A series of eight deaths and disappearances involving scientists and military figures has raised concern across the United States. Some of the cases are very confusing and several of the people involved had professional connections with each other.
Out of the eight cases, four people disappeared without any clear explanation. While some of the deaths seem unrelated because of different circumstances, two of the missing individuals, retired Air Force General William "Neil" McCasland and NASA scientist Monica Reza, had a close professional connection and went missing within eight months of each other.
The cases drew more attention after McCasland disappeared in February 2026. His case brought renewed focus on earlier incidents involving experts in aerospace, defense, and scientific research.
The eight people involved are:
Frank Maiwald, a researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who died in Los Angeles at the age of 61.
Anthony Chavez, a former employee at Los Alamos National Laboratory, who vanished and his whereabouts remain unknown.
Monica Reza, a NASA scientist who went missing during a hike in the Angeles National Forest.
Melissa Casias, an administrative assistant at Los Alamos, who disappeared from her residence.
Jason Thomas, a researcher at Novartis, who went missing in December and his body was recovered from a lake in March 2026.
Nuno Loureiro, the head of MIT's Plasma Science and Fusion Center, who was fatally attacked at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Carl Grillmair, an astrophysicist who was shot on his front porch during the early morning hours.
William Neil McCasland, a retired Air Force Major General who was last seen near Quail Run Court NE in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
