FBI probes missing or dead scientists, including four from the L.A. area - BERITAJA

WASHINGTON — Amid increasing nationalist information concerns, the FBI said Tuesday it has launched a wide investigation successful the deaths aliases disappearances of astatine slightest 10 scientists and staff 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 pinch the Department of Energy, Department of War, and pinch our authorities and authorities and section rule enforcement partners to find answers,” the agency said successful a statement.

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

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

President Trump told reporters past week that he had been briefed connected the missing and dormant scientists, which he described arsenic “pretty superior stuff.” He said astatine the clip that he 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 first of the scientists who vanished aliases 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, pinch 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 intelligence astatine JPL, vanished while connected a hike adjacent Mount Waterman successful the San Gabriel Mountains.

On Feb. 16, Caltech astrophysicist Carl Grillmair was fatally changeable connected the porch of his Llano home. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s section arrested 29-year-old Freddy Snyder successful relationship pinch the shooting. Snyder had antecedently been arrested past December for trespassing connected Grillmair’s property.

Snyder has been charged pinch murder.

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

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

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

Representatives from Caltech did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.