Photo: Stanford ENERGY, Video by Mark Shwartz | CC BY 2.5 | Wikimedia Commons
White House, NASA And Congress Scrutinize 11 Scientist Deaths In Sensitive U.S. Research
The White House, NASA and Congress are reviewing a cluster of 11 U.S. scientists who have died or gone missing since 2022. The review follows reporting that at least 11 scientists tied to nuclear, space or defense research have died or vanished since 2022 across multiple states, including New Mexico and California. Causes range from shootings and apparent suicides to unexplained disappearances, and some cases lack public autopsy reports or confirmed causes. Fox reporting and congressional lists added Amy Eskridge as the 11th case. She died by a reported self-inflicted gunshot in June 2022 after publicly claiming an "antigravity" breakthrough and saying she faced threats. The White House says it is coordinating with NASA, the FBI and the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to review the cases collectively. President Trump said he had "just left a meeting" on the matter and expected answers within about a week and a half.
Congressional oversight has intensified, with House Oversight Chair James Comer and Rep. Eric Burlison sending formal letters to the FBI, NASA, the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense seeking briefings and records. Comer warned "something sinister" could be involved while acknowledging the evidence he cited is "unconfirmed public reporting." The NNSA confirmed it is looking into reports about employees at its labs, plants and sites. Local law enforcement continues to handle individual cases, and the FBI says it is aware and providing assistance as requested.
Early coverage, largely driven by Fox News and some commentators, emphasized a worrying pattern and named specific scientists, framing the cluster as potentially coordinated or linked to classified work. Subsequent reporting, including CBS News and pieces that quoted law enforcement and energy experts, warned there is no evidence of a single linked operation and urged caution about conspiratorial social-media claims. Social-media OSINT analysts and commentators amplified concerns about retired Air Force Gen. William McCasland and others, while some users called for rapid answers; experts and officials have repeatedly urged patience as local investigations and agency reviews proceed.
National Security and Intelligence
Scientific Community and Defense Research
U.S. Defense Research and Science
U.S. Defense Scientists Deaths and Disappearances
Trump Administration
This story is compiled from 11 sources using AI-assisted curation and analysis. Original reporting is attributed below. Learn about our methodology.
📌 Key Facts
- At least 11 U.S. scientists and researchers with ties to nuclear, space, defense or advanced-propulsion work have died or gone missing since 2022; reporting names include retired Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland, JPL materials engineer Monica Reza, Huntsville researcher Amy Eskridge, Caltech scientist Carl Grillmair, and pharmaceutical scientist Jason Thomas.
- Circumstances and causes vary: some were shot (e.g., Grillmair; Nuno Loureiro tied to a Brown University mass shooting), some died by apparent self-inflicted gunshot or suicide (reported in cases including Amy Eskridge and Matthew Sullivan), some bodies were found after disappearances (Jason Thomas), and causes remain publicly undisclosed for others (e.g., Michael David Hicks, Frank Maiwald); multiple people were reportedly last seen leaving home without phones, wallets or keys.
- The White House has taken the cluster seriously: President Trump said he had "just left a meeting" on the cases, called the situation "pretty serious" and predicted answers within about a week and a half; Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration is working with "all relevant agencies and the FBI" and vowed that "no stone will be unturned."
- Federal agencies are responding but have given varying descriptions of their roles: the National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE) said it is "looking into" reports related to lab employees; NASA says it is coordinating with relevant agencies and sees no indication of a NASA-specific national security threat; CBS reported the FBI is not leading a unified pattern investigation but is "aware and providing all assistance requested" as local probes continue, while Rep. Eric Burlison said an FBI/OIG referral he made was deemed "credible and urgent."
- Congressional oversight: House Oversight Chair James Comer and Rep. Eric Burlison have sent formal letters and briefing requests to the Department of Defense, FBI, NASA and DOE seeking information on the 11 cases; Comer warned "something sinister" could be involved and said he will bring agency leaders before Congress after reviewing responses.
- Unique contextual details include Amy Eskridge’s history — cofounder of the Institute for Exotic Science who publicly claimed an "antigravity" breakthrough in 2020 and later reported harassment and threats — and reporting that several missing persons were connected to Los Alamos, the Air Force Research Laboratory, JPL/NASA and other sensitive programs.
- Reactions and expert views are mixed: some commentators and scientists (including Michio Kaku and conservative TV hosts) have called the pattern alarming and "unheard of," while a former DOE official and multiple energy-security and law-enforcement experts interviewed by CBS see no obvious link between the individual cases and have cautioned against conspiratorial social-media theories.
- News organizations (notably Fox) have published fuller rosters and case-by-case details (dates, locations, affiliations, and known causes) but authorities have not publicly confirmed a single common cause or active national-security investigation encompassing all cases.
