Tag: mysterious disappearances

Police confirm body is missing Taos woman, LANL worker

New Mexico State Police confirmed Saturday night that human remains discovered off Rio Chiquito Road southeast of Taos belong to Melissa Casias, the missing Ranchos de Taos woman and Los Alamos National Laboratory worker who disappeared last June.

The single lane dirt road — Forest Road 437 — is accessible from N.M. 518 in Talpa, where security camera footage captured the last known sighting of Casias on June 26 of last year. Rio Chiquito Road extends deep into the Carson National Forest and provides access to the Garcia Park recreation area and several trails.

The body was discovered by a hiker in the McGaffey Ridge area of the national forest.

The Office of the Medical Investigator positively identified the deceased individual as Casias, however the cause and manner of death have not yet been determined, according to a state police press release. Police said a handgun was found “alongside the remains.”

The remains will undergo “further anthropological examination” by the medical investigator, according to state police, who “extend their deepest condolences to the Casias and Mondragon families during this difficult time.”

Jazmin McMillen, Casias’ niece, posted an official statement from the family on a Facebook page dedicated to finding the missing wife and mother. 

“We confirm that the remains found in Rio Chiquito are Melissa,” the post states. “There will be more information to come but what we can tell you now is she was located in an area previously searched. This is a lot to process, our hearts are heavy and we fully intend to continue to pursue answers for justice.”  

An investigation into the circumstances of Casias’ disappearance and her death is ongoing.

Casias, who lived with her husband in Ranchos de Taos, was reported missing after her daughter, Sierra Casias, came home from work and discovered her mother’s keys, wallet, and work and personal cell phones — both wiped of data — inside the house. Her mother’s car was parked outside the home and the front door was locked. Melissa Casias was an administrative assistant at LANL, where her husband, Mark Casias, also worked.

Her disappearance drew national media attention and has been featured on the Crime Junkie podcast, which reported the discovery of the human remains in a social media post Friday evening (May 29).

Keep reading

Chilling bodycam reveals UFO-linked Air Force general met shadowy Pentagon unit before he vanished… and his perplexed wife’s reaction

Newly released bodycam footage has revealed a shocking meeting between a missing Air Force general and members of the Pentagon‘s shadowy space unit just hours before his disappearance. 

Police officers in New Mexico were recording as they spoke with a witness who allegedly had dinner with William Neil McCasland the night before he vanished without a trace on February 27.

McCasland is a retired Air Force Major General who has been linked to both US nuclear research and classified UFO-related programs during his career.

The bodycam footage, obtained by the Law&Crime Network, captured a phone call with an unidentified woman who said McCasland met with her and members of the US Space Force at a restaurant in Albuquerque around 6pm local time.

Officially, the Space Force equips the military for operations in space, protecting satellites and other assets from threats, but the newest branch of the armed forces also tracks unexplained space objects, such as UFOs, as part of national security.

The unnamed caller claimed she worked with McCasland, who was still a member of the Kirtland Partnership, a nonprofit working to protect and expand Kirtland Air Force Base, a major military research facility and nuclear weapons lab.

Previously, McCasland’s wife, Susan Wilkerson, had posted online that the retired general only had ‘very commonly held clearances’ since retiring from the Air Force 13 years ago, but the new witness revealed that the 68-year-old was still a key figure in secretive government circles.

‘He was the head of Air Force Research Lab to the point the man’s names are in the UFO documents that are fixed to be released,’ the witness claimed. ‘He’s in that depth, so he has a very high security clearance.’

However, the woman who met with McCasland said something seemed wrong during the meeting with Space Force and the retired general was not acting like himself that night.

‘I was shocked this morning when I saw the alert because what I noticed Thursday evening [February 26] is that he wasn’t his usual self. He was kind of spacey and quiet and you know that that happens with people.’

The newly obtained bodycam footage also revealed the conversation between officers from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and Wilkerson, revealing that McCasland’s disappearance caught her completely off guard.

However, she noted that the retired general was just prescribed a new medication hours before he vanished, which was supposed to help battle several symptoms he was having that may have been signaling cognitive decline.

‘Today he had taken a drug that the doctor prescribed last night that was supposed to help him sleep,’ she said in the bodycam recording obtained by Law&Crime Sidebar with Jesse Weber.

‘With weight gain, he’s lost about 20 pounds for no reason, and with anxiety, today he woke up and said, “Well, I have got better sleep, but it’s like the after effects of a bad hangover. I’m just foggy. I can’t get any motivation to do anything.”‘ 

McCasland was reportedly seeing doctors for his physical and mental difficulties. Before police arrived at the home, Wilkerson had told 911 dispatchers the military veteran feared his brain was ‘deteriorating.’

