On the morning of Feb. 27, 2026, William “Neil” McCasland, 68, a retired Air Force major general, talked with a repairman at his home in the Sandia Heights area of Albuquerque around 10 a.m. His wife left for a medical appointment at about 11:10. When she got back at 12:04 p.m., he was gone. After searching and calling friends, she reported him missing at 3:07 p.m.

He left his phone, prescription glasses and wearable devices at home, which family said was unusual. Missing were his wallet, a red backpack, and a .38-caliber revolver in a leather holster. An avid hiker, he is believed to have left on foot toward the Sandia foothills. The sheriff said he had mentioned experiencing a mental fog. Searchers canvassed more than 700 homes and used drones, helicopters, dogs and volunteers, and the FBI joined. A gray Air Force sweatshirt found 1.25 miles away was never confirmed as his. The sheriff’s office says there is no evidence of foul play.

McCasland’s career made the case a magnet for speculation. He led the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the base of Roswell legend, from 2011 to 2013. After retiring, he briefly advised Tom DeLonge’s UFO venture, To The Stars, as leaked 2016 emails showed. His wife says he was an unpaid consultant on fiction projects and has no special knowledge of the Roswell crash.

As of October 2026, he was still listed as missing.