FBI probes cases of missing or dead scientists, including four from the L.A. area

WASHINGTON — Amid increasing nationalist information concerns, the FBI said Tuesday that it has launched a wide probe into the deaths oregon disappearances of astatine slightest 10 scientists and unit connected to highly delicate research, including 4 from the Los Angeles area.

“The FBI is spearheading the effort to look for connections into the missing and deceased scientists. We are moving with the Department of Energy, Department of War, and with our authorities and authorities and section instrumentality enforcement partners to find answers,” the bureau said successful a statement.

The FBI’s announcement comes aft the House Oversight Committee announced that it would analyse reports of the disappearance and deaths of the scientists, sending letters seeking accusation from the agencies progressive successful the national enquiry arsenic good arsenic NASA, which owns the Jet Propulsion Laboratory successful La Cañada Flintridge, wherever 3 of the missing oregon dormant scientists worked.

“If the reports are accurate, these deaths and disappearances whitethorn correspond a sedate menace to U.S. nationalist information and to U.S. unit with entree to technological secrets,” Reps. James Comer (R-Ky.), president of the committee, and Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) wrote successful the letters.

President Trump told reporters past week that helium had been briefed connected the missing and dormant scientists, which helium described arsenic “pretty superior stuff.” He said astatine the clip that helium expected answers connected whether the deaths were connected “in the adjacent week and a half.”

Michael David Hicks, who studied comets and asteroids astatine JPL, was the archetypal of the scientists who disappeared oregon died. He died connected July 30, 2023, astatine the property of 59. No origin of decease was disclosed.

A twelvemonth later, JPL physicist Frank Maiwald died astatine 61, with nary origin of decease disclosed.

Two different Los Angeles scientists are portion of the drawstring of deaths and disappearances.

On June 22, 2025, Monica Jacinto Reza, a materials idiosyncratic astatine JPL, disappeared portion connected a hike adjacent Mt. Waterman successful the San Gabriel Mountains.

On Feb. 16, Caltech astrophysicist Carl Grillmair was fatally changeable connected the structure of his Llano home. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s section arrested Freddy Snyder, 29, successful transportation with the shooting. Snyder had been arrested successful December connected suspicion of trespassing connected Grillmair’s property.

Snyder has been charged with murder.

There is nary grounds astatine this constituent that the deaths and disappearances, which occurred implicit a span of 4 years, are connected.

A spokesperson for NASA, which owns JPL, said successful a connection connected X that the bureau is “coordinating and cooperating with the applicable agencies successful narration to the missing scientists.

“At this time, thing related to NASA indicates a nationalist information threat,” bureau spokesperson Bethany Stevens wrote. “The bureau is committed to transparency and volition supply much accusation arsenic able.”

Emily Velasco, a spokesperson for Caltech, which manages JPL and wherever Grillmair worked, said the assemblage is alert of the caller probe but had not been contacted successful transportation with it.

Velasco said the assemblage is inactive reeling from Grillmair’s death. “He was a beloved colleague, and his nonaccomplishment has profoundly affected galore radical here,” she said.

In a statement, the Missing Persons Unit of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the probe into Reza’s disappearance past twelvemonth is inactive active.

“At this time, determination are nary wide indications of foul play; however, investigators are continuing to measure each possibilities and are not ruling thing out,” the connection said.

“Additionally, investigators person spoken to different instrumentality enforcement agencies successful out-of-state jurisdictions comparing lawsuit facts and person not recovered immoderate transportation to missing idiosyncratic Reza’s disappearance to immoderate different cases akin successful quality astatine this time.”