Unsolved Issue #4: Lead Masks Case

by Britt Pitre

When a young man stumbled across two bodies on a hillside on August 20, 1966, no one knew that it would become one of Brazil’s biggest mysteries. The unmoving forms of Manuel Pereira da Cruz and Miguel José Viana were lying face up on Vintém Hill in the middle of Rio de Janeiro. There was no apparent cause of death, and the scant evidence available was utterly bizarre. Both men wore full suits, raincoats, and lead masks over their eyes. The masks appeared to be homemade and are often described as being of the type to shield against radiation. There weren’t any signs of struggle; it was if they had just laid down in the grass and died. The only other clues were an empty water bottle, two towels, and a mysterious schedule jotted down on a piece of paper. Translated into English, it “16:30 be at the agreed place. 18:30 swallow capsules after effect, protect metals wait for mask signal.” To this day, no one has been able to solve the mystery of what may have happened to the two men.

Unsolved is a serialized non-fiction publication. Each issue dives deep into some of the most mysterious paranormal, cryptozoological, conspiracy, and true crime topics. Too often are these subjects presented as brief vignettes intended to send chills down one’s spine, but lack any real depth or anything approaching a conclusion. Fans of this genre are often left wanting more, and Unsolved hopes to fill in the missing gaps and contribute something substantive to the ongoing discussion of these topics.

47 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 24, 2018

Reviews

[Joshua Bell]

If you are like me and enjoy reading nonfiction stories involving mysterious deaths, secret spiritualist organizations, flying saucers, pirate radio stations, mind expanding drugs, and mysterious homemade electronic devices that tend to explode... you will love this one. This zine is awesome! The author does a good discerning job at breaking down the various "facts" of the case. He researches their origins before determining their viability and presenting it all in a thoroughly documented presentation. I am looking forward to checking out some other issues of Unsolved!

[Chris Rolfe]

Lead Mask Case


Interesting. Heard about this case back in 1975. I wonder if today's forensic science could explain what happened?
Who knows.