observation.
In 1999, after 2 years of staying in that institution, he refused to plead guilty, stating insanity as a reason for his past criminal acts. In 2019, Ford was released from the Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center and transferred to a less restrictive institute.
To learn more about this UFO and alien enthusiast, watch episode 2 of Out There: Crimes of the Paranormal on HULU.
