Untangling The Strange Death Of Conspiracy Theorist Max Spiers

Shutterstock

While he was alive, Max Spiers was virtually unknown outside Ufology and conspiracy theory circles. But in death, the 39-year-old British man has found increasing notoriety, thanks in part to the confusing circumstances, and unusual behavior that surrounded his passing.

Spiers was attending a UFO conference in Warsaw this past June, where he intended to present his theories and research into UFOs. Before he could speak, he died suddenly — apparently while sleeping on an acquaintance’s couch. Details are few and difficult to track to reputable sources. Most of the coverage of Spiers’s death has been sensationalistic, claiming that he died “vomiting a black fluid.” That claim is tough to verify. What we do know is that Spiers was 39 and, as far as his wife and family were aware, in good health.

The odds of a 39-year-old passing away suddenly are extremely low, but it’s not unheard of. Still, it’s the sort of thing that seems worth looking into. Unfortunately, there’s currently no way for Spiers’ family to investigate his death themselves. Spiers’ mother claims that while Polish authorities have ruled her son’s death the result of natural causes, they won’t release the paperwork without her dead son’s explicit written consent. It’s not clear if an autopsy was performed, and a post-mortem run by English authorities has yet to deliver any ruling.

That doesn’t, of course, mean a sinister cabal is behind the death. Ufologists and conspiracy theorists often mourn the loss of one of their own by assuming it’s all part of the grand cover-up. They are, after all, disinclined to believe in coincidence in the first place, and when tragedy strikes, even if the evidence is thin, perhaps a grand assassination is easier to accept than the cruelties of fate. It’s easy to forget the fundamental belief of conspiracy theories is that everything happens for a reason and that somebody, somewhere, is in charge. On the other hand, it’s a lot easier to be rational when information is offered freely.

Above all, we shouldn’t lose track of the tragedy here. Spiers left behind two children, and his mother is facing a Kafkaesque mess — just to receive what should be simple and necessary paperwork. No one should face such callous treatment in the face of a sudden loss. The Spiers family, one way or the other, deserves answers, even if they don’t believe what they hear.

(via the Telegraph)

×