The White House is finally responding after 10 American scientists linked to UFO research were reported dead or missing in a chilling series of unexplained cases.
Since July 2023, a string of mysterious deaths and disappearances involving U.S. experts tied to advanced research has fueled claims that the cases could be connected.
‘Planned not to be found’
At the center of the growing mystery is retired Air Force General William Neil McCasland, a 68-year-old former commander who was reportedly a “gatekeeper” for classified government information on unidentified flying objects (UFOs), also referred to as unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP).
According to the general’s, Susan Wilkerson, McCasland vanished from their Albuquerque, New Mexico home on Feb. 27, 2026, without key personal items, leaving her to believe that he “planned not to be found.”
“My husband is missing. I have some indication that he must have planned not to be found,” she said in her 911 call to police. “He turned [phone] off and left it behind, which seems kind of deliberate.”
McCasland reportedly left home “on foot,” with only a pair of boots and a .38-caliber revolver, and his wife told dispatch that he struggled with memory loss and anxiety.
“Other than saying if his brain body keeps deteriorating, he didn’t want to live like that. But it seemed to me that was just a man, ‘I hate how this is going’ kind of thing,” Wilkerson said.
Disappearances tied to advanced research?
McCasland, who directed some of the Pentagon’s most advanced aerospace research, previously worked at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, a facility that has long been linked to rumors surrounding extraterrestrial materials connected to the Roswell incident, despite repeated denials from the U.S. Air Force, according to CNN.
His disappearance added to a growing list of experts tied to advanced research, including materials scientist Monica Jacinto Reza, whose work was funded through programs overseen by McCasland.
Reza, 60, disappeared during a hiking trip in California in June 2025. Known professionally under the surname Jacinto, she served as Director of Materials Processing at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Newsweek reports. Her research focused on advanced metal alloys used in rocket propulsion systems.
They ‘knew a lot’
Several others linked to major research institutions have also been included in reports examining the unusual pattern, including Los Alamos National Laboratory employees Melissa Caslas and Anthony Chavez.
The deaths of Michael David Hicks and Frank Maiwald Research – both scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, MIT’s Nuno Loureiro, Caltech astronomer Carl Grillmair, and Novartis biologist Jason Thomas- have also drawn attention, as each had ties to advanced scientific fields connected to national security or aerospace development.
Observers following the cases have noted overlapping professional connections among several of the individuals.
“The most striking thing for me is Monica Reza and Gen. McCasland. I mean, Monica Reza worked closely with Gen. McCasland, and she disappeared under extremely, extremely disturbing and mysterious circumstances,” podcaster Lauren Conlin told NewsNation.
Conlin added, “She knew a lot. Gen. McCasland knew a lot.”
‘Gatekeeper’ in UFO community
McCasland disappeared shortly after President Donald Trump announced on social media that he was directing federal agencies, including the Pentagon, to release government records related to UFOs and extraterrestrial research.
“The timing is screechingly relevant,” journalist Ross Coulthart said, per Newsnation. “The fact that Gen. Neil McCasland has disappeared off the face of the earth is a grave national security crisis for the United States of America.”
“This is a man with some of the most sensitive secrets of the United States in his head,” he added of McCasland, who, according to The New York Post, was known as the “gatekeeper” and a “participant” in the UFO community.
White House responds
As public interest surrounding the cases continues to grow, questions have now reached the White House briefing room.
During an April 10 press briefing, Fox News Senior White House Correspondent Peter Doocy asked press secretary Karoline Leavitt whether federal agencies were investigating possible connections between the reported disappearances.
“There are now 10 American scientists who have either gone missing or died since mid 2024. They all reportedly had access to classified nuclear or aerospace material. Is anybody investigating this to see if these things are connected?” Doocy asked.
Leavitt responded cautiously, indicating she had not yet received a full briefing on the matter but acknowledged the seriousness of the reports.
“I’ve seen the report, Peter. I haven’t spoken to our relevant agencies about it. I will certainly do that, and we’ll get you an answer,” Leavitt replied. “If true, of course, that’s definitely something I think this government administration would deem work worth looking into. So let me do that for you.”
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