President Trump revealed he had been briefed on the cases, which now number at least 12, and described the matter as 'pretty serious stuff' after a meeting on the subject. He expressed hope that the incidents are random but expects to know more in the next week and a half. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that the president has brought the FBI into the investigation, and the White House is actively working with all relevant agencies and the FBI to holistically review all of the cases together and identify any potential commonalities.
FBI Director Kash Patel reiterated the importance of looking for connections, stating that if connections lead to nefarious conduct or conspiracy, the FBI will make the appropriate arrest. The FBI is spearheading the effort, working with the Department of Energy, Department of War, and state and local law enforcement partners. Congressional probes have intensified as key lawmakers demand briefings and raise alarm.
The House Oversight Committee has launched its own investigation regarding unconfirmed public reports of disappearances and deaths, and is seeking briefings from the FBI, Defense Department, Department of Energy, and NASA. Congressmen James Comer and Eric Burlison are requesting information from those agencies, warning that if reports are true, these deaths and disappearances could pose a serious threat to US national security. House Oversight Chair James Comer said it is very unlikely that this is a coincidence and Congress views this as a national security threat.
Congressman Tim Burchett expressed concern that the source of a conspiracy may originate on US soil, not a foreign country, and suspected a plot similar to the CIA's MKUltra program may be taking place. Burchett also claimed that federal agents may withhold what they learn from the president, recounting a meeting with a bureaucrat who told him the president is on a need-to-know basis. The Trump Administration did not mention Burchett's comments in their statement, though White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly stated the White House continues to coordinate across the interagency to investigate and provide transparency.
Representative James Walkinshaw agreed an investigation is warranted but is not convinced there is a coordinated motive, noting the US has thousands of nuclear scientists and experts, and a foreign adversary could not significantly impact the program by targeting 10 individuals. The cases span a wide range of circumstances, including unsolved homicides and missing persons cases with no signs of foul play. Since 2023, several scientists with ties to NASA, nuclear research, aerospace programs, and classified projects have vanished or turned up dead.
The source of a conspiracy may originate on US soil, not a foreign country.
Many of the individuals had access to sensitive information on space missions, nuclear technology, or advanced defense systems. The disappearance of William 'Neil' McCasland on Feb. 27 fueled a wider belief in a nefarious connection.
McCasland, a 68-year-old former US Air Force major general and seventh Commander of Air Force Research Laboratory, was last seen leaving his New Mexico home without his phone, wearable devices, or glasses, carrying only a pistol. His wife told 911 dispatchers that it appeared he was trying not to be found. The circumstances surrounding McCasland's disappearance were almost identical to four other missing person cases between May and August 2025 in the Southwest, all tied to McCasland through his work overseeing the Air Force Research Lab at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, which has been rumored to study extraterrestrial technology since the 1947 Roswell UFO crash.
, which Scientific American described as a celebrity-led organization that promotes theories about aliens. Other cases include Michael David Hicks, 59, who died in July 2023 after working at JPL for 24 years with no cause of death determined; Monica Reza, head of a research program at JPL, who disappeared without a trace in June last year; Frank Maiwald, 61, a prize-winning JPL scientist, who died in July 2024 with unknown cause of death; and astrophysicist Carl Grillmair, 67, who was shot and killed in a suspected burglary attempt in rural California on February 16 this year. Grillmair worked on developing space telescopes for NASA with technology also used for advanced military robots.
Three former or current researchers with ties to Los Alamos have disappeared without a trace, including Steven Garcia, a government contractor with top security clearance at US nuclear weapons facilities, who vanished last August and was last seen on CCTV leaving his home carrying a handgun. Authorities said Garcia was a danger to himself, but friends disputed suggestions of suicidal or mental health issues. Anthony Chavez and Melissa Casias both worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory and disappeared after leaving their homes on foot weeks apart in 2025.
Nuno Loureiro, an MIT professor working on nuclear fusion, was shot dead in his Boston home, and Jason Thomas, a pharmaceutical researcher, was found dead in a Massachusetts lake after disappearing three months earlier. In at least two instances, families have pointed to preexisting medical conditions or personal struggles as explanations. Contradictory narratives have emerged, with official caution contrasting with conspiracy theories.
The president's on a need-to-know basis.
S. adversaries because of their sensitive work, but no evidence has been found that definitively links the cases or establishes coordinated foul play. Jen Golbeck, a professor at the University of Maryland, said the idea of a sinister connection is a common trope in conspiracy theory communities.
The conspiracy theory, which emerged in 2026, alleges that deaths or disappearances of people tied to classified research were connected to secret knowledge about UFOs, advanced energy, or materials science. However, cases cited by proponents span several years and involve unrelated circumstances, including natural death, homicide, suicide, and missing-person reports. Colleagues, experts, and journalists have rejected claims of a coordinated pattern.
Medical sociologist Robert Bartholomew described the belief as an example of apophenia. Multiple family members have expressed anguish or grief at having their deceased relatives connected to the conspiracy theory. On April 29, 2026, the FBI conclusively determined Nuno Loureiro had been murdered by Cláudio Manuel Neves Valente acting alone out of personal spite.
The origin of the conspiracy theory has been dated to the early 2026 disappearance of William Neil McCasland. The deaths and disappearances spanned a period of four years, though in some cases were erroneously reported to have been clustered over a few months. Key unknowns remain as the investigation continues.
The exact number of scientists who have died or disappeared is still being determined, with reports varying between 10 and at least 12. It is unclear whether any of the cases are definitively linked or if they are all coincidental. The specific evidence, if any, suggesting foreign adversary involvement has not been disclosed.
The official causes of death for several scientists remain unexplained. The current status of the FBI and congressional investigations is ongoing, with authorities yet to establish any links between the cases.