FBI reviews deaths of scientists at top US labs

On April 17-19, 2026, the White House announced that the Trump administration is working with the FBI and other relevant agencies to conduct a holistic review of approximately 10 cases involving scientists, researchers, and personnel with ties to high-security federal facilities, including NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Caltech's Infrared Processing and Analysis Center (IPAC), and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). These individuals have died or been reported missing at various points since 2023, with several cases occurring in 2025 and early 2026.

The review aims to identify potential commonalities between the cases and determine whether there are links warranting further investigation. It includes coordination with the Department of Energy, NASA, and other agencies overseeing national security-related research. The affected individuals had varying levels of involvement in projects connected to aerospace, nuclear research, materials science, and advanced propulsion technologies.

Background on the facilities and personnel

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), managed under the Department of Energy, has long been central to the United States' nuclear weapons and energy programs, tracing its origins to the Manhattan Project of the 1940s. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, managed by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) on behalf of NASA, oversees robotic deep-space missions and advanced aerospace technologies. Caltech's IPAC partners with NASA on wide-ranging infrared astronomy research.

Some of the reviewed cases involve current or former employees and contractors from these sites, as well as individuals linked to related defense and space programs - including retired military personnel with significant clearances.

The incidents span multiple years and include both deaths (some under unclear or undisclosed circumstances, others with identified causes) and disappearances. Not all cases involve active scientists; some individuals were retirees or administrative staff who nonetheless held security clearances.

Key cases under review

The following confirmed cases have been publicly identified by law enforcement, the House Oversight Committee, and media reporting:

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) personnel:

• Michael David Hicks, who studied comets and asteroids at JPL for nearly 25 years (1998-2022), died on July 30, 2023, at age 59. No cause of death has been publicly disclosed.
• Frank Maiwald, a space research specialist, died in Los Angeles in 2024 at age 61.
• Monica Jacinto Reza, 60, the director of JPL's Materials Processing Group and co-inventor of a nickel super-alloy used in rocket engine manufacturing, disappeared on June 22, 2025, while hiking near Mount Waterman in the Angeles National Forest. According to her hiking companion, they were roughly 30 feet apart when Reza smiled and waved to indicate she was fine - then vanished moments later. Despite extensive search and rescue operations, she has never been found. Reza also previously worked at Aerojet Rocketdyne, a company with contracts from NASA and the Air Force Research Laboratory.

Caltech / IPAC:

• Carl Grillmair, 67, a Canadian-born astrophysicist and research scientist at Caltech's Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, was fatally shot on the front porch of his home in the unincorporated community of Llano, California, on February 16, 2026. A 29-year-old neighbor, Freddy Snyder, was charged with murder and carjacking days later; Snyder had a prior trespassing arrest at the property in December 2025. Authorities have not established any link between Grillmair's killing and the other cases, but the FBI has included it in its broader review.

Los Alamos National Laboratory personnel:

• Anthony "Tony" Chavez, 78, a retired LANL employee who had worked as a construction foreman at the site, vanished on May 8, 2025, while walking near his New Mexico home.
• Melissa Casias, 53, an administrative employee at LANL with high-security clearance, was last seen on camera on June 26, 2025, walking alone on a highway in Taos County after telling family members she would be working from home. Her phone, wallet, and keys were left at home, and the device found had been factory-reset. An open missing person investigation remains active; no foul play has been formally declared.

Retired military / other:

• Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland, 68, disappeared from his Albuquerque, New Mexico home on the morning of February 27, 2026. He commanded the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base from 2011 to 2013 and led advanced programs including the Space Based Laser Project and the GPS chief engineering effort. Investigators confirmed he left behind his phone, prescription glasses, and wearable devices, while his wallet, a .38-caliber revolver, leather holster, and red backpack went missing. A Silver Alert was issued. McCasland had previously reported experiencing mental fog and had stepped back from several advisory groups. His wife, Susan McCasland Wilkerson, has publicly stated she considers it "quite unlikely that he was taken to extract very dated secrets" from him, as he retired from active duty more than 12 years ago. Authorities have recovered a long-sleeve outdoor shirt and hiking boots believed to belong to McCasland, but he has not been found.
• Steven Garcia, 48, a government contractor and custodian at the Kansas City National Security Campus - which manufactures nonnuclear components for nuclear weapons - was last seen leaving his Albuquerque home on August 28, 2025.
• Jason Thomas, a researcher affiliated with pharmaceutical firm Novartis whose body was discovered in a Massachusetts lake on March 17, 2026.

Congressional and federal response

On April 20, 2026, House Oversight Committee chairs James Comer and Eric Burlison sent formal letters demanding briefings from the FBI, the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, and NASA. The committee stated that public reports "raise questions about a possible sinister connection" between the string of incidents. Committee Chair Comer said the deaths and disappearances are unlikely to be a mere coincidence.

However, Rep. James Walkinshaw, a Democrat also serving on the committee, stated he is not convinced of a coordinated motive. "The United States has thousands of nuclear scientists and nuclear experts," he noted. "It's not the kind of nuclear program that potentially a foreign adversary could significantly impact by targeting 10 individuals."

FBI Director Kash Patel announced the bureau's escalated role, saying: "The FBI is spearheading the effort to look for connections into the missing and deceased scientists. We are working with the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, and with our state and local law enforcement partners to find answers." He added that "if there's any connections that lead to nefarious conduct or conspiracy, this FBI will make the appropriate arrest."

NASA confirmed in a statement that the agency is "coordinating and cooperating with the relevant agencies in relation to the missing scientists."

Security and investigative focus

Federal authorities are examining whether the cases are isolated or share common factors. Public speculation online has intensified around theories linking the deaths and disappearances to unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) research, fueled in part by McCasland's past connections to the UAP community - including his name appearing in 2016 WikiLeaks emails involving former Blink-182 musician Tom DeLonge and then-presidential campaign chair John Podesta concerning UAPs, and his command of Wright-Patterson AFB, a base historically associated with Project Blue Book.

Officials have emphasized a focus on conventional explanations, including possible espionage, security lapses, personal circumstances, or unrelated coincidences. No specific suspects or foreign entities have been publicly named in connection with any alleged coordinated pattern.

The FBI is collaborating with the Department of Energy and other agencies to assess any potential compromise of technical data or intellectual property. The review does not constitute a single formal criminal investigation into one coordinated event, but rather a broader examination of possible patterns across multiple jurisdictions and years.

Political and public implications

President Trump described the situation as "pretty serious stuff" and expressed hope that the cases would prove to be coincidental, indicating he expected more clarity within roughly a week and a half. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that "no stone will be unturned" and confirmed 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."

The FBI and administration officials have cautioned against unfounded speculation, noting that the primary objectives are to understand the circumstances of each individual case and locate any missing persons. Relatives and colleagues of several affected individuals have also pushed back against conspiracy theories, emphasizing the personal and often tragic circumstances behind each case.

As of late April 2026, the review is ongoing and no conclusive findings have been publicly released.