The cause and manner of death for Los Alamos National Laboratory employee Melissa Casias—whose remains were discovered by a hiker in the McGaffey Ridge area of the
Carson National Forest—
have not been officially determined. While a
handgun was recovered next to her remains, the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator and New Mexico State Police are conducting further anthropological examinations to establish the exact cause of death. [
1,
2,
3]
Casias had been missing since June 2025, leaving behind her personal belongings and having factory-reset her phones. Her case has drawn national attention as authorities investigate a series of mysterious deaths and disappearances involving scientists and defense researchers