The Grinning Man (Indrid Cold)
A strange figure with an unnaturally wide grin and no discernible features appeared to witnesses in New Jersey and West Virginia, later identifying himself telepathically as 'Indrid Cold' from another world.
In October 1966, a man with an impossibly wide smile and unsettling features appeared to witnesses in New Jersey. Weeks later, similar encounters occurred in West Virginia during the Mothman wave. One witness, James Yanchitis and Marvin Munoz, claimed the figure identified himself telepathically as “Indrid Cold,” stating he came from a distant galaxy. The Grinning Man became one of the strangest figures in American paranormal history - neither ghost, nor alien, nor human, but something altogether other.
The Elizabeth, New Jersey Encounter
October 11, 1966
The first documented sighting occurred in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Two boys, James Yanchitis and Marvin Munoz, were walking home at night near the New Jersey Turnpike. They encountered a tall figure standing by a fence, over six feet tall, wearing a sparkly green coverall. He possessed no visible nose or ears, and small, beady eyes. Most strikingly, he had an impossibly wide grin.
What They Saw
The boys described the figure as “weird,” noting that the smile was too wide and the skin was smooth, almost featureless. The eyes were tiny and dark, creating an overall impression that was profoundly wrong.
The Chase
The figure began walking towards them, moving strangely, gliding without apparent effort. Despite not appearing threatening, the boys were terrified. They ran, and the figure didn’t follow far.
Their Description
The boys’ description emphasized the unsettling nature of the encounter, highlighting the “weird” face and the fixed, unnerving smile. The smooth, almost featureless skin and the tiny, dark eyes contributed to a sense of unease and distortion.
The Point Pleasant Connection
November 1966
During the Mothman flap, Point Pleasant, West Virginia, experienced a wave of strange sightings. The Grinning Man appeared here too, connected to the wider phenomena.
Woodrow Derenberger
November 2, 1966
Woodrow Derenberger, a sewing machine salesman, reported an encounter while driving home on Interstate 77. A vehicle pulled alongside him, forcing him to stop. A figure emerged, resembling a “kerosene lamp chimney” craft. He described a man about six feet tall, wearing a dark coat, with a smooth face and a permanent, fixed grin.
The Encounter
Derenberger reported the figure spoke without moving his lips, communicating telepathically. He asked questions about the area, identified himself as “Indrid Cold,” stating he came from “a country less powerful than yours,” and that he was visiting, not invading. He added that he would see Derenberger again, studying humanity.
The Communication
Derenberger’s encounters with Indrid Cold involved continuous telepathic communication. Eventually, he claimed to have visited Cold’s home planet.
His Book
Derenberger later wrote “Visitors from Lanulos” (1971), detailing his ongoing contacts, describing Indrid Cold’s world, and his increasingly elaborate claims.
Subsequent Encounters
Derenberger’s Continued Contact
After the initial meeting, Derenberger claimed ongoing contact with Indrid Cold. Multiple visits occurred, accompanied by telepathic communications and ultimately, claims of a visit to Cold’s home planet.
The Story Expands
Derenberger reported that Cold’s home planet was called Lanulos, located in the Genemedes galaxy, and that his wife was named Kimi. The beings there lived simply, observing Earth.
His Book
Derenberger eventually wrote “Visitors from Lanulos” (1971), detailing his ongoing contacts, describing Indrid Cold’s world, and his increasingly elaborate claims.
Other Witnesses
Multiple Reports
During 1966-1967, several people reported similar figures in both New Jersey and West Virginia, consistently noting the grin as a key element.
Connie Carpenter
Connie Carpenter, a witness in Point Pleasant, described seeing a figure similar to the Grinning Man near the Ohio River, characterized by the same fixed grin and unsettling presence.
John Keel’s Investigation
The Researcher
Journalist John Keel investigated the Point Pleasant phenomena, interviewing Derenberger and others. He connected the Grinning Man to Mothman, writing about it in “The Mothman Prophecies.”
His Assessment
Keel believed the phenomena were connected, with Indrid Cold as part of a larger pattern of high strangeness. While skeptical of the “space visitor” narrative, he recognized something genuinely strange occurring.
The Pattern
Keel noted the Grinning Man appeared during periods of high strangeness, similar figures appearing in other flaps, along with the telepathic communication pattern and the unsettling but non-threatening nature of the encounters.
Who Was Indrid Cold?
Theories
Extraterrestrial: A visitor from another world, observing humanity. The Lanulos story is true, and he’s simply an alien being.
Interdimensional Entity: Not from space, but another dimension, appearing during “window” periods and part of the general strangeness, not literally from a planet.
Psychological Phenomenon: Mass hysteria, shared delusion, or cultural contamination, leading people to see what they expect.
Hoax: Derenberger fabricated or exaggerated the story seeking attention.
Something Unknown: None of the above - genuinely unexplainable, a phenomenon we don’t have words for.
The Grin
Why the Smile?
The most consistent element of the encounters was the grin - impossibly wide, fixed and unmoving, neither friendly nor threatening, simply wrong.
Psychological Impact
The grin seems to trigger uncanny valley responses, suggesting an imitation of humanity, and creates a sense of dissonance.
Similar Reports
Other “grinning” entities appear in various paranormal accounts and different cultures and times, suggesting an archetype or a common type of being.
After Point Pleasant
Derenberger’s Life
Following his claims, Derenberger faced ridicule and his marriage suffered. He struggled with the attention he received, maintaining his story until his death.
The Legacy
The Grinning Man became a fixture of paranormal literature, connected to Mothman lore and a subject of ongoing interest, an archetype of high strangeness.
Cultural Impact
In Media
Indrid Cold appears in “The Mothman Prophecies” (book and film), various paranormal shows, horror fiction, and video games.
Modern Interest
The figure remains a subject of paranormal research, a popular character in weird lore, and an unsolved mystery – a strange icon.
Analysis
What We Know
Multiple people saw a figure with an unusual grin in two different states during a period of intense paranormal activity. At least one reported ongoing contact, and the descriptions were consistent.
What We Don’t Know
What the Grinning Man actually was, whether Derenberger’s later claims were true, why the figure appeared, what it wanted, or where it came from.
The Question
A man with a grin too wide stood by a fence in New Jersey. Weeks later, another grinning figure stepped out of a strange craft in West Virginia. He said his name was Indrid Cold. He said he came from far away. He said he was just visiting. Was he an extraterrestrial? An interdimensional traveler? A manifestation of something stranger still? Or just a strange episode in a period of mass strangeness? The Grinning Man appeared when Mothman was in the skies and the Silver Bridge was about to fall. He smiled his impossible smile. He spoke without words. And then he was gone. Woodrow Derenberger spent the rest of his life telling stories about a planet called Lanulos and a being named Indrid Cold. Was he lying? Was he deluded? Or did something genuinely contact him during that November night in 1966? The Grinning Man remains one of the strangest figures in American paranormal history. Neither ghost nor alien nor cryptid. Just that smile. Too wide. Too fixed. Too wrong. And after all these years, still unexplained.