President Trump says the White House is formally probing a rash of cases involving US-linked scientists who've died or vanished in recent years, amid weeks of online speculation and tabloid chatter. "I hope it's random," Trump told reporters, calling the situation "pretty serious stuff" and saying federal investigators will review the incidents "over the next short period," reports the Hill. USA Today identified at least 10 deaths or disappearances that might fall under the review, though the people involved had varying and sometimes tenuous links to scientific research. CBS News also has a thorough look at the deaths, but the story sounds a note of skepticism about finding any link among them.
One of the most high-profile cases is that of retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William "Neil" McCasland, 68, a former head of the Air Force Research Laboratory, who went missing in February in New Mexico and was the subject of a Silver Alert citing unspecified medical concerns. Authorities have said they see no sign of foul play in his case, and he remains missing. The list goes back to July 2023, with the death of NASA astrophysicist Michael David Hicks, per the Hill. No cause of death has been released in his case.
Other notable deaths: California Institute of Technology astrophysicist Carl Grillmair was fatally shot in February, and the body of Novartis researcher Jason Thomas was recovered from a lake in Massachusetts a few months after he went missing. The Department of Energy's nuclear security arm is also reported to be looking into the incidents. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said last week the administration is coordinating with the FBI and other agencies and vowed "no stone will be unturned."
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