Overview
A 1996 report by researcher John Rhodes, titled “Probing Deeper into the Dulce Enigma,” revisits longstanding claims about a secret underground installation beneath Archuleta Mesa near Dulce, New Mexico. The material, recently circulated in a Reddit post, presents the facility as an alleged joint operation involving elements of the U.S. government and extraterrestrial beings described as “Reptilians” and “Grays.” The post itself provides no additional context or independent evidence to substantiate the allegations.
The Alleged Facility and Its Sources
The central source cited in the report is Thomas Costello, described as a former military photographer and security officer. According to the account, Costello served at Nellis Air Force Base in 1961 with Top Secret clearance, later worked as a security technician at the Rand Corporation, and was transferred to the alleged Dulce installation in 1977 with an “Ultra 7” clearance. These biographical details are presented as evidence of his supposed access, although publicly available documentation independently verifying his account has not been established.
Costello reportedly described the installation as a large subterranean complex organized like a wheel, with a central hub controlling security, communications, and power. The narrative further alleges that individual levels could be sealed during emergencies. The video links part of the facility’s supposed construction to Project Gasbuggy, a 1967 underground nuclear detonation conducted under Project Plowshare. While the official purpose of Gasbuggy was to investigate the possibility of stimulating natural-gas production, the report suggests—without publicly verified evidence—that the blast helped create chambers for a concealed base.
Allegations of Experiments and “Nightmare Hall”
The most serious claims concern alleged experimentation on humans and nonhuman beings. Costello is said to have initially been told that the site was a medical research center for the “hopelessly insane,” but later concluded that some subjects were victims of kidnapping or extraterrestrial abduction. The alleged research included human-alien hybridization, cloning, accelerated biological replication, mind control, memory transfer, and studies of human energy fields.
The account identifies Level 6, or “Nightmare Hall,” as the most disturbing section of the facility. Costello allegedly witnessed cages containing humans and genetically altered beings described as “monstrosities.” These claims have circulated widely in UFO literature, but no authenticated photographs, records, physical samples, or independent witnesses have publicly confirmed the existence of the level or the experiments.
The Alleged “Dulce Wars”
Another major element of the story is the so-called “Dulce Wars” of 1978, described as an armed conflict between human security personnel and Reptilian entities inside the facility. The report claims that both advanced “flash guns” and conventional military weapons were used, resulting in 68 human deaths, including 22 people who were allegedly vaporized. Costello is also said to have broken his silence in 1979 by re-entering the installation through an air shaft and removing photographs, a seven-minute surveillance recording, technical schematics, and alleged treaties involving government officials, including former California Governor Ronald Reagan.
Evidence and Continuing Legacy
The narrative concludes that Costello’s family was abducted in retaliation and that he spent subsequent decades moving between safe houses. However, these events remain unverified allegations, and no publicly authenticated evidence has demonstrated that the Dulce facility, the alleged conflict, or the claimed documents and recordings exist. The Dulce story remains a prominent urban legend in ufology and a recurring foundation for theories involving secret government programs and extraterrestrial involvement. Its enduring influence reflects the appeal of the account, but its factual status remains unsupported by credible, independently verifiable evidence.
