US Authorities Launch Federal Probe into Mysterious Deaths of 10 Nuclear and Rocket Scientists

A version of this article appeared on Interesting Engineering.

The United States federal government has initiated a broad investigation into the deaths and disappearances of ten scientists and researchers who had access to sensitive nuclear and aerospace information. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is spearheading the effort to determine if a connection exists between the cases, which involve personnel from prominent institutions such as NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

The string of incidents, which began in 2023, has prompted the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to demand urgent briefings from the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense. Lawmakers are treating the situation as a potential national security threat, citing concerns that individuals with access to high-level scientific secrets may be targeted.

The timeline of mysterious events began on July 30, 2023, with the death of Michael David Hicks, a 59-year-old research scientist who spent over two decades at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Hicks was a specialist in the physical properties of comets and asteroids, contributing to the DART Project and the Dawn Mission. While his death was originally viewed as a personal tragedy, its inclusion in the federal review highlights the expanding scope of the investigation.

Among the other cases under review is Monica Reza, a former director of the Materials Processing Group at the NASA lab, who disappeared in June 2025 while hiking in California. Authorities are also seeking information regarding retired Air Force General William Neil McCasland, who vanished from his New Mexico home in February 2026. The list of individuals includes experts in nuclear fusion, astrophysics, and government contractors involved in nuclear weapons component production.

Chairman James Comer of the House Oversight Committee expressed that if the reports of these disappearances are accurate, they represent a grave threat to the safety of American personnel and the security of scientific secrets. The committee has sent formal requests for information to FBI Director Kash Patel and NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman to assess the procedures in place for protecting high-security researchers.

The investigation is currently examining cases across several states, with a particular focus on clusters near Los Angeles and Albuquerque. In New Mexico, the disappearance of Steven Garcia, who worked on non-nuclear components for weapons, and Melissa Casias, an administrative assistant at a core research institute have added to the complexity of the probe.

While some families of the deceased have pointed toward known medical issues or personal circumstances, the federal government remains focused on the pattern of high-security experts being removed from the workforce. The FBI stated it is working with local law enforcement partners to find answers and ensure the integrity of the nation's most classified technological programs.