Bigfoot believer community pays tribute to popular YouTuber Scott Carpenter of Maryville

Scott Carpenter, a Maryville man known for his Bigfoot theories online and influence within the sasquatch research community has died, according to multiple online tributes shared by people who knew him.

Carpenter, 59, died “peacefully and unexpectedly,” his brother, Doug Carpenter, wrote on social media. Tony Merkel, one of Scott Carpenter’s good friends, also shared the news in an Aug. 5 Facebook post.

He was a veteran of the United States Air Force and was an avid hiker, hunter and fisherman, according to an obituary published by McCammon Ammons Click Funeral Home.

The prominent Bigfoot researcher was laid to rest Aug. 9 at his favorite hunting and research spot in a private ceremony, his son, Travis Carpenter shared online.

“(My father’s) life’s work was to give a voice to those that were made fun of, to those that felt like they had no one to listen to them, to those that no one would believe,” Travis wrote.

“He was a great guy ... very humble and down to earth,” Bettina Moss, another Bigfoot and paranormal enthusiast, wrote in her own tribute. Moss interviewed Carpenter on her YouTube show back in March.

“He was a great asset to the cryptid community because he was a boots-on-the-ground researcher who documented his findings while out in the field and shared his experiences with the community on his YouTube channel regardless of the scrutiny he received from others,” Moss’ tribute continued.

Upon hearing the news, dozens of people within the Bigfoot community praised Carpenter and his research into Bigfoot creatures he believed were lurking in the Great Smoky Mountains. Tributes have been shared on social media, his YouTube videos and Facebook groups such as Sasquatch Chronicles and Sasquatch Summit.

Searching for Bigfoot in the Great Smoky Mountains

Scott Carpenter was a well-known figure within the Bigfoot community, with nearly 63,000 subscribers to his YouTube page. The account has 586 videos dating back to 2009, mostly dedicated to research and theories surrounding the existence of Bigfoot, including in the Smokies.

He also wrote books, appeared on shows (“Finding Bigfoot,” “Survivorman”) and ran several blogs on the topic, according to The Sun. His research extended to other creatures and phenomenon including dogman, gray aliens, cloaked entities and orbs, and mythical elves.

Carpenter lived in Maryville and worked in Knoxville, according to the bio on his blog. He claimed his first experience with Bigfoot occurred in the early 1970s. He claimed to have another encounter in 2009 which reignited his interest in the mythical creatures.

His most recent YouTube video was posted Aug. 2.

Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email devarrick.turner@knoxnews.com. Twitter @dturner1208.

Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Bigfoot researcher Scott Carpenter from Maryville dies