White House directs FBI to investigate mysterious cases of top scientists missing or dead
Topics: Donald Trump, US News
Ben Williams
Featured Image Credit: Jim WATSON/AFP via Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump, US News
The White House and FBI are now at the centre of an unsettling mystery involving a string of scientists and officials who have either vanished or died in unusual circumstances.
The cases have attracted growing attention, partly because several of those named had links to NASA, nuclear research, aerospace programmes, or other sensitive projects.
While some of the links remain unclear, the pattern has been enough to raise questions in Washington, with Donald Trump now acknowledging he has been briefed on the situation.
Some of the details are deeply strange, including reports of people leaving home without phones, keys, or other everyday items before disappearing without a trace.
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Now, the White House has confirmed the FBI has been brought in to review the cases and examine whether there are any possible common threads.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the move on X (formerly Twitter), saying: “In light of the recent and legitimate questions about these troubling cases, and President Trump’s commitment to the truth, 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 that may exist.
No stone will be unturned in this effort, and the White House will provide updates when we have them.”
Reported by Fox News, Trump was asked about the matter after landing at the White House on Thursday, when reporters questioned whether he believed the disappearances and deaths were random or potentially connected.
“I hope it is random, but we are going to know in the next week and a half…I just left a meeting on that subject, so pretty serious stuff. Hopefully, I don’t know, coincidence, or whatever you want to call it, some of them were very important people, and we’re going to look at it.”
As noted by the Daily Mail, one of the most prominent cases is retired Air Force General William Neil McCasland, 68, who vanished from his New Mexico home on February 28.
He was reportedly last seen leaving without his phone, wearable devices, or glasses, while carrying a pistol. His wife later told 911 dispatchers it appeared he was trying ‘not to be found.’
McCasland previously oversaw the Air Force Research Lab at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, a site that has long been surrounded by speculation due to its history and links to advanced research.
His disappearance has been compared with other missing-person cases from 2025, including Monica Jacinto Reza, 60, who vanished while hiking in California’s San Gabriel Wilderness.
Reza had recently become director of the Materials Processing Group at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and had reportedly worked on Mondaloy, a space-age metal linked to rocket engine research.
Others named include Steven Garcia, Anthony Chavez, and Melissa Casias, who were reportedly connected to major nuclear facilities, including the Kansas City National Security Campus and Los Alamos National Laboratory.
The report also lists several scientists who have died in recent years, including Amy Catherine Eskridge, Nuno Loureiro, Carl Grillmair, Michael David Hicks, Frank Maiwald, and Jason Thomas.
However, not every case has a clear connection, and some links remain indirect or unproven.
Leavitt had previously said: “I haven't spoken to our relevant agencies about it. I will certainly do that and will get you an answer.”
She added: “If true, of course, that's definitely something I think this government and administration would deem worth looking into. So let me do that for you.”