Pur hasard, conspiracy theory, unfounded internet frenzy, or real interference from foreign secret services? Since 2024, 10 researchers working on sensitive topics in areas such as nuclear or space have died or disappeared. This Monday, April 20th, the FBI and Congress announced that they would investigate to shed light on this matter.
It is difficult to know where this story could lead, which could be the beginning of an action movie or a series like True Detective. It seems that on social networks, and especially on X where the spread of conspiracy theories is rampant, these successive disappearances have piqued the curiosity of internet users. The interest skyrocketed when that of William Neil McCasland, a major general in the US Air Force, was revealed in the American press in mid-March.
The 68-year-old engineer left his home in Alburquerque, New Mexico on foot on February 27th in the late morning. He has not been heard from since. If his disappearance has caused a stir, it is because his profile is intriguing: despite being retired for several years, William Neil McCasland held very high positions in the military and was in charge of the air force research laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The latter is known to have allegedly secretly stored information about extraterrestrials. NASA has always denied it.
William Neil McCasland has not been found
Given the military career of the major general in ultra-sensitive areas, the FBI has confirmed its participation in the search efforts. In addition, the fact that the major general disappeared just after Donald Trump announced the publication of all classified documents relating to UFOs adds to the intrigue. Alien, military base, mysterious disappearance? Don’t reveal more to conspiracy theorists. Faced with the speculations that were rife, the engineer’s wife, however, brushed off in a Facebook post: “He retired 13 years ago (…). It seems unlikely that he was abducted to extract such old secrets.”
As of writing these lines, William Neil McCasland has still not been found. And this story, which has been widely commented on, has aroused suspicions, as disappearances and deaths accumulate among researchers: Steven Garcia (disappeared in August 2025), Frank Maiwald (disappeared in 2024), Carl Grillmair (found dead at his home in February 2026), Michael David Hicks (died in 2023), Monica Jacinto Reza (disappeared in 2025), Melissa Casias (disappeared in 2025), Anthony Chavez (disappeared in 2025), Nuno Loureiro (died in 2025), Jason Thomas (disappeared in 2025). Researcher Amy Eskridge, who reportedly committed suicide in 2022, is sometimes added to this list compiled by the media.
No connection between these different cases has been established at this stage. While there are still areas of shadow in some cases, including that of William Neil McCasland, the investigation has, for example, concluded that Nuno Loureiro was killed by another scientist amid rivalry, as highlighted by The Hill. In other cases, suicide is considered.
Trump “hopes it’s a coincidence”
However, the case has even prompted a response from Donald Trump. “I hope it’s a coincidence, but we will find out by next week. It’s a pretty serious matter. I hope it’s a coincidence, or whatever you want to call it,” he responded to the press on Thursday, April 16. The next day, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt tweeted that “everything will be done” to “identify any potential similarities that may exist.”
On Sunday, Republican Representative James Comer, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, expressed his concern on FoxNews. While he initially thought “some kind of crazy conspiracy theory,” he told the conservative network that “something much more sinister might be going on.” “We know that many countries around the world would like to benefit from our know-how and nuclear capabilities. And these people who were at the forefront of this industry are either dead or missing,” he added.
In this context, the FBI, whose head Kash Patel is a notorious conspiracy theorist, announced on Monday, April 20, that it would conduct an investigation “in connection with the Departments of Energy, of War [unofficial name of the Department of Defense under the Trump administration, ed.], and with state and local law enforcement to find answers.” On the same day, the House Oversight Committee also announced that it would conduct its own investigations.
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