UMVA has learned that a mysterious man, known for decades as Benjaman Kyle, has been at the center of a captivating investigation into his true identity and the events of his past.
In 2004, Kyle was discovered unconscious behind a Georgia Burger King, with no memory of who he was. He claimed to suffer from a rare form of amnesia, but two filmmakers, Eric and Shannon Evangelista, have been driven to uncover the truth about his past.
The Evangelistas' investigation led them to identify Kyle as William Burgess Powell, but as they dug deeper, more questions arose about his true identity and whereabouts during the decades he was missing.
Powell's case took an unexpected turn when the filmmakers began to question his claimed diagnosis of retrograde amnesia, which causes someone to lose memories before an event such as a brain injury, trauma, or illness.
Eric Evangelista noted that Powell's form of amnesia seemed outdated and that he was putting up roadblocks to prevent being found, raising suspicions about his true intentions.
The Evangelistas, with their background in journalism and law, were determined to reconnect Powell with his family and document his journey, but the mystery only intensified, raising more questions than answers about who he really was.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Powell claimed to have 23 memories from the mid-1980s, and during filming, he was driven to a location in Colorado that he claimed to remember, joking about it being a good place to hide a body.
The investigation led the Evangelistas to Ken Maxwell, a retired FBI assistant special agent, who helped them uncover a missing person report from Indiana in 1976, detailing Powell's flight from Lafayette.
The report revealed that Powell's vehicle was abandoned with its license plates removed, suggesting he was fleeing from something, and Maxwell argued that Powell's medical records contradicted aspects of his story.
As the investigation continued, possible ties to a crime family in Lafayette and cold cases in the area were explored, fueling speculation about Powell's connections to organized crime.
Despite years of investigation, no evidence has publicly emerged linking Powell to any violent crime, and many questions about his past remain unanswered, with the Evangelistas continuing their search for the truth.
Powell's current whereabouts are unknown, and the filmmakers are encouraging anyone with leads to reach out to them, with Shannon Evangelista stating that they are still investigating and seeking the public's help to answer the question of where Powell was from 1983 to 2004.
As the mystery surrounding Powell's past continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the truth about Benjaman Kyle, or William Burgess Powell, remains a captivating and intriguing enigma.
