A series of deaths and disappearances involving people connected to secret scientific and government work has coalesced into an alarming narrative that has gone right to the top.
Within weeks, what began as a discussion over scattered incidents had become a national talking point, drawing attention from Congress, the White House, and federal investigators.
Roughly 10 to 11 individuals with ties to institutions such as NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, MIT, and private industry have died or gone missing over the past few years.
For perpetually online conspiracy theorists, it’s a gold mine.
Some cases involve missing persons, others are confirmed homicides, while other deaths have been attributed to natural or accidental causes.
The incidents are loosely connected and span approximately four years from 2022 through 2026, but the narrative largely remains transfixed on the possibility that “something sinister” has gone on behind the scenes.
The current wave of attention appears to have been triggered by the disappearance of retired Air Force Major General Neil McCasland in February 2026.
His background in aerospace and defence work made his case particularly susceptible to speculation. Online discussions quickly framed him as someone who might have possessed sensitive or secret knowledge. From there, other cases, some older and only tangentially related, were pulled into a growing list.
Across social media, forums, and some media outlets, claims spread that scientists were being deliberately targeted. Theories varied, but commonly invoked explanations were “secret knowledge about UFOs, advanced energy projects.”
Outlets like The Atlantic have ridiculed the hubbub, with senior editor Daniel Engber publishing an article this week titled: “The ‘Missing Scientist’ Story Is Unbelievably Dumb.”
Engber criticises the theories, claiming the furore is a classic case of overzealous conspiracists haphazardly linking loose coincidences to create a story.
He argues that the list was thrown together by people scouring the web to make any loose connection, regardless of whether their circumstances were similar or even unusual.
Sceptic Michael Shermer described this process as “digging around to find anyone who died … then scrapping through their bio,” highlighting how disparate cases were retroactively connected.
Nevertheless, the story is picking up speed after being amplified by certain political figures. Members of Congress raised concerns and called for investigations, citing public reports and uncertainty about potential connections.
House Oversight Chairman James Comer ominously declared the cases are “very unlikely that this is a coincidence” and warned that “something sinister could be happening.”
He added that the situation could represent a “national security concern.”
The FBI has since confirmed that it is examining whether any links exist between the cases. At the same time, officials have emphasised that the investigation is exploratory and does not indicate that the disappearances and deaths are linked.
Reports indicate that authorities are “looking for any connections”, but have not established that connections exist.
Despite federal interest, expert analysis has largely pushed back against the idea of a coordinated pattern. One of the most consistent findings across reporting is the lack of commonality among the individuals involved.
They worked in different disciplines, held different roles, and in some cases were not scientists at all.
Their circumstances also differ significantly. Some deaths are clearly explained, including confirmed murders with identified suspects, while others are consistent with accidents or natural causes.
Reporting indicates the inquiry itself was prompted in part by “unconfirmed public reporting”. For those critical of conspiracies, the fact that the White House is now responding to internet chatter is concerning.
Donald Trump himself acknowledged the issue publicly this month after having internal discussions.
“I just left a meeting on that subject, so pretty serious stuff,” he said.
“Hopefully, coincidence … but some of them were very important people, and we are going to look at it.”
Behind the scenes, federal agencies have taken a more measured approach.
The FBI confirmed it is “spearheading the effort to look for connections into the missing and deceased scientists,” working alongside the Department of Energy, Department of Defence, and local law enforcement.
Officials close to the investigations have simultaneously stressed that they “see no links between them”. A spokesperson for the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration said the agency is aware of the reports and “is looking into the matter,” but stopped short of suggesting any connection or cause.
Experts consulted by officials have also pushed back on more dramatic interpretations.
One former Department of Energy official summarised it all in one sentence: “People do just die. Strokes, heart disease, suicide, mugging, it happens.”
But as we’ve seen time and time again throughout history, not every “conspiracy theory” is fiction.
Some of the most infamous examples were once dismissed until documents proved otherwise, and have now effectively poured fuel on the fire for those who naturally mistrust official narratives.
The US, in particular, has a long list of once-far-fetched theories that have been openly declassified and proven true.
The CIA’s MK-Ultra program, which was exposed by the Church Committee, involved a vast web of secret drug experiments on unwitting subjects in the 20th century. US Department of Defence documents later revealed Operation Northwoods, a proposed false-flag plan to justify war with Cuba. It was also found that the Tuskegee syphilis study, run by the US Public Health Service, withheld treatment from Black men for decades.
More recently, former security official Edward Snowden confirmed mass surveillance programs run by the National Security Agency, while the CIA’s declassified “Family Jewels” files detailed illegal domestic spying and assassination plots.
Who are the people in question?
1. Neil McCasland, retired US Air Force major general with an aerospace and defence background. Went missing in February 2026 after leaving home for a walk in New Mexico.
2. Monica Reza, Researcher at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, went missing June 2025 while hiking near Los Angeles.
3. Nuno Loureiro, Physicist at MIT. Killed by a former classmate in a confirmed shooting incident in December 2025.
4. Jason Thomas, Chemical biologist at Novartis. Died in a drowning incident in early 2025, with no foul play reported.
5. Melissa Casias, Administrative assistant at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Went missing in 2024, with reports suggesting personal circumstances may have been involved.
6. Amy Eskridge, Independent researcher known for antigravity claims. Died in June 2022 following a period of documented personal distress.
7. Steven Garcia, Property custodian (NNSA facility). Went missing August 2025.
8. Anthony Chavez, Former Los Alamos worker. Went missing (May 2024)
9. Carl Grillmair, Astrophysicist. Murdered February 2026.
10. Frank Maiwald, NASA engineer. Died July 4, 2024.
11. Michael David Hicks, JPL physicist. Died July 2023.
