The disappearance of retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland has drawn national attention after federal investigators joined the search nearly two weeks after the former military leader vanished from his Albuquