Missing lab worker found dead in New Mexico nearly a year after disappearing

Melissa Casias, a 53-year-old worker at Los Alamos National Laboratory, was found dead in New Mexico nearly a year after she was reported missing on June 26. Casias did not arrive at work or return home after visiting her daughter, and her personal belongings, including her purse, identification, and cell phones, were found left behind. Her case had been part of debunked speculations about a group of "missing scientists" in the US scientific community, which had garnered attention from the US House of Representatives Oversight Committee, the FBI, and then-President Donald Trump. Family members had attempted to counter the rumors with factual details about the circumstances of other deaths within the group, such as heart disease and apparent suicide.

Human remains discovered in New Mexico's Carson National Forest have been identified as Melissa Casias, a 53-year-old Los Alamos National Laboratory employee missing since June 26, 2025. A hiker found the remains on May 28, 2026, alongside a handgun. Casias was last seen walking along a state highway. Her disappearance and the discovery of her remains are part of an ongoing investigation, with her cause and manner of death not yet determined. Casias's family stated she was found in an area previously searched and intends to pursue justice.