He was last seen leaving his home without his phone, wearable devices or any identification and his wife told authorities she believed McCasland ‘had planned not to be found.’

Keep reading

GOP Congressman Tom Kean Provides Update After Missing More Than 50 Roll Call Votes Since Early March

Last month, it was reported that Rep. Thomas Kean (R-NJ) had missed more than 50 roll call votes.

Speaker Johnson told ABC News that Rep. Kean is dealing with personal health matters.

“I was happy to speak to Tom Kean, Jr. this afternoon by phone. He is attending to a personal health matter and expects to be back to 100% very soon,” Johnson told ABC News last month.

“Tom is one of the most dedicated and hardest-working Members of Congress, and I am grateful for all he does and will continue to do to serve New Jerseyans and our country,” Johnson said.

Tom Kean eventually broke his silence and thanked his constituents for their patience as he addressed his personal medical issue.

The lawmaker told the New Jersey Globe that he expects to return to a full schedule in the next few weeks.

Kean is also running for reelection.

The New Jersey Globe reported:

Rep. Thomas Kean Jr. (R-Westfield) told the New Jersey Globe that he is nearing a return to work and intends to discuss publicly the health issue that has sidelined him since March. He also confirmed that he will seek re-election to a third term this year.

“My doctors are confident that I’m on the road to a full recovery,” said Kean in a lengthy telephone interview this afternoon. “I understand the need for public transparency, and I appreciate the support of my constituents.”

Kean, 57, said his prognosis is positive, with no expected long-term effects or chronic health complications. He said his medical issue would not affect his cognitive health.

He also laid out a rough timetable of his return.

“I anticipate that in the next couple of weeks, I’ll return to voting and to the campaign trail,” Kean stated.

In the meantime, the two-term Republican lawmaker said he is in daily touch with his congressional office and monitoring issues facing Congress and his district.

Kean was also clear about his future plans.

“I’m running,” he said.

Keep reading

Human Remains Found Near Guthrie Home Create New Mystery, Fail to Solve Current One

A new find near the Arizona home of Nancy Guthrie did nothing to clarify the mystery of her disappearance, but instead added a new one.

Human remains were found about five miles from the Tucson home from which Guthrie disappeared on Feb. 1, according to the New York Post.

A bone was discovered by a livestreamer who was conducting a search of the area.

Tucson police acted quickly to tamp down any speculation the bone could belong to the 84-year-old mother of “Today” host Savannah Guthrie.

“This will be a prehistoric anthropological investigation,” Tucson Police Department said, according to KVOA-TV.

Police said the bone was at least 50 years old, and there is no criminal investigation forthcoming.

The University of Arizona’s Anthropology Department is assisting the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner in ascertaining details about the bone.

The Post noted that Native American artifacts have been found in the area where the bone was found.

This week, FBI Director Kash Patel criticized the way the Pima County Sheriff’s Office conducted the early stages of the investigation into Guthrie’s disappearance

“For four days we were kept out of the investigation,” Patel said on Sean Hannity’s podcast, according to ABC News.

“The first 48 hours of anyone’s disappearance are the most critical,” he said.

Patel criticized Pima County Chris Nanos for sending DNA samples to a private lab instead of the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia.

“We have Quantico, best lab in the world,” Patel said.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Office pushed back on both criticisms.

“Sheriff Nanos responded to the scene the night of the incident, providing immediate local leadership and oversight. A member of the FBI Task Force was also notified and present at that scene working alongside our personnel. The FBI was promptly notified by both our department and the Guthrie family. While the FBI Director was not on scene, coordination with the Bureau began without delay,” it said in a statement.

Decisions about processing evidence “were made on scene based on operational needs,” the statement said.

“The laboratory utilized by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI Laboratory in Quantico have worked in close partnership from the outset and continue to collaborate in the analysis of evidence,” the statement said.

“We remain committed to a thorough, coordinated, and fact-based investigation and will continue working closely with our federal partners as the process moves forward,” the statement said.

Keep reading

Mystery as Italian model who was among first to accuse Jeffrey Epstein of sexual misconduct disappears in New York

A former Italian model who was one of the first women to accuse Jeffrey Epstein of sexual misconduct has mysteriously vanished in New York.

Elisabetta Tai Ferretto, 50, originally from Montagnana in northern Italy, has not been heard from since April 22 after returning to the US.

Ferretto, who has lived in New York since 2001, had travelled back to the Veneto region at the beginning of April to visit her parents and brother.

But after returning to Manhattan, her daily contact with her family suddenly stopped.

The former model’s loved ones said phone calls are going unanswered, and her social media profiles appear to have been deactivated or deleted. 

Her family reported her missing to prosecutors in Rovigo, who opened a case as she is an Italian citizen abroad.