📰 Source Timeline (11)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
April 21, 2026
12:27 PM
Nancy Grace warns of troubling 'pattern' in deaths and disappearances of 11 scientists
New information:
- Nancy Grace, on Fox News' 'Hannity', publicly alleged a troubling 'pattern' among 11 nuclear and space-linked American scientists dead or missing since 2022.
- Grace emphasized claimed overlaps including work on anti-gravity propulsion, heat-resistant materials, propulsion systems, and, in some cases, links to the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory.
- She highlighted that several cases allegedly lacked autopsies or public autopsy reports and that multiple scientists were last seen leaving home, reportedly without their phones, wallets, keys, or cars.
- The Fox segment reiterated that at least 11 people in sensitive national-security fields have died or vanished since 2022, most tied to nuclear science, space research, or unidentified anomalous phenomena studies.
- The piece notes that Hicks' and Maiwald's causes of death remain unknown, while others were shot, died by an apparent self-inflicted gunshot, or were later found after going missing.
12:04 AM
NASA coordinating with relevant agencies in missing scientists probe
New information:
- NASA spokesperson Bethany Stephens said on X that NASA is coordinating and cooperating with relevant agencies regarding the missing scientists and that nothing currently indicates a NASA-related national security threat.
- The White House, via press secretary Karoline Leavitt, said it is working with all relevant agencies and the FBI to holistically review all cases together and look for potential patterns.
- Fox now lists 11 scientists dead or missing since 2022, not 10, and provides a fuller roster of names and causes or circumstances where known.
- House Oversight Chair James Comer publicly said "something sinister" could be involved and specified that his committee has formally reached out to the Department of War, FBI, NASA, and Department of Energy for all information on the 11 individuals.
April 20, 2026
2:00 PM
Lawmakers demand answers as scientists tied to US secrets die or vanish
New information:
- Confirms that on Monday, Oversight Chair James Comer and Subcommittee Chair Eric Burlison sent formal briefing requests to the FBI, Department of Energy, NASA and the Department of War.
- Clarifies that Comer and Burlison describe current evidence as 'unconfirmed public reporting' and say they are seeking to determine whether any broader national security risk exists.
- Reports the Department of War's response that it has 'no active national security investigations' involving any current or former personnel tied to the cited cases.
- Adds fresh White House reaction: Press secretary Karoline Leavitt says officials are working with relevant agencies to gather more information, and President Trump says he 'just left a meeting' on the matter and calls it 'pretty serious stuff.'
- Provides additional narrative detail on several cases, including retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William 'Neil' McCasland leaving home with a wallet and firearm but no other personal items, and JPL materials engineer Monica Reza disappearing during a California hike in June 2025.
- Notes lawmakers cited possible professional connections among some of the scientists via past Air Force–funded research on advanced materials for space and weapons systems, while authorities have not indicated the incidents are linked.
April 19, 2026
3:19 PM
Comer warns ‘something sinister’ may be behind deaths, disappearances of 11 nuclear, space-linked scientists
New information:
- House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has sent formal letters to the Department of War (Pentagon/DoD), FBI, NASA, and Department of Energy demanding information on 11 specific scientist deaths and disappearances.
- Comer publicly warned on Fox & Friends Weekend that 'something sinister could be happening' and said he plans to bring agency leaders before Congress after they review his inquiries.
- The article names all 11 individuals in the cluster, including their roles and affiliations, tying several directly to NASA, Los Alamos and other sensitive programs.
- President Donald Trump said he 'just left a meeting on that subject,' called the situation 'pretty serious,' and said he expects to know within about 'a week and a half' whether the pattern is random.
- The National Nuclear Security Administration confirmed it is 'looking into the matter' in response to renewed attention.
12:00 PM
String of scientist deaths, vanishings fuels expert talks of shadow ops and silenced secrets: 'Very serious'
New information:
- Fox identifies at least 11 specific individuals who have died or vanished since 2022, most tied to nuclear science, space research, or related work, and names several with photos and role details.
- New case specifics include the February 16, 2026 shooting death of Caltech scientist Carl Grillmair outside his home, with 29-year-old Freddy Snyder charged with his murder.
- Details on other cases include the December 2025 shooting of Nuno Loureiro at his Massachusetts home tied to a Brown University mass shooting, and the later discovery of Novartis scientist Jason Thomas's body in Lake Quannapowitt after he went missing.
- The article reiterates that causes of death for some, including former JPL scientist Michael David Hicks and NASA JPL scientist Frank Maiwald, remain publicly undisclosed.
- It restates that aerospace engineer Monica Reza, Kansas City National Security Campus worker Steven Garcia, retired Air Force Gen. William Neil McCasland, and others remain missing under what are described as suspicious circumstances.
- An expert quoted by Fox raises the possibility that some of the scientists could have been targeted for their knowledge or forced to disappear for their own protection, although this is presented as speculation rather than confirmed fact.
