I am not always a believer in conspiracy theories, but where there is smoke there is usually fire.

The first news most heard on this topic was about the February disappearance of retired Air Force Major General William Neil McCasland.

This missing person case brought attention to earlier incidents involving specialists in aerospace, defense and laboratory research.

There have been 10 of these scientists and researchers that are linked together that have been killed or are missing. Two or three might be a coincidence, but 10 is cause for concern.

Then, while researching and writing this column, I saw on the TV news that there may be an 11th person missing who worked on similar high-security projects.

McCasland’s case has caused interest in UFO circles, where many have suggested that his disappearance is connected to his classified work in that field.

McCasland, 68, a retired general and aerospace engineer, was last seen at his Albuquerque, New Mexico, home on the morning of Feb. 27, 2026. When his wife returned from a medical appointment at around noon, he was gone. His phone, glasses, and wearable devices were left behind, while his wallet, hiking boots and a .38-caliber revolver were missing, which is unusual for him as an experienced hiker, runner and cyclist.

Here is a timeline and summary of disappearances and deaths between 2025 and 2026:

July 4, 2024 – Frank Maiwald: The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory researcher died in Los Angeles at age 61, with no cause of death disclosed.

May 4, 2025 – Anthony Chavez: The former Los Alamos National Laboratory employee vanished.

June 22, 2025 – Monica Reza: The NASA scientist went missing during a hike in the Angeles National Forest, reportedly disappearing just yards from others in her group.

June 26, 2025 – Melissa Casias: A Los Alamos administrative assistant disappeared from her residence, and her mobile devices had been wiped.

Dec. 12, 2025 – Jason Thomas: The Novartis researcher went missing, prompting a search that ended when his body was recovered from a lake on March 17, 2026.

Dec. 15, 2025 – Nuno Loureiro: The head of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center was fatally attacked at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Feb. 16, 2026 – Carl Grillmair: The astrophysicist was shot on his front porch during the early morning.

Feb. 27, 2026 – William Neil McCasland: The retired Air Force general left his New Mexico home and has not been seen since.

Steven Garcia, a government contractor with reportedly top-level clearance at a major nuclear facility, is the latest to be connected to the growing list.

Garcia, 48, disappeared in August of last year. He reportedly left his phone, wallet and keys, picked up a gun and walked out of his New Mexico home.

Reza, a former colleague of McCasland, disappeared while hiking months before he did, according to authorities.

Reza was last seen hiking in the Los Angeles forest with a companion in June 2025. Police say Reza was about 30 feet behind the person she was with, smiling and waving. When the person turned back around, she was allegedly gone. Rescue teams searched for days, but her body was never recovered.

Reza was an aerospace engineer who developed a special metal used in rockets. The project was funded by the U.S. government and overseen by McCasland.

Several members of Congress have spoken publicly about their concern surrounding the string of disappearances and deaths. They include Tennessee Republican Tim Burchett and Missouri Republican Eric Burlison.

Burlison recently said he had requested the involvement of the FBI in the “deeply concerning” disappearances.

The case of missing scientists and the general has now reached the White House and President Trump said he sat in on a meeting about the situation. He said they were keeping up with the case and may comment in a week or two once more information is gathered.

This is concerning, and many think the deaths and missing persons are connected. It is definitely a mystery.

This story certainly makes you wonder what the connection is between the missing scientists.

Until next time.

(List of missing scientists and dates courtesy of Newsweek online)

(Kyle Lovern is a longtime journalist in the Tug Valley. He is now a retired freelance writer and columnist for the Mountain Citizen.)