A series of disappearances involving individuals with deep ties to America's defense, nuclear, and space research sectors has raised significant questions, prompting investigations by local and federal authorities across multiple states. These cases, marked by unusual circumstances and a lack of clear explanation, involve personnel holding sensitive positions within the nation's critical infrastructure.
"My husband is missing … I have some indication that he must have planned not to be found." — Susan Wilkerson, Wife of Maj. Gen. William McCasland
One of the earliest reported cases involves retired Air Force Major General William “Neil” McCasland, 68, who vanished from his Albuquerque home on February 27. McCasland, a highly decorated military officer, held senior Pentagon positions in nuclear science, space research, and national defense programs. He commanded the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, an installation historically linked to the 1947 Roswell incident. According to his wife, Susan Wilkerson, McCasland left his home on foot, leaving behind all vehicles, his phone, prescription glasses, and other electronics. Investigators believe he departed with his wallet, hiking boots, and a .38-caliber revolver. A gray Air Force sweatshirt was later discovered approximately one mile east of his property, though authorities have not confirmed its ownership.
The investigation into McCasland's disappearance took an unexpected turn in March when FBI agents initiated involvement without a request from local law enforcement, a departure from standard protocol, according to a Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office official. McCasland's name has also surfaced in broader contexts, including contacts with Missouri Republican Representative Eric Burlison regarding Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP) research and in WikiLeaks releases of Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta’s emails. Former Blink-182 frontman Tom DeLonge reportedly named McCasland as an internal government source on alien intelligence, with leaked calendar data showing a scheduled meeting between DeLonge, Podesta, and McCasland for January 24, 2016.
The scope of McCasland's professional network extended to Monica Jacinto Reza, 60, an aerospace engineer whose work he oversaw and funded at the AFRL. Reza, known for developing Mondaloy, a specialized nickel-based super-alloy engineered for rocket propulsion, is a senior tech fellow at Aerojet Rocketdyne and maintains project ties to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She disappeared on a Saturday in June 2025 while walking on a well-traveled trail in the Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles County, directly behind two companions. Despite extensive search efforts by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, utilizing helicopters, scent dogs, thermal imaging, and drones, Reza has not been found. Officials stated, "At this time, there are no clear indications of foul play," and the department has contacted out-of-state agencies to compare details with "other cases similar in nature."
In New Mexico, other individuals with connections to sensitive facilities have also vanished. Anthony Chavez, 78, a retired research and development engineer who spent most of his career at Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Dual-Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test facility—a key component of America’s nuclear weapons research—was reported missing on May 8, 2025. He was last seen leaving his home near Los Alamos on foot, leaving his wallet, keys, and cigarettes behind. Police found no evidence of forced entry or struggle, and cadaver dogs yielded no results.
Three months after Chavez disappeared, Steven Garcia, 48, exited his Albuquerque home on the morning of August 28, carrying only a handgun. Garcia, a property custodian with top-security clearance, worked at the Kansas City National Security Campus’s Albuquerque facility, which produces over 80 percent of the non-nuclear components for U.S. nuclear weapons and manufactures nuclear parts for the AFRL. Like other cases, he left his wallet, phone, keys, and vehicle behind. Albuquerque police continue to classify his case as active, with no new developments reported.
Another Los Alamos National Laboratory employee, Melissa Casias, 53, disappeared on June 26, 2025, after dropping off lunch for her daughter and informing family she planned to work from home. Security cameras recorded her walking east along State Road 518 toward Pot Creek, alone and moving quickly, at 2:18 p.m. Her car was parked outside her house, and both her personal and work cellphones were left behind, both having been factory-reset. Her mother, Joann Mondragon, 78, expressed profound concern, stating, "Melissa would not leave her daughter. They were very close," and noted that New Mexico State Police had ceased communication for months. The family hired retired homicide detective and private investigator Thomas McNally, whose investigation recently yielded a pair of shoes in Carson National Forest matching those Casias wore. DNA testing is underway. McNally and the family believe Casias was murdered by someone she knew, asserting her administrative assistant role, responsible for purchasing routine office supplies, was unrelated to her disappearance. McNally is actively advocating for the case to be reclassified as a homicide.
The cluster of disappearances involving individuals with access to or knowledge of classified defense, nuclear, and aerospace research facilities presents a perplexing challenge for investigators. The common threads of individuals leaving behind personal effects, combined with the sensitive nature of their work, have fueled widespread speculation and underscore the ongoing complexities of these unresolved cases.