The case has also been passed to Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has activated diplomatic channels with US authorities.

American officials are now understood to be investigating, but Ferretto has yet to be found safe and well.  

The former model worked in fashion after moving to the United States and later moved into the New York real estate sector.

Her name emerged publicly in 2019 when she spoke about an alleged encounter with Epstein that she said took place in 2004.

Ferretto said she had been introduced to Epstein through her agent in the fashion world after being told he could help her work with major brands.

Her agent proposed that she meet a man ‘who would change her life,’ allowing her to begin modelling for the famous Victoria’s Secret brand. 

That man was none other than Epstein himself, a trusted friend and financial advisor to Leslie Wexner, the owner of Victoria’s Secret.

She said she went to what she believed would be a professional meeting or audition at Epstein’s home on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

But Ferretto later told investigators and media outlets that she was greeted in the New York mansion by Epstein’s accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell and taken to his office.

There, she claimed the disgraced financier did not look at her portfolio or CV and instead undressed and lay down on a massage table.

She said she rejected him and fled from the property.

Epstein, a convicted sex offender, died in a New York jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Ferretto’s family said she had remained in regular contact with them until the day she disappeared.

They said the silence was completely out of character.

No confirmed sightings or official explanation for her disappearance have yet been made public.

Keep reading

Trump says missing, dead scientists likely unrelated

FBI and experts see no consistent pattern

Federal agencies, including the FBI and NASA, are reviewing the cases but stress that no evidence supports coordinated foul play. Retired FBI Special Agent Jennifer Coffindaffer said a true conspiracy would require consistent victim profiles, access levels, and methods, which are absent here. The individuals span fields from astrophysics to pharmaceuticals, with varying clearance levels and circumstances, making a targeted operation unlikely based on current evidence. Newsweek

“Coffindaffer said a true conspiracy would show consistency: similar victims, a narrow professional focus, comparable access levels and repeated methods. Instead, the cases under scrutiny involve researchers and workers spread across multiple disciplines—from astrophysics and pharmaceuticals to administrative and contractor roles—working at different institutions and agencies.”Newsweek

Jennifer Coffindaffer, Retired FBI Special Agent

MIT professor’s murder ruled isolated incident

The FBI concluded that the killing of MIT’s Nuno Loureiro was the result of a decades-old grudge by Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, unrelated to other cases. Retired FBI profiler Julia Cowley said this case should be excluded from the broader review, underscoring the need to avoid bias and only link cases where evidence supports it. This finding narrows the pool of potentially connected incidents under federal scrutiny. Boston 25 News + 1

“You really have to check your bias at the door and say is this really a significant connection? Am I really seeing a link here? Or am I wanting to see that link?”Boston 25 News

Julia Cowley, Retired FBI Profiler

List of cases fueling public intrigue

At least a dozen cases since 2022 have drawn attention, including the disappearances of retired Air Force Major General William Neil McCasland and aerospace engineer Monica Reza, and the deaths of NASA researchers Michael David Hicks and Frank Maiwald. Some cases remain open missing‑persons investigations, others have confirmed causes like suicide or homicide, and several lack public cause-of-death details. The diversity in geography, roles, and circumstances complicates efforts to establish any overarching connection.

Keep reading

Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner should face trial in Britain ‘for her abduction and murder’, Met Police say

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police are reportedly pushing for Christian Brueckner to stand trial in Britain for the abduction and murder of Madeleine McCann. 

Brueckner, 48, was named as the prime suspect in the toddler’s disappearance by German police while serving a sentence for the rape of a pensioner. 

However charges were never brought – and he was released last year. 

Now, one of Scotland Yard’s most senior officers is leading a push to charge Brueckner by the end of the year.

The Met wants to see him stand trial at the Old Bailey and is confident it can present a strong enough case to see the Crown Prosecution Service bring charges.

But the German constitution does not allow the extradition of its citizens to countries not in the European Union – meaning the suspect’s transfer to the United Kingdom could cause a diplomatic row. 

Brueckner was living just a mile away from the Praia da Luz hotel where Madeleine had been staying with her family at the time of her disappearance in 2007.  

If Berlin rejects any extradition request, British officers are understood to be committed to ensuring that he faces charges in either Germany or Portugal. 

Keep reading

Developing: Two US Service Members Missing in Morocco After Multinational Military Exercise

During a multinational war games exercise known as African Lion, two U.S. service members have been reported missing in southwestern Morocco.

The games, which began in April, span four countries, including Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal.

An official statement from U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) states, “Two U.S. service members participating in African Lion 2026 were reported missing near the Cap Draa Training Area, near the city of Tan Tan, Morocco, May 2, 2026.”

