Ten American scientists with ties to classified nuclear and aerospace programs have either vanished or been found dead over the past two years. President Trump confirmed during a Wednesday White House meeting that he had personally addressed the growing list of missing and deceased researchers, stating the administration was taking the matter seriously.

The cases span from mid-2024 to early 2026. Nearly all victims worked directly for U.S. government agencies or on government-funded programs related to nuclear energy, aerospace research, or advanced defense technology. The list includes individuals affiliated with NASA, MIT, Caltech, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the Air Force Research Laboratory.

Among the cases: retired Air Force Major General William “Neil” McCasland disappeared from his Albuquerque home on February 27, leaving behind his wallet, phone, and glasses while taking only hiking boots and a .38-caliber revolver. Monica Jacinto Reza, a 60-year-old aerospace engineer serving as director of Materials Processing at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, vanished last June while hiking in the Angeles National Forest after last being seen smiling and waving to a companion.

Steven Garcia, a 48-year-old government contractor associated with the Kansas City National Security Campus, went missing on August 28, 2025, leaving his phone, wallet, keys, and car behind. Nuno Loureiro, a 47-year-old director of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, was shot at his Brookline home on December 15, 2025, and died the following day. Carl Grillmair, a 67-year-old Caltech astrophysicist who worked on the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes, was found dead outside his Llano, California home on February 16, 2026.

Melissa Casias, a 53-year-old administrative employee with Los Alamos National Laboratory security clearance, was last seen walking State Road 518 in Taos County, New Mexico on June 26, 2025, after leaving her car, purse, keys, and both phones factory-reset. Anthony Chavez, a 78-year-old retired Los Alamos employee, was last believed seen on May 4, 2025, with his wallet, keys, and personal items left behind as his locked vehicle showed no signs of forced entry or struggle.

The National Nuclear Security Administration acknowledged awareness of reports regarding employees at its facilities and stated it is investigating the matter. Officials have established no confirmed connections between cases, though the clustering has prompted increased scrutiny. President Trump indicated answers could emerge within the next week and a half following a dedicated White House meeting on the issue.