UMVA has learned that the body of a 53-year-old woman who worked at a New Mexico laboratory has been discovered nearly one year after she vanished without a trace.
Melissa Casias was last seen on June 26, 2025, after dropping off lunch for her daughter, but she never returned to work or home. Her disappearance sparked concern when her family found that her personal belongings, including her purse, identification, and cell phones, had been left behind.
A missing person investigation was launched, and Casias was classified as a “missing endangered” person. A handgun was found near her remains in the McGaffey Ridge area of the Carson National Forest, about 24 km from Taos, where she lived.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that Casias was employed as an administrative assistant at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, a facility with ties to sensitive nuclear or space technology. Her case is part of a larger pattern of mysterious disappearances and deaths connected to similar labs.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that at least 10 scientists and laboratory workers with ties to these labs have gone missing or died under suspicious circumstances. Many were involved in nuclear science, space research, and the study of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs).
The FBI launched an investigation into possible connections between these cases, and the House Oversight Committee began a probe into allegations that people connected to “U.S. nuclear secrets or rocket technology” had died or vanished in recent years.
According to information obtained by UMVA, authorities have found no clear link between Casias’ death and the other cases. The medical examiner’s office will conduct tests to determine the cause and manner of her death.
The family of Melissa Casias has confirmed the discovery of her remains and released a statement expressing their grief and determination to pursue justice. The investigation “remains active and ongoing,” police said, as they extend their deepest condolences to the Casias and Mondragon families.
