A female scientist named Melissa Casias, who worked as an administrative assistant at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in New Mexico, went missing in June 2025. She unexpectedly disappeared after returning home from work, triggering a frantic search effort that lasted for months. Recently, on May 28 of this year, a hiker stumbled upon a decomposed body along with a handgun in the McGaffy Ridge area of Carson National Forest. The skull of the body exhibited signs of a gunshot wound, and it was later identified as Melissa Casias.
New Mexico State Police confirmed the identity of the body as that of Ms. Casias. However, the cause and manner of her death are yet to be determined, and further examination by medical investigators is planned. Concerns have arisen that she might have been murdered, especially after her daughter, Sierra, stated that her mother did not own a gun. The ownership of the gun found at the scene remains unconfirmed, with authorities planning to use various methods such as serial number tracing and forensic evidence analysis to determine its origin.
Thomas McNally, a former FBI homicide detective assisting Casias’ family, described the discovery of her skeletonized body propped against a tree with an abandoned gun nearby. Despite the body being left in a forest inhabited by wildlife like black bears and coyotes, there were no signs of animal activity around the remains. Melissa’s family, in an update on Facebook, expressed shock at finding her in a previously searched area and vowed to seek justice.
In a TV interview following her mother’s disappearance, Sierra recounted the events leading up to Melissa’s vanishing, including her unexpected return home and subsequent activities before disappearing. Melissa failed to return home that evening, with her belongings left behind, and her mobile devices were found wiped clean. Despite extensive search efforts involving ground teams, K9 units, and drones, no traces were found until the recent discovery by the hiker.
