House Oversight investigation into missing scientists opens after ‘UFO General’ disappears
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A congressional investigation launched this week into a series of missing scientists was sparked by the disappearance of a top official who oversaw some of the military’s most high-profile research programs, one House Republican said.
Representative Eric Burlison, R-Mo., told Fox News Digital in an interview that he was shocked by the disappearance of retired General William Neil McCasland, who disappeared in February from his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His phone and prescription glasses were left behind.
The Missouri Republican said his staff had already been working to contact McCasland, whom he described as a “UFO general” because of his deep expertise, about a separate congressional investigation before his disappearance.
A separate photo showing Major Gen. Retired airman Neil McCasland is missing in a blue, button-down shirt and was last seen in his military uniform. (Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, Neil McCasland/Facebook, Kirtland Air Force Base)
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“He was on our list to talk to, and then he disappeared, so that piqued our interest,” Burlison explained.
McCasland is one of 11 people working in nuclear or rocket technology who have died or disappeared under mysterious circumstances since 2022. Others, including McCasland, have ties to UFO research.
The astronomical engineer’s hiking boots, wallet and .38‑caliber revolver were reported missing, according to the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office in New Mexico.
Although government officials have not identified a connection between the missing scientists, their shared field and possible access to critical research has caused growing concern.
Asked by Fox News Digital whether he suspected foul play was involved in McCasland’s disappearance, Burlison said, “I wouldn’t jump to that conclusion, but it’s suspicious.”
“How many people walk out their front door without their phone, wallet, keys, or anything?” Burlison added. “I don’t go anywhere without my phone. I don’t even mow the lawn without my phone.”
Representative Eric Burlison participates in a news conference of the Republican Study Committee presenting the budget proposal for fiscal year 2025 at the US Capitol on March 21, 2024, in Washington, DC. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
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“So it’s really amazing that in a five-month period, four or five people walked out their front door and never came back, and they were all doing aerospace research,” Burlison said.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and Burlison, who heads the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs, opened an investigation into the missing scientists on Monday.
“I want them to determine if there was any type of foul play,” Burlison said, referring to the Trump administration.
The pair sent letters to the FBI, the Department of Defense, NASA and the Department of Energy asking for more information about the missing Americans. They also asked for a staff meeting on April 27 – giving them only a week to prepare.
A spokesperson for the House Oversight Committee said the panel will issue updates as the investigation continues.
Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, told “Fox & Friends Weekend” that he has sent letters to the heads of several government agencies seeking information related to the mysterious deaths and disappearances of scientists in recent years. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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NASA said on Monday it would launch an investigation into the missing scientists, but cautioned that it has yet to identify any threats.
“At this time, nothing related to NASA indicates a threat to national security,” NASA spokeswoman Bethany Stevens wrote to X. “The agency is committed to transparency and will provide more information as it becomes available.”
White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt also said Trump is “actively working with all appropriate agencies and the FBI” to review the charges and identify any possible connections.
