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In a developing story that has captured national attention, a U.S. congressman pledged on Thursday to unravel the enigma surrounding the deaths or disappearances of 13 scientists involved in nuclear and space research. This comes as President Donald Trump provided an update on the ongoing federal investigation.
Representative Eric Burlison of Missouri expressed his concerns on social media, stating, “The count is up to 13. Thirteen American scientists tied to nuclear and space research, missing or dead,” he shared on X. “Every adversary on the planet celebrates each one we lose. We are weaker as a nation today because of these losses, and I’m working to get answers.”
Burlison’s determination to seek clarity was further evident as he revealed his direct engagement with the FBI. “I asked the FBI directly if they had opened an investigation into Matthew Sullivan’s suspicious death,” he elaborated in a subsequent post. “They would not confirm or deny. I’ve been pushing on this for almost a year. The American people deserve straight answers from their FBI. Period.”
His comments come after he participated in a Republican Study Committee news conference on March 21, 2024, where the fiscal year 2025 budget proposal was unveiled at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
The mysterious case of Matthew Sullivan, one of the scientists, adds more intrigue. According to reports by The New York Post, the 39-year-old died of an accidental drug overdose in Falls Church, Virginia, on May 12, 2024. His death occurred shortly after he had agreed to testify before Congress about government UFO programs, making the circumstances even more compelling.
Citing an obituary for Sullivan, The Post reported that he was a U.S. Air Force intelligence officer who earned a Bronze Star during Operation Enduring Freedom, and later went to work at the National Air and Space Intelligence Center, the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Air Force Intelligence Agency.
The disappearance of retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland earlier this year set off the cascade of theories about the missing and dead scientists. He was the former commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory, and had connections to the Los Alamos National Laboratory, where top-secret nuclear research is conducted.
A split image shows retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Neil McCasland in the green shirt he was last seen wearing and in his military uniform. (Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, Neil McCasland/Facebook, Kirtland Air Force Base)
At least 13 people, including Sullivan, the vast majority of whom were involved in nuclear science and space research, have died or gone missing since 2022, some under mysterious circumstances.
Monica Reza, 60; Melissa Casias, 53; Anthony Chavez, 79; and Steven Garcia, 48, were all reported missing between 2023 and 2026, with each of their disappearances considered suspicious.
Michael David Hicks, 59; Frank Maiwald, 61; Nuno Loureiro, 47; Jason Thomas, 45; Amy Eskridge, 34; Carl Grillmair, 47; and Joshua LeBlanc, 29, all died between 2022 and 2026.
Jason Thomas, left, Melissa Casias, center, and Frank Maiwald are among scientists whose deaths or disappearances have drawn scrutiny as officials review whether any cases are connected. (Fox News: Sierra Casias: Legacy.com)
Hicks, Maiwald and Reza were all connected to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
The trend caught the eye of the White House, and the FBI is investigating.
“The FBI is spearheading the effort to look for connections into the missing and deceased scientists,” the agency told Fox News Digital in a statement. “We are working with the Department of Energy, Department of War, and with our state and local law enforcement partners to find answers.”
Trump on Thursday gave an update on the investigation to Fox News’ Peter Doocy, saying the situation is “very serious” but that so far, he hasn’t seen evidence that shows a connection in the deaths and disappearances.
President Donald Trump said he wants to investigate the deaths and disappearances of 11 scientists mainly tied to the U.S. nuclear and space research programs. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)
“Well, so far, I mean, they’re individual,” Trump said. “We have a lot of scientists. When you see, you know, you put together 10 it’s a lot. But it’s, you know, a very small number, compared to what overall, we have a lot of scientists. I was asking that question. Thousands, hundreds of thousands of scientists.
“So no, some of them that we looked at are very sad cases, in some cases, some were sick. Some left this earth self-inflicted. Some had other things. So, so far, it’s not a major, you know, sometime it’s a little bit of a connection anyway. And you say, ‘oh, this is, this is a terrible thing.’ But so far we’re finding that, there’s not much of a connection. We’ll let you know. We’re going to be doing a full report. And it’s very serious.”