The U.S. is Investigating Deaths of Scientists Linked to Nuclear, Aerospace Work

FBI says it is “spearheading” an effort to determine whether there are links among at least ten cases over the past four years involving scientists and engineers tied to nuclear and aerospace programs, as lawmakers seek answers from federal agencies and warn the incidents could represent a “possible sinister connection” and a potential threat to U.S. national security and personnel with access to sensitive research

U.S. authorities are investigating a series of deaths and disappearances among scientists with links to sensitive government research, as lawmakers raise concerns about a potential national security risk.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said it is “spearheading the effort to look for connections into the missing and deceased scientists,” following reports that at least ten scientists and engineers with ties to nuclear or aerospace programs have died or gone missing over the past four years.

The House Oversight Committee said in a statement it was “seeking information from the Department of Energy, Department of War, FBI, and NASA about the scientists and other personnel connected to US nuclear secrets or rocket technology who have died or mysteriously vanished in recent years.”

Lawmakers cited reporting alleging that “at least ten individuals who ‘had a connection to US nuclear secrets or rocket technology’ have ‘died or mysteriously vanished in recent years.’”

They added there could be a “possible sinister connection between a string of mysterious deaths and disappearances,” which could “represent a grave threat to US national security and to US personnel with access to scientific secrets.”

Among the cases under scrutiny is that of retired Air Force Research Laboratory commander William Neil McCasland, who disappeared on Feb. 27 after leaving his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The FBI joined the search in March.

Other cases include Michael David Hicks, a scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory who died in July 2023 of an unknown cause. Hicks, who studied comets and asteroids, is among several researchers whose deaths have drawn attention.

His daughter, Julia Hicks, told CNN she did not “understand the connection between my dad’s death and the other missing scientists.”

“I can’t help but laugh about it, but at the same time, it’s getting serious,” she added.

Frank Maiwald, a space research specialist affiliated with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, died in 2024, while aerospace engineer Monica Reza disappeared while hiking in Los Angeles in 2025.

In December, theoretical physicist Nuno Loureiro, director of the Plasma Science and Fusion Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was killed at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts. In February, astronomer Carl Grillmair, known for his work on exoplanets, was shot and killed outside his home near Los Angeles.

Authorities have not confirmed any links between the incidents, and it remains unclear whether the cases are connected.

Relatives of some of the scientists have expressed confusion about the attention surrounding the cases. Following McCasland’s disappearance, his wife, Susan McCasland Wilkerson, wrote on Facebook: “It is true that Neil had a brief association with the UFO community. This connection is not a reason for someone to abduct Neil.”

“Neil does not have any special knowledge about the ET bodies and debris from the Roswell crash stored at Wright-Patt,” she added.

The investigations come amid heightened scrutiny from some media outlets and online commentators, although officials have cautioned against drawing premature conclusions.

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