Has Bigfoot been shot, killed?

In a stunning development of potential nationwide importance, a local man shot and killed a large biped Monday that eye witnesses say resembles a human, a bear and an ape. Local social media was flooded with many claiming that the creature is Bigfoot.

In a not so stunning development, Monroe and Conecuh County officials are at odds over who gets to profit from the creature.

John "Skeeter" McGillicutty, 36, of Burnt Corn reported that he bagged the creature Monday afternoon in his backyard that sits adjacent to the Monroe-Conecuh County line.

According to McGillicutty, the creature was unlike anything he'd ever seen.

"It looked like a man-bear-ape," he said. "I guess it's what some call Bigfoot. After I killed it, I got my tape measure and measured it while waiting on the police to show up," he said. "It was between eight and 10 feet long. I mean, it was on the ground and it must of weighted 600 pounds so I couldn't straighten it out."

Understanding the once in a lifetime event that he was a part of, McGillicutty decided to study the creature.

"It had ten fingers and ten toes because I counted them," he said. "What else am I gonna do? I'm just sitting there with a dead Bigfoot. I felt kind of bad that I killed it, but it just happened that way. I took some photos of it but I couldn't post them online because of my reception. Then the officials who showed up took my phone. They took everyones' phones."

McGillicutty said he'd seen the creature a few times out in the woods but didn't say anything because he didn't want people asking questions.

"I had to throw away a pair of underwear every time I ran up on that big ol' boy out in the woods," he said.

He said the creature had started getting closer and closer to his yard lately. He was scared but said he never noticed the creature being aggressive towards him.

"The last time I saw it before Monday, it was trying to hide behind a tree over near the chicken coop," he said. "I yelled and warned him to get his big butt out of here and that if he messed with my flock, I'd shoot him. I guess he didn't believe me, or maybe because he's Bigfoot he don't know English. Well, I don't speak Bigfoot. I grunted at him some but that didn't work either."

The fatal encounter happened two days later.

"I was in the front yard and I heard the chickens squawking," he said. "I figured it was a dog chasing them and forgot about old Bigfoot hanging around. I grabbed my 20 gauge and walked out back. There he was. He was watching the birds run around the yard. Then he started chasing them and not paying me no mind. I figured I'd better get a bigger gun. "

McGillicutty said he tried to run off the creature, but it wasn't working.

"So I lit him up," he said.

A witness who would only give her name of Sue from Florida because "I've got warrants" verified McGillicutty's account. Sue stated she was visiting a relative nearby when she heard McGillicutty yelling.

"I'm up this way a lot and know Skeeter pretty good," she said. "I heard him yelling at something and heard some gunshots. Then things were quiet. I ran over because I was scared he got hurt."

What she saw amazed her.

"I saw him standing beside this huge hairy thing that he was trying to measure with a tape measure," she said. "He told me to help him, so I did. You could tell Skeeter was excited."

A third witness confirmed the events of the day. Gerald "June Bug" Maraca, 56, of Burnt Corn drove by on his ATV and saw what was going on. "

I've known Skeeter and Sue for a while and when I saw them tape measuring a large mound of hair, I stopped to see what was going on," he said.

He wasn't ready for what he saw.

"I thought it was fake, until I touched it and tried to move it," he said. "That mug was big, we couldn't move it. And man did it stink."

The trio argued over whether to call 911 because Sue had warrants and McGillicutty was worried that game wardens would show up and arrest him for shooting something out of season.

But they relented. Sue said she left the scene once the call was placed.

"We called 911 and told them what happened and I guess they thought we was joking," Maraca said. "But a deputy from Monroe County came out because they have to check on a 911 call."

"He thought we were on drugs," said Maraca said. "He got his dog out and the dog whimpered and jumped right back into the truck when it got a whiff of BigFoot."

"The deputy got on his radio and within 10 minutes a Conecuh County deputy came by." McGillicutty said. "They started talking and were trying to figure out who had jurisdiction because the body seemed to be on the county line. They also didn't know if it was a crime scene or should game and fish be called. "

Then a bunch of police, deputies, and county officials showed up to look at the thing.

"My yard was full of police and people whose name I see on posters every four years," he said. "They never come out here except to ask for a vote."

Maraca said after a few minutes the gathering broke into two groups with the Monroe County folks standing near the head of the creature and the Conecuh County officials standing near its feet.

Before Maraca knew it, one group accused the other group of trying to move the body completely into their county.

McGillicutty said the day was already surreal, but watching local politicians engage in a tug-o-war over the body of Bigfoot was "a whole new ball of wax."

He said he was worried they would tear the thing apart.

"Those Conecuh folks looked like they were winning because they had the legs and could get a better grip," he said.

Then all hell broke loose.

"Deputies were arguing and county officials were cussing each other," he stated. "I mean, dang. The body was still warm and these folks are trying to slice it and dice it to make some money. Have some respect for the dern thing."

Unfortunately, it took someone getting hurt for the two sides to come to their senses.

"Someone slipped when they were pulling on the body and it fell on their foot," Maraca said. "They screamed bloody murder. But it made everyone stop and help. I hope they are OK."

Cooler heads prevailed and someone suggested getting a surveyor from Montgomery to settle the issue of who could claim jurisdiction. Before the sides could call anyone, a helicopter flew over and a bunch of black SUVs showed up and took over the scene.

"Shoot, I'm glad the x-file folks came and took it away," McGillicutty said as he looked towards the horizon and gathered his thoughts. "Is this going to be in the paper," he asked. "Well, at least it ain't for going to jail."

When reached for comment, Monroe County officials said they were claiming Bigfoot as a Monroe County native and plan on erecting a bronze statue of it sitting at a table on the old courthouse lawn reading a book while a mockingbird sits on its shoulder. An unnamed official said it fits perfectly into Monroe County's Literary Capital of Alabama moniker.

"We also filed an action in court requesting that Conecuh County deliver their Bigfoot statue to us and to refrain form referring to any part of Conecuh County as the Bigfoot Capital of Alabama," the official stated.

When informed of Monroe County's plans. A Conecuh County official became irate and said "ya'll can have Bigfoot when you pry him from our cold, dead hands on April Fool's day."