April 18, 2026
11:00 AM
Renowned physicist alarmed by 'unheard of' number of scientists dying or vanishing now on White House's radar
New information:
- Identifies Dr. Michio Kaku as a prominent physicist publicly warning that at least 10 scientists with advanced security clearances have died or vanished, calling the pattern 'unheard of.'
- Provides concrete case details for several incidents, including the Feb. 27 disappearance of retired Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland from his New Mexico home, leaving phone, keys and glasses but taking a handgun and boots.
- Names two additional missing former Los Alamos National Laboratory employees, Anthony Chavez and Melissa Casias, including dates and circumstances of their disappearances and their ties to the lab.
- Quotes NNSA acknowledging that it is aware of reports related to employees of its labs, plants and sites and is 'looking into the matter.'
- Quotes White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirming that the administration and FBI are 'actively reviewing all cases' to look for potential commonalities.
April 17, 2026
9:19 PM
What we know about deaths, disappearances of staff at government labs
New information:
- President Trump told reporters he had 'just left a meeting' on the disappearances and deaths and called it 'pretty serious stuff,' while adding he hopes it is a coincidence.
- CBS reports the FBI is not currently leading a unified pattern investigation but is 'aware and providing all assistance requested' as local cases proceed.
- The Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration issued a statement saying it is 'aware of reports related to employees of our labs, plants, and sites and is looking into the matter.'
- Retired Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland, 68, former commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory, has been missing from the Albuquerque area since late February and is one of four current or former employees at sensitive sites who have gone missing in New Mexico over roughly the last year.
- A former Department of Energy official told CBS there is no evidence the cases are linked and emphasized that many lab employees hold mundane, non-sensitive jobs despite 'sketchy sounding' titles.
- Multiple energy security and law enforcement experts interviewed by CBS said they see no obvious link between the individual cases and viewed social-media theories as conspiratorial.
7:02 PM
White House reviewing cases of missing, dead scientists for possible links as 11th person identified
New information:
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says the Trump administration is working with "all relevant agencies and the FBI" to review all identified cases together for possible links.
- Leavitt issued a written statement on X promising that "no stone will be unturned" and that the White House will provide updates.
- President Trump said he had "just left a meeting" on the cases, called the situation "pretty serious," and predicted answers within about a week and a half.
- Fox News reports the list of cases has grown to 11 with the addition of Huntsville-based researcher Amy Eskridge, who died in 2022 at age 34.
- The Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration acknowledged awareness of reports involving employees at its labs, plants and sites and said it is "looking into the matter."
5:40 PM
Rep Burlison demands FBI probe after top US scientists vanish or turn up dead
New information:
- House Oversight Committee member Rep. Eric Burlison has publicly called for the FBI and 'every agency' to investigate the cluster of scientists' deaths and disappearances.
- Burlison says his office referred the case of Matthew Sullivan, who died by suicide under what he calls suspicious circumstances, to the Office of Inspector General and the FBI, and that the FBI deemed the referral 'credible and urgent.'
- The piece recounts that McCasland's wife publicly posted on Facebook that he retired years ago and that it is 'quite unlikely that he was taken to extract very dated secrets from him,' injecting skepticism about espionage motives.
- The Fox hit reinforces that at least 10 U.S. researchers with access to top-level secrets have gone missing or turned up dead since 2023, and highlights that several (including Monica Jacinto Reza, Anthony Chavez, Melissa Casias, Steven Garcia, and McCasland) reportedly walked out of their homes before vanishing.
- President Trump is quoted saying he has just left a briefing on the cases, hopes they are 'coincidence,' and will know more soon, but he does not say whether he believes the cases are connected.
3:37 PM
11th scientist death emerges in string of missing, dead officials with access to US secrets
New information:
- Amy Eskridge, a Huntsville-based experimental propulsion researcher who died by reported self-inflicted gunshot on June 11, 2022, is now being cited as the 11th case in the cluster.
- Eskridge co-founded the Institute for Exotic Science and publicly claimed in 2020 that she and colleagues had discovered 'antigravity,' after which she described escalating harassment, threats and sabotage.
- She warned in a recorded interview that researchers who report unconventional breakthroughs can be pressured out of public view or 'disappear' from publishing, and said she felt forced to publish to protect herself.
- The Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration gave Fox News a statement confirming it is aware of reports about employees at its labs, plants and sites and is 'looking into the matter.'
- President Trump told reporters he had 'just left a meeting' on the string of cases, called the situation 'pretty serious,' and said he hoped it was random but expected answers within roughly a week and a half.
- Fox names and visually highlights additional individuals in the cluster, including contractor Steven Garcia, Los Alamos–linked employees Melissa Casias and Anthony Chavez, and pharmaceutical scientist Jason Thomas, alongside previously noted names like Gen. McCasland and Monica Jacinto Reza.
April 16, 2026