“U.S., Moroccan and other assets from African Lion immediately initiated coordinated search and rescue operations, including ground, air, and maritime assets.”

“The incident remains under investigation and the search is on-going.”

“Our focus is on the service members involved and their families.”

“Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.”

Per AFRICOM, African Lion includes approximately 5,000 personnel from over 40 countries and more than 30 U.S.-based industry partners validating future warfare capabilities across multiple locations within the country from 27 April to May 8, 2026 and is designed to “strengthen the collective security capabilities of the United States, African nations and global allies.”

“The training stress-tests the U.S. joint force and partner nations’ ability to execute rapid deployments and operate under multi-domain threat conditions.”

Duke Buchan III, U.S. Ambassador to Morocco, notes, “African Lion 26 reflects our continued bilateral commitment to regional security and stability.”

“As our nations celebrate 250 years of friendship, this enduring diplomatic and military partnership continues to build capable, interoperable forces and strengthen security across the region.”

The exercise features a comprehensive suite of training events designed to test the full spectrum of military operations.

Keep reading

Mysterious deaths of UFO researchers stretch back decades as chilling pattern emerges

The recent probe into a collection of missing scientists has reignited the debate over a decades-old string of deaths among those researching UFOs. 

There have been at least 11 deaths and disappearances among prominent scientists, nuclear officials and experts linked to UFOs, such as retired Major General William Neil McCasland, since 2022.

Federal investigators have been looking into the cases, with FBI Director Kash Patel saying that the bureau is ‘spearheading the effort’ to uncover any possible links between cases.

However, UFO researcher Timothy Hood and others have alleged that there was a much older series of deaths, including mysterious ‘suicides,’ stretching back to the late 1940s – also known as the dawn of the UFO era.

Conspiracy theorists have suggested that hundreds of deaths could be linked to exotic research, including staged plane crashes and incidents made to look as if researchers took their own lives.

Nigel Watson, author of Portraits of Alien Encounters Revisited, told the Daily Mail that many of these suspicious events took place shortly after early civilian researchers and even military officers investigated witness reports of UFO sightings.

To this point, the US government has maintained that there has never been any evidence of UFOs or extraterrestrials, dismissing many incidents as explainable phenomena such as weather balloons or bird sightings.

However, many of the incidents researched by Hood and written about by Watson involved physical encounters with strange aircraft – including one incident which sent deadly debris raining down from the sky.

One of the most notorious cases allegedly took place at the start of the ‘flying saucer’ era in 1947.

Harold A Dahl, along with his son Charles and two crewmen, was in a tugboat off Maury Island in Puget Sound between Washington State’s Seattle and Tacoma.

The men said they saw six golden and silver doughnut-shaped objects flying above them, with one ‘wobbling’ before releasing a rain of thin metallic strips and black lumps.

One struck the boy’s arm, burning him, while others killed their dog. Dahl’s boss, Fred Lee Crisman, visited the site and recovered some of the debris.

Dahl was then confronted by a dark-suited man driving a black sedan, who drove him to a diner in Tacoma and warned him to keep silent about the entire incident.

Kenneth Arnold, who had spotted flying saucers just days earlier, asked for help from Air Force Intelligence.

On July 31, 1947, Captain William Davidson and Lieutenant Frank M Brown were dispatched to Tacoma, but found no evidence of a rain of molten lead, and thought the sample fragments were slag from a smelting plant.

Davidson and Brown died when their B-25 crashed on their way back to base. Many of the samples and photographs associated with the case have vanished.

Keep reading

Missing Republican Oklahoma Senate candidate Barry Christian, 54, found dead in rural area

The body of a missing Republican Oklahoma state Senate candidate was found in a truck in a rural area — turning his family’s world “upside down,” his devastated daughter said.

Barry Christian, a 54-year-old Trump-supporting candidate for District 38 in western Oklahoma, was discovered dead Thursday after he mysteriously vanished just two days prior, his campaign said in a news release obtained by KOCO.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation confirmed to the outlet that Christian’s 2024 charcoal gray Ram truck was found just off Highway 30, south of Erick, with a body inside.

The truck was located by a ravine near the Sandy Sanders Wildlife Management Area. Because of where the vehicle is located, officials are unable to remove his body, delaying identification, the outlet reported.

A large campaign sign for Christian, however, was photographed eerily tossed onto the prairie land as authorities scoured the area.

The circumstances surrounding his death are unclear. The OSBI did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.

Christian was reported missing Tuesday after he failed to show up to a scheduled meeting. He was last seen driving his Ram truck, according to the Harmon County Sheriff’s Office.

He last posted on Facebook on Saturday, asking his district’s residents to attend a meet-and-greet at the Mangum Oklahoma Rattlesnake Festival to discuss “issues that matter most to our community.”

Keep reading