Missing Nuclear Official Becomes 10th Person Tied to US Secrets Disappearances

A government contractor with access to classified nuclear weapons information has vanished in New Mexico, marking the tenth person connected to America's nuclear or space programs to die or disappear under mysterious circumstances in recent years.

The Disappearance

Steven Garcia, 48, was last seen on August 28, 2025, leaving his Albuquerque home on foot with only a handgun. He left behind his phone, wallet, and keys.

According to sources, Garcia worked as a property custodian at the Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC) facility in New Mexico — a position requiring top-tier security clearance and granting extensive access to sensitive nuclear information.

KCNSC produces more than 80% of the non-nuclear components used in the U.S. military's nuclear arsenal.

The Pattern

Garcia's disappearance fits an alarming pattern. Four officials have now vanished under nearly identical circumstances:

• Steven Garcia (48) — KCNSC contractor, vanished August 2025
• William Neil McCasland (68) — Retired Air Force General, vanished February 2026
• Anthony Chavez (79) — Los Alamos National Laboratory (retired), vanished 2025
• Melissa Casias (54) — LANL administrative assistant, vanished 2025

The Connection

All three New Mexico disappearances tie back to McCasland, who commanded the Air Force Research Lab at Kirtland Air Force Base from 2001-2004. Kirtland, KCNSC, and Los Alamos National Laboratory work closely together on nuclear security projects.

Other Deaths

• Nuno Loureiro (47) — Nuclear fusion researcher, shot at home in Boston, December 2025
• Carl Grillmair (67) — Astrophysicist, shot on porch in California, February 2026
• Frank Maiwald (61) — NASA JPL scientist, cause of death undisclosed, July 2024
• Michael David Hicks (59) — NASA JPL, DART Project, cause of death undisclosed, July 2023
• Jason Thomas — Pharmaceutical researcher, found dead in Massachusetts lake, March 2026

Official Response

Former FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker told the Daily Mail: "Our scientists have been targeted for a long time, especially in the rocket propulsion area, by hostile foreign intelligence services."

Swecker added: "I think we've even seen instances where nuclear scientists have been taken out. They've been assassinated."

Sources: Daily Mail, Internewscast, NM Department of Public Safety