A "Skinwalker" is a shape-shifting character from Navajo tribal folklore. Among the Navajo, skinwalkers are like werewolves: evil witches who can transform themselves into the creatures of their choosing.
According to local lore, the Ute, an Indigenous tribe from this valley and had an uneasy alliance with the Navajo. Siding with American military forces in the late 19th century, the Ute helped force the Navajo people out of the area. As a result, the Navajo unleashed a Skinwalker, a shapeshifter who can possess animals' skin.
The "Skinwalker Ranch" is a 512-acre parcel of land located in northeastern Utah.
The black and white program Billy is watching on TV is Space Patrol (1950), a science fiction show that was in syndication from 1950 to 1955. The star, Ed Kemmer, portrayed Commander Corey. He and his crew fought outer space villains initially in daily 15 minute broadcasts that became a weekly half-hour show in the second year.
It was claimed that the Navajo tribe were a more aggressive people; they took slaves, they kept slaves of the Ute tribe, and there was direct conflict when the Navajo attempted to move into Ute territory," at modern-day Pagosa Springs and Durango.