Linda Napolitano Abduction — Key Persons Directory
| Incident Name: | Linda Napolitano Abduction |
|---|---|
| Incident Date: | November 30, 1989; |
| State/Provence: | New York |
| City/Town : | Brooklyn |
| Country : | USA |
| Case Files : | Linda Napolitano Abduction Case File |
Linda Napolitano Abduction — Key Persons Directory
Linda Napolitano Abduction — Key Persons Directory
Linda Napolitano
Linda Napolitano (Abductee) - The primary subject. Born c. 1947; New York City housewife with two children; 12th-floor Lower East Side Manhattan apartment at time of reported abduction. First contacted Budd Hopkins in April 1989 about the Catskills experience; was attending his abductee support group when the November 30, 1989 event occurred. Used pseudonym "Linda Cortile" in Hopkins's 1997 book; now publicly identified by real name. Consistently maintained her account across 35+ years. Filed lawsuit against Netflix October 28, 2024. Currently residing in Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, approximately 77 years old.
Budd Hopkins (1931–2011)
Budd Hopkins - Primary investigator. Abstract painter and prominent ufologist; one of the most influential abduction researchers of the 20th century. His 1964 Cape Cod sighting launched his UFO research career. Author of Missing Time (1982), Intruders (1987), and Witnessed (1997). Conducted the hypnotic regression sessions with Napolitano; received and assessed the Richard and Dan letters; identified Pérez de Cuéllar as the "third man." Maintained throughout his life that Napolitano was truthful — "Linda is simply telling the truth. It's as easy as that." Died August 21, 2011, from liver cancer, before the case's most significant recent media developments.
Carol Rainey (1942–2023)
Carol Rainey (Writer) - Filmmaker; Hopkins's former wife; the case's most prominent and most specific skeptic. Initially found Napolitano believable and supported Hopkins's investigation. Over years of direct observation became skeptical of Napolitano's hypnosis behavior (concluding she was mimicking rather than genuinely hypnotized) and Hopkins's methodology (cherry-picking evidence). Engaged a forensics expert whose handwriting analysis found the Richard and Dan letters "virtually identical" to Napolitano's handwriting. Stated publicly Napolitano "made it up." Agreed to interviews for the Netflix documentary before her death in 2023.
"Richard" and "Dan"
Pseudonyms only. Two men who wrote to Hopkins beginning February 1991, claiming to have witnessed the abduction from below the FDR Drive. Identified themselves as security agents (later CIA-affiliated) protecting a world leader (rumored to be Pérez de Cuéllar) who also witnessed the event. Subsequently allegedly contacted Napolitano directly — initially friendly, then allegedly harassing, kidnapping, and threatening her. Hopkins never met them in person. Their identities have never been publicly verified. Rainey's handwriting analysis suggests Napolitano wrote their letters.
Javier Pérez de Cuéllar (1920–2020)
Javier Pérez de Cuéllar - Secretary-General of the United Nations, 1982–1991. Peruvian diplomat. The widely rumored "third man" witness — identified through Hopkins's coded description in Witnessed as the world leader who allegedly witnessed the abduction from a stopped motorcade and wept. His office denied involvement, stating he was at home and asleep. He never publicly acknowledged the case during his long life. Died March 4, 2020, at age 100, permanently closing the possibility of firsthand testimony.
Joseph Stefula, Richard Butler, and George Hansen
Joseph Stefula, Richard Butler, and George Hansen - Authors of the formal 1992 critique of the Napolitano case, "A Critique of Budd Hopkins' Case of the UFO Abduction of Napolitano." Presented at the 1992 MUFON symposium and published in associated journals. Established the formal evidentiary framework for skeptical assessment: unverified witnesses contribute nothing; investigative omissions undermine credibility; Hopkins's methodology requires scrutiny.
Peter Robbins
Peter Robbins - UFO researcher; friend and professional associate of Budd Hopkins. Appeared in the Netflix documentary. Co-plaintiff with Napolitano and Hopkins's estate in the 2024 Netflix lawsuit. His involvement reflects his professional investment in Hopkins's legacy and the Napolitano narrative.
Vivienne Perry and Daniel Vernon
Vivienne Perry and Daniel Vernon - Directors of the 2024 Netflix documentary The Manhattan Alien Abduction. Their choice to give Carol Rainey's skeptical perspective substantial weight in the final edit is the specific production decision that Napolitano has characterized as defamatory and that triggered the lawsuit.
