In 2026, a conspiracy theory appeared, claiming that the deaths or disappearances of several people, some described online as "scientists" involved in secret or important research, were linked to hidden knowledge about UFOs, advanced energy projects, materials science, or similar topics. Speculation began to spread on social media after the February 2026 disappearance of former U.S. Air Force major general William Neil McCasland. The theory then received more attention from the media and comments from U.S. federal officials, including the FBI and Donald Trump. Cases mentioned by supporters occurred over many years and involved different situations, such as natural death, homicide, suicide, and missing-person reports.
Colleagues of those named, along with experts and journalists, have denied the idea of a connected pattern. Medical sociologist Robert Bartholomew called the belief an example of apophenia, or the tendency to see connections between events that are not actually related. Many family members of those linked to the conspiracy theory have expressed sadness or grief over having their deceased relatives tied to what they describe as an unfounded idea.
The FBI is examining the "missing scientists" theory as part of a federal investigation. The House Oversight Committee is seeking information about the theory from various federal agencies. FBI director Kash Patel stated, "If there are any connections to illegal activities or conspiracies, the FBI will take the necessary actions."
Origins and propagation
A conspiracy theory called "Missing Scientists" began in early 2026. It claims that ten or eleven people who had died naturally, been victims of murder or suicide, or gone missing were killed because they had knowledge about UFOs, energy projects, materials science, or other sensitive topics. The theory suggests that enemies of the United States might be responsible. The events happened over four years, though some were mistakenly thought to have occurred in a short time. Many cases were first reported individually, sometimes with hints of hidden connections.
The theory started after the 2026 disappearance of William Neil McCasland, a 68-year-old former U.S. Air Force major general and seventh commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory. His wife reported him missing on February 27, 2026. McCasland had worked briefly with To The Stars Inc., an organization that promotes ideas about aliens, and had been involved in military investigations of mysterious objects in the sky. His wife said he had only basic security clearances after retiring over a decade earlier and had a long-term health issue at the time of his disappearance.
Bernalillo County Sheriff stated there was no evidence of foul play in McCasland’s case. A Silver Alert was issued to help locate him, based on early concerns about his safety. McCasland’s wife later wrote on Facebook that he had only common security clearances and that it was unlikely he was taken for outdated secrets. She also noted his brief work with the UFO community as a consultant for a fictional book.
Michael Shermer, editor-in-chief of Skeptic, explained that conspiracy theorists often search for people who died or disappeared and look for any links to UFOs, military, or science. He said they find patterns in random events. Benjamin Radford, a writer, called the theory "mystery-mongering data mining."
Attention to the theory grew after U.S. Representative Eric Burlison, a Missouri congressman known for focusing on UFOs, brought it to public attention. By March 2026, media outlets like News Nation, the New York Post, and the Daily Mail, as well as political commentator Tim Pool’s podcast, covered the story. Fox News’ The Will Cain Show discussed it in April 2026, and a Fox News reporter asked the White House press secretary about it. She responded that the White House was working with agencies like the FBI to review the cases for possible connections.
The Atlantic reported that the list of people included a NASA researcher who disappeared while hiking, an administrative assistant from Los Alamos National Laboratory who went missing, and someone who claimed her father, a former NASA propulsion engineer, had discovered a secret about anti-gravity. Joseph Uscinski, a political scientist, noted that most conspiracy theories fade quickly, but this one is unusual because government officials are investigating it.
Persons described as missing
The following individuals are often mentioned as being connected to the situation and are under investigation by the FBI. U.S. representative Tim Burchett said he believes the death of David Wilcock—a New Age conspiracy theorist who died by suicide in front of law enforcement officers on April 20, 2026, after struggling with depression and severe financial hardship—is not a coincidence.
Opinions and reactions
Public reactions varied from official worries to strong doubts. Federal officials said the cases needed to be studied, but family members, coworkers, and outside experts said the deaths and disappearances happened in different ways and did not prove a single planned event.
In April, the FBI said it was leading efforts to find links between the missing and deceased scientists. The U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform announced it would look into reports about the dead and missing people. House Oversight Chair James Comer said the deaths or disappearances were unlikely to be a coincidence. President Donald Trump called the situation "pretty serious stuff," but hoped it was accidental. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an April 15 briefing that the White House was working with agencies and the FBI to carefully review all cases and find any possible connections.
In late April, a NASA spokesperson said nothing related to NASA suggested a national security threat. The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) said it was "paying attention." On April 29, 2026, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts announced that they had concluded, with help from the Providence Police and Rhode Island State Police, that Portuguese national Claudio Manuel Neves Valente was solely responsible for the murder of Nuno Loureiro. They said the murder had "no connection to terrorism" and that Valente’s actions were likely due to personal problems in his life.
U.S. Representative James Walkinshaw, a member of the Committee on Homeland Security, said the United States has many nuclear scientists and experts, and targeting 10 individuals would not significantly harm the nuclear program. Representative Eric Burlison said he had asked the FBI to look into the matter.
Family members of some people named in conspiracy theories about missing scientists said they felt confused or uncomfortable about their relatives being linked to the theories. The daughter of Hicks said Hicks had known medical issues at the time of his death and that there was "no logical reason" to connect him to the theory. She said she found the idea amusing. Hicks’ brother said he was upset that his brother was being remembered for a conspiracy theory instead of his scientific work.
In a public statement, Eskridge’s family said she had "chronic pain" at the time of her suicide and did not think her death was unusual. Grillmair’s widow said the conspiracy theory was "nonsense" and said her husband would have found it funny if he were alive. Casias’ family repeated their earlier statement, supported by New Mexico State Police, that Casias left on her own because of stress. Colleagues of the "missing scientists" also said there was no evidence of a conspiracy. Joe Masiero, a planetary scientist at Caltech who worked with two deceased researchers mentioned in the theories, said he saw no links between the cases and called it "unfortunate" that the tragedies were repeated in conspiracy claims.
Journalist Mike Rothschild criticized how conspiracy theorists used family pain for attention, comparing it to other false theories like the "curse of Tutankhamun" or the "Clinton body count." Science writer Mick West said more than 700,000 people work in secret positions in the U.S. aerospace and nuclear sectors. He said this means about 250 people in the industry would normally die from homicides or suicides over the time period when 10 or 11 scientists were reported missing or dead, with many more dying from other causes.
In April 2026, political scientist Richard Hanania wrote that there was no evidence the events were connected and questioned whether some of the people involved were truly scientists. CBS News said neither they nor experts they spoke with found clear links between the cases. The Los Angeles Times and The Boston Globe also said they saw no evidence of a conspiracy. Snopes said the idea of a conspiracy targeting the "missing scientists" was just a guess.
Psychology of missing scientists belief
According to medical sociologist Robert Bartholomew, who studies social hysteria and beliefs about UFO conspiracies, the idea that scientists are missing due to a secret plan shows how people often see things they expect to see. Bartholomew explained that believing unrelated events are connected is an example of apophenia, which means seeing meaningful connections between things that are not actually related. He noted that posts on social media can suggest there is a planned attack on American scientists, which may lead some people to believe that random deaths or disappearances are part of a larger, hidden plan.