A string of disappearances and deaths involving American scientists tied to sensitive nuclear work is drawing renewed scrutiny, with a former top federal investigator warning that several cases share troubling similarities.
According to Fox News, Chris Swecker said the circumstances surrounding some of the missing individuals raise red flags, even if a broader conspiracy has not been established.
“The missing [and] disappearance thing is suspicious inherently,” Swecker said. “What they were working on would certainly, without a doubt, be a target of a hostile foreign intelligence service like Russia or China. It could be Iran, could be Pakistan.”
While multiple deaths have been reported, Swecker noted he does not believe those cases are directly connected. Instead, he pointed to a subset of disappearances that appear to follow a similar pattern.
The concerns intensified after the disappearance of William Neil McCasland, a former commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory with ties to Los Alamos National Laboratory.
McCasland vanished in New Mexico after leaving his home with only a pair of boots and a handgun. His phone, keys, and glasses were left behind.
“I’m just saying that … the FBI would have interest in anything that happened to them because of what they were working on,” Swecker said. “And, in fact, [with] McCasland, the FBI showed up uninvited that very afternoon.”
Other cases have drawn similar attention.
Anthony Chavez, 79, disappeared after leaving his home on foot in May 2025, leaving behind his phone, wallet, and keys.
Melissa Casias, 53, was reported missing in June 2025.
Steven Garcia, 48, vanished from Albuquerque in August 2025. He reportedly left on foot carrying only a handgun and held a top-secret security clearance tied to his work at the Kansas City National Security Campus.
Swecker said those cases share a consistent pattern.
“So Garcia, Chavez and Casias, in my opinion, ought to be lumped in and that should be the focus, and any others that went missing, because that would fit more of a pattern than just killing somebody because of what they know,” he said.
“Exact same pattern,” he continued. “They disappeared with all their personal belongings [left] behind. Some of them took their handguns with them, which means they’re either in fear or they’re going to go use it on themselves.”
Despite the similarities, Swecker stopped short of declaring a coordinated plot. However, he stressed that investigators should continue searching for potential links.
He also issued a broader warning to those working in sensitive scientific and defense-related fields.
“What people really need to be aware of — anybody involved in technology and anything that China or Russia or our competitors want to get their hands — ought to understand that there is a daily collection effort by China, Russia, Iran, to some extent, North Korea, but mainly China and Russia to steal technology because they’re not good at [research and development],” he said.
“And their whole programs depend on stealing the technology and reverse engineering it.”
Swecker added that the threat extends beyond military applications to a wide range of research sectors.
“So, scientists, people involved in the defense contracting companies, research and development at universities, you know, all types of technologies in the U.S., even if it’s not military use, ought to be aware that this type of stuff goes on day in and day out.”
The White House has since directed the FBI to coordinate an investigation into the cases. That probe remains ongoing as officials continue working to determine whether the incidents are connected or simply a series of isolated events.
