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

Melissa Casias' case was part of debunked speculations about recent deaths and disappearances in the US scientific community. Melissa Casias' body found in New Mexico a year after disappearance Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. A missing person's poster published by New Mexico State Police A missing person's poster featuring a photo of a smiling Melissa Casias and biographical information including her age listed as 53 Missing lab worker found dead in New Mexico nearly a year after disappearing Human remains found in a New Mexico forest last month were identified as those of a lab worker who disappeared nearly a year ago. Melissa Casias, an administrative assistant at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, was reported missing last June. Her case was part of wild speculation about a series of deaths and disappearances in the US scientific community. A hiker alerted authorities on 28 May to the remains in Carson National Forest. A handgun also was found nearby. New Mexico's Office of the Medical Investigator positively identified the body as Casias', state police said in a statement. The cause and manner of death have not been established as the investigation continues. Melissa Casias was 53 when she disappeared A selfie of Melissa Casias. She has long brunette hair and is wearing a baseball cap and a backpack. "This is a lot to process, our hearts are heavy and we fully intend to continue to pursue answers for justice," her family said in a statement on Facebook. She was found in an area that was previously searched, it said. Casias' disappearance featured prominently in a growing online conspiracy theory earlier this year about the deaths and disappearances of at least 10 people with ties to US scientific research. The theory suggested their deaths and disappearances were linked to their work. Casias' disappearance featured prominently in a earlier this year about the deaths and disappearances of at least 10 people with ties to US scientific research. The theory suggested their deaths and disappearances were linked to their work. Before her disappearance, Casias, 53, worked at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, where leading defensive nuclear research is conducted and where the world's first atomic weapons were developed during World War II. She was reported missing on 26 June after she didn't arrive at work or return home after a visiting her daughter, police said. "Family later discovered that her personal belongings, including her purse, identification, and cell phones had been left behind, prompting concern for her welfare and a missing person investigation," police said. The conspiracy theory grouped together several so-called "missing scientists" including a retired Air Force general, an engineer, and a custodian. They worked in a range of fields, from pharmaceutical to space research, and included an MIT physics professor whose murder by a former classmate was widely reported by national and international media. The conspiracy theory grouped together several so-called "missing scientists" including a retired Air Force general, an engineer, and a custodian. They worked in a range of fields, from pharmaceutical to space research, and included an MIT physics professor whose murder by a former classmate Interest in the "missing scientists" reached such a fever pitch that the US House of Representatives Oversight Committee and the FBI announced investigations into the cases. US President Donald Trump also weighed in, calling the disappearances and deaths "pretty serious stuff". Family members have unsuccessfully tried to dispel the rumours with details about the deaths. One researcher died of heart disease, while another died in an apparent suicide after his wife said he was distraught when both of his parents died suddenly within hours of each other. In the case of Carl Grillmair, a neighbour is facing murder and burglary charges. "I think it's absolute nonsense," his widow, Louise Grillmair, previously told the BBC when asked about the speculation. "I mean, there's the facts, and they're out there." Relatives of others embroiled in the conspiracy theories said the rumours were "disgusting" and compounded families' grief. Sheila Flynn contributed to this report. William Neil McCasland and Carl Grillmair Relatives of 10 scientists who died or vanished grapple with impact of wild speculation A general view of an MIT logo on October 21, 2025, at Henry G. Steinbrenner '27 Stadium on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) campus in Cambridge, MA. Police intensify search for MIT professor's killer A young woman lays flowers at a memorial to victims at Brown University Brown University gunman recorded videos saying attack was planned for months A person holding a phone and wearing a blue jumper stands next to a wheeled suitcase in an underground car park with cars in the background. Brown University and MIT professor shooting suspect found dead, police say The suspected shooter was found dead near a bridge with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities say. Inquiry will look at whether Australia will receive the submarines and whether it will make the country safer. Police say Jing S Dong was driving a tour bus in a "criminally negligent manner" when he plowed into cars and killed five people. Conspiracies are running rampant online after the deaths or disappearances of at least 10 people tied to sensitive US research. The initial investigation was closed in 2019 but prosecutors say that new revelations "warrant further examination". The river, which runs through seven US states that share it, is currently facing the worst drought in 1,200 years. A grand jury indictment announced on Friday supersedes initial charges brought by state prosecutors last month. The Emmy-winning actor is accused of sexually abusing two boys on the set of a TV series he directed and produced.