Selon une des versions antérieures de l'origine du corps donnée par Frank Hansen, il s'agirait d'une créature qu'il aurait lui-même abattu, quelque part dans le Minnesota. Il l'aurait surprise, accompagnée de deux de ses congénères, en train d'écoper le sang d'un cerf qu'elles avaient éventré.
Cette version a été l'objet de forts débats au sein du milieu cryptozoologique, l'homme du Minnesota étant bien différent du bigfoot américain, plus massif et plus simiesque. Certains spécialistes y voient la preuve que l'homme congelé était un canular inventé par Cullen, tandis que d'autres pensent que cette découverte démontre qu'il existerait deux types distincts de cryptides hominoïdes sur le sol américain (le bigfoot et une sorte d'homme sauvage dont l'homme congelé du Minnesota était un individu).

Bernard Heuvelmans avait une hypothèse personnelle quant à l'origine de l'homme congelé, en contradiction avec les explications de Hansen : il était d'avis que le corps était celui d'un homme sauvage abattu pendant la guerre du Vietnam puis ramenée aux États-Unis. « L'homo pongoides » serait une créature similaire à l'almas d'Asie Centrale ou à l'orang-pendek de Sumatra, que Heuvelmans pensait être une survivance moderne de l'homme de Néanderthal.
Cette version des faits, basée sur l’œil arraché de la créature par ce qu'Heuvelmans jugeait être une blessure par balle, ne semble toutefois jamais avoir été utilisée ni défendue par Frank Hansen.

Cela n'empêche pas certaines personnes de penser qu'il a bien existé un véritable « Minnesota Iceman », qu'Ivan Sanderson et Bernard Heuvelmans ont examiné et décrit dans leurs articles.
Certains cryptozoologues s'appuient sur les similitudes entre l'homme congelé du Minnesota et les hommes sauvages (almas) qui seraient observés dans le Caucase et en Asie Centrale, similitudes qui selon eux ne pourraient être le fruit du hasard. Le portrait-robot de « l'homo pongoides » fut souvent utilisé lors des entretiens avec les témoins autochtones ; ce fut notamment le cas en 1994 par Jordi Magraner lors de son expédition au Nord du Pakistan, et les personnes interrogées furent catégoriques sur la forte ressemblance entre le bar-manu – l'homme sauvage local – et l'homme congelé du Minnesota.

Infamous “Minnesota Iceman” Body Reappears In Texas After Vanishing in 70′s

After vanishing from the public eye for nearly half a century, one of the most infamous pieces of Bigfoot history has finally been rediscovered, and its heading straight back to the stage.

Last October, Sasquatch hunter Lupe Mendonza, reported an intriguing rumor to our friends over at Bigfoot Evidence, news that the famous “Minnesota Iceman” had been “rediscovered” after having gone missing way back in the 70′s. Mendoza claimed that both the original body, which was encased in ice for traveling displays, as well as a duplicate body created by sideshow promoter Frank Hansen, were being whispered about in certain cryptozoology circles and rumored to be making a comeback.

It would seem that he was correct, because just a few months later in February of 2013 the following eBay auction was listed:

This is the actual sideshow gaff billed as “The Minnesota Iceman” by Frank Hansen in the 1960′s. This is a one of a kind hoax that was fabricated by a mid-20th century showman. The Iceman was featured in an issue of Argosy Magazine (as you can see in the pictures) and spawned decades of debate as to its authenticity. For around 40 years the whereabouts of the Iceman were unknown to the cryptozoology community.

The body was listed for a $20,000 starting bid, but considering the hugely important role this piece of sideshow schlock played in crypto history, it should come as no surprise that the item was snatched up almost instantly by a mysterious buyer. But who was it?

Thanks to a piping hot press release, we now know that the new owner of the Minnesota Iceman is Steve Busti, owner of the Austin, Texas Museum of the Weird.

From the release:
In 1968 a carnival attraction being billed as “The Siberskoye Creature” began showing up at malls and fairgrounds across America. Also known as “The Creature In Ice,” the exhibit appeared to be the body of a hairy Neanderthal or Bigfoot-like monster frozen in a solid block of ice in a refrigerated coffin.

The “Iceman” soon garnered the attention of scientists, the Smithsonian Institution, and even the FBI, who all wanted to get their hands on the creature. Then, as suddenly as it appeared, the Iceman seemed to mysteriously vanish without a trace, and along with it all hopes of ever having the body thoroughly examined.

Over the ensuing decades the enigma of the Minnesota Iceman, as it were later to be called, became the subject of many books, lectures and television shows including Unsolved Mysteries and Animal X. The story grew to near legendary status among the generation that remembered seeing it, and for over three decades the mystery of whatever happened to it became as much an open question as whatever “IT” actually was.

Now, after many years of its whereabouts being unknown, the long enduring mystery of “Where is the Minnesota Iceman?” can finally be answered.

Museum of the Weird owner Steve Busti announced today that the Minnesota Iceman is currently in his possession, and will soon be exhibited to the world once again in his Austin, Texas tourist attraction.

Busti is aiming to have the Iceman set up in his museum and open to the public within a week, with plans for a special Grand Opening event in July in cooperation with popular cryptozoology site Cryptomundo.com. Texan cryptozoologist Ken Gerhard, author of Monsters of Texas will be giving a presentation on the history and backstory of the Minnesota Iceman.

In addition to taking up permanent residence in Austin, it’s also been announced that the infamous attraction will be making a short visit to Loren Coleman’s International Cryptozoology Museum in Maine sometime next year as well, offering a good opportunity for folks in every part of the country to experience something that is truly a piece of weird history.