Missing New Mexico Lab Worker Melissa Casias Found Dead After Year-Long Search
The remains of a Los Alamos National Laboratory employee who vanished from her New Mexico home nearly a year ago have been found in a remote mountain forest — skeletonized, seated against a tree, with a gunshot wound to the skull and a gun nearby.
Melissa Casias, 54, was last seen on June 26, 2025, after dropping her husband off at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, where he also worked. She never returned home. Her purse, identification, and cell phones were all left behind. According to reports, data had been wiped from her devices before she disappeared.
Her remains were discovered May 28, 2026, by a hiker in the McGaffey Ridge area of the Carson National Forest. New Mexico State Police confirmed the discovery of human remains and a firearm at the scene. An official cause and manner of death have not yet been released.
What the Investigator Says
Thomas McNally, a former homicide detective hired by Casias' parents, Joe and Joanne Mondragon, to independently investigate her disappearance, provided the most detailed account of the discovery.
"Her body was found in a very remote area of the mountains that is not normally frequented by hikers," McNally told the Daily Mail. "The elevation is almost 8,000 feet up. I understand that the skeletonized remains were found sitting up against a tree with bleached clothing, sun-bleached clothing. There was a gunshot wound in the skull and a gun recovered at the scene."
McNally also noted that the remains showed no signs of animal disturbance, which he described as unusual given how long the body had been exposed in the forest.
Despite the circumstances — a gun at the scene, a wound to the skull — McNally said he believes foul play was involved in her death. He was also emphatic that the case should not be tied to broader theories circulating online about her employer. "It's great that the press is getting this story out there because of the Los Alamos stuff, but it has nothing to do with LANL," he told the Daily Mail. "If you want to tell the story, tell a real story. I want to be emphatic on this point — this is in no way, shape, or form related to her job."
The Family Is Suing
Casias' family is pursuing a civil lawsuit against the New Mexico State Police, alleging the investigation into her disappearance was mishandled. McNally confirmed the lawsuit is in the process of being filed.
The Broader Context
Casias worked as an administrative assistant at Los Alamos National Laboratory, one of the country's most prominent federal research facilities, originally established during World War II as part of the Manhattan Project. Her disappearance drew significant attention partly because of a broader conspiracy theory that emerged in early 2026 surrounding the deaths and disappearances of several people described online as scientists or researchers connected to sensitive government work.
McNally has been clear that he does not believe Casias' case belongs in that conversation, and that the focus should remain on what actually happened to her — not on her employer or workplace.
New Mexico State Police have not announced a cause or manner of death. The case remains under investigation.
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