FBI Probes At Least 10 Deaths And Disappearances Of Secret Government Lab Staff
The FBI is probing at least 10 deaths and disappearances of staff at secret U.S. government laboratories.
The cases stretch back to 2022 and include current and former lab employees tied to nuclear, space, and defense research. Authorities and the White House say federal agencies are reviewing the incidents for possible links while local investigations continue. The National Nuclear Security Administration said it is aware of reports involving its labs and is looking into the matter.
Fox News has named as many as 11 individuals in the cluster, including retired Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland and Huntsville researcher Amy Eskridge. Reported causes range from apparent homicide and self-inflicted gunshot to unexplained deaths and disappearances, while some cases remain publicly unresolved. House Oversight Chairman James Comer and Rep. Eric Burlison have formally requested briefings and documents from the FBI, Department of Energy, NASA and the Pentagon.
Early coverage from outlets such as Fox emphasized a possible pattern and highlighted striking overlaps, prompting public alarm and congressional inquiries. More recent reporting, notably from CBS, has been more cautious, noting a lack of confirmed links and quoting experts who urge restraint until federal probes conclude. Social media and independent analysts meanwhile have amplified case details and OSINT on figures like McCasland, keeping public pressure on agencies to disclose findings.
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U.S. Defense Scientists Deaths and Disappearances
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This story is compiled from 14 sources using AI-assisted curation and analysis. Original reporting is attributed below. Learn about our methodology.
📌 Key Facts
- The FBI is involved in a consolidated federal inquiry into multiple deaths and disappearances of staff at secret government labs; reporting describes investigations of at least 10 cases, and Fox News has expanded the list to 11 individuals with the addition of Amy Eskridge.
- The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) acknowledged it is aware of reports involving employees at its labs, plants and sites and said it is "looking into the matter;" NASA says it is coordinating with relevant agencies and sees no current NASA-specific national security threat.
- The White House, via Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, says the administration is working with the FBI and all relevant agencies to review the cases for possible links; President Trump said he left a briefing on the matter, called it "pretty serious," and said he expected answers within about a week and a half.
- House Oversight Chair James Comer and Rep. Eric Burlison have formally demanded information and staff briefings from the FBI, DoD, NASA and DOE about the incidents, warning that "something sinister" could be involved and seeking to determine any national security risk.
- Reporting (notably from Fox) names at least 11 scientists and engineers tied to nuclear, space, aerospace or related research who have died or vanished since 2022; notable cases cited include retired Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland (missing from Albuquerque), JPL materials engineer Monica Jacinto Reza (disappeared on a hike), pharmaceutical scientist Jason Thomas (found dead in a lake), Caltech scientist Carl Grillmair (fatally shot), and Amy Eskridge (died by a reported self-inflicted gunshot in 2022).
- Causes and circumstances vary across the cases — including shootings, an apparent suicide, at least one plane crash, and several deaths with publicly undisclosed causes — and some missing persons were reportedly last seen leaving their homes under unusual circumstances (sometimes without phones, wallets, keys or cars); some reports also note a lack of public autopsy details for certain deaths.
- Energy security and law-enforcement experts and a former Department of Energy official interviewed by CBS cautioned there is no clear evidence the incidents are linked and warned against conspiratorial social-media theories, while other commentators and some lawmakers say the cluster is "unheard of" and merits close scrutiny.
- Individual law-enforcement and regulatory agencies continue to investigate specific incidents (for example, the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office on McCasland's disappearance and the NTSB/FAA examining a recent plane crash that killed aerospace engineer James "Tony" Moffatt and family), and the Department of Defense has said it has no active national-security investigations involving personnel tied to the cited cases.
📰 Source Timeline (14)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
April 21, 2026
9:16 PM
Investigation into deaths, disappearances of staff at secretive government labs
New information:
- CBS reports that the FBI is actively investigating the cases of at least 10 staffers at secret government labs who have died or disappeared.
- The segment frames the incidents explicitly as involving personnel at 'secret government labs,' rather than only individual cases like McCasland.
- CBS positions this as a consolidated federal inquiry, indicating the bureau is formally looking across multiple incidents.
8:06 PM
Aerospace defense engineer, military veteran killed in plane crash with family
New information:
- Identifies James 'Tony' Moffatt, a 60-year-old decorated military pilot and aerospace engineer with NASA ties, as a new scientist whose death is being discussed alongside the 11 earlier cases.
- Reports that Moffatt, his wife Leasa, and their adult sons Andrew and William were killed when their Mooney M20 single-engine plane crashed near Union County, South Carolina, around 6:30 p.m. on April 17, 2026, during a return flight to Huntsville, Alabama.
- States that NTSB and FAA have opened investigations but have not yet determined a cause of the crash.
- Details Moffatt's background: 21-year military career, training as an experimental test pilot at the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, work as a payload and flight crew support specialist at NASA's Johnson Space Center on 14 Space Shuttle ISS construction missions, and later role as a principal research engineer at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
- Notes that Andrew Moffatt, 30, was himself a research engineer and scientist at the University of Alabama in Huntsville's Research and Engineering Support Center.
- Highlights that Fox framing explicitly raises the question of whether the crash is related to the previously noted 11 scientist deaths and disappearances, though no evidence of a link is provided.
5:26 PM
Missing scientists probe was sparked after 'UFO General' disappeared, Republican lawmaker reveals
New information:
- Rep. Eric Burlison says the disappearance of retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland, dubbed the 'UFO general,' was a key trigger for the new congressional investigation.
- Burlison reveals his staff had already been trying to contact McCasland for a separate investigation when the general vanished from his Albuquerque home in February.
- New details from the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office: McCasland's phone and prescription glasses were left behind, while his hiking boots, wallet and a .38‑caliber revolver were missing.
- Burlison states that in roughly a five‑month span, four or five people involved in advanced aerospace research have disappeared after walking out their front doors and never returning.
- House Oversight Chair James Comer and Burlison have sent letters to the FBI, Department of War, NASA and Department of Energy demanding information and a staff‑level briefing by April 27.
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