The FBI has announced plans to investigate potential links between the disappearances and deaths of at least ten scientists and government employees over the past few years. The House Oversight Committee has also opened a probe into the same set of cases, which date back to 2023. Yet, the families of several of the victims—Melissa Casias, Carl Grillmair, Michael Hicks, and Jason Thomas—are adamant that their loved ones were not part of any coordinated plot. They claim the allegations are unfounded and, in some instances, backed by evidence.
What the Investigation Aims to Uncover
According to the FBI’s statement, the agency intends to examine whether the disappearances and deaths of these professionals share a common thread. The cases span a range of roles—from administrative assistants to research scientists—and involve institutions such as Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Caltech’s Infrared Processing & Analysis Center. The House Oversight Committee’s inquiry is expected to focus on whether any of the incidents were orchestrated by a single entity or if they are isolated events.
While the government has not released a detailed list of the ten cases, the public record includes the following:
- Melissa Casias – Administrative assistant, Los Alamos National Laboratory, vanished June 2025.
- Anthony Chavez – Former Los Alamos employee, disappeared May 2025.
- Michael Hicks – Research scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, died July 2023.
- Carl Grillmair – Astronomer, Caltech Infrared Processing & Analysis Center, shot February 2026.
- Jason Thomas – (Details not publicly disclosed).
- Additional five cases involving other scientists and government workers between 2023 and 2026.
Family Rebuttals: A Case-by-Case Perspective
Melissa Casias: A Voluntary Vanishing?
Melissa Casias worked as an administrative assistant at Los Alamos, primarily handling phone calls and scheduling. Her brother, Paul Casias, who also works at the laboratory, told TMZ that Melissa had expressed a desire to disappear and not be found. He emphasized that she was not involved in any classified projects and had no reason to be targeted. Paul also noted that the government has not reached out to him regarding any investigation into his sister’s disappearance.
Michael Hicks: A Quiet Legacy
Michael Hicks spent more than twenty years as a research scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. His brother, Steve Hicks, told TMZ that the family is aware of the circumstances surrounding Michael’s death in July 2023 but has chosen to keep the details private. Steve dismissed the notion that Michael’s death was linked to the other cases, calling it “a bunch of silliness.” He highlighted Michael’s scientific achievements and expressed concern that the family’s legacy could be tarnished by unfounded conspiracy theories.
Carl Grillmair: A Tragic, Isolated Incident
Carl Grillmair, an astronomer at Caltech’s Infrared Processing & Analysis Center, was shot on his porch in Llano, California, on February 16, 2026. Carl’s wife, Mary Grillmair, told TMZ that the killing was an isolated event. She explained
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