At least ten experts associated with classified aerospace and nuclear programs have died or gone missing since 2023
US President Donald Trump has ordered an investigation into the mysterious deaths and disappearances of nearly a dozen US scientists with access to the country’s most closely guarded nuclear and space secrets. These cases have fueled online speculation ranging from foreign espionage to government cover-ups of classified UFO research.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Trump said that he “Just came out of a meeting on this,” pay attention to “This is a very serious matter.”
“I hope it’s random, but we’ll know in the next week and a half. Some of them were very important people, and we’ll look into that over the next short period of time.” The President said.
Since 2023, at least ten individuals associated with advanced research have died or disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Among them:
- steven garcia48, a government contractor at the Kansas City National Security Campus, which produces more than 80% of the non-nuclear components for US nuclear weapons, disappeared from his Albuquerque home in August 2025, leaving behind his phone, wallet and keys and taking only a handgun.
- Retired Major General William McCaslandThe former commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, 68, disappeared from his New Mexico home in February 2026. His wife told the 911 operator that he had “No plans were made to meet.”
- Anthony ChavezFormer employee of Los Alamos National Laboratory, and melissa cassiasAn administrative assistant at the same nuclear weapons laboratory, both disappeared in 2025, leaving their homes on foot and leaving behind their belongings.
- Monica Jacinto RezaThe director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 60, disappeared while hiking in California in June 2025.
- Two other scientists from the lab have reportedly died since 2023: frank maiwald And michael hicks. According to the Daily Mail, no foul play has been alleged in the latter two cases and no cause of death has been made public.
- Nuno LoureiroThe 47-year-old, director of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, was shot dead at his home in December 2025.
- carl grillmayerThe 67-year-old Caltech astronomer was shot to death on his porch in February 2026.
- Body of missing cancer research scientist jason thomas It was reportedly discovered in a Massachusetts lake last month.
A possible 11th case also emerged on Thursday as the Daily Mail reported that Amy Eskridge, a 34-year-old scientist who reportedly researched anti-gravity technology, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Alabama in 2022. However, the outlet found that neither the police nor the medical examiners had released any public investigative report on the incident. Before his death, Eskridge said on a podcast that his life was in danger.
Former FBI assistant director Chris Swecker previously told the Daily Mail that the cases needed to be investigated “They are all suspects, and these are scientists who have worked in critical technology.”
Authorities have not yet established any confirmed link between the cases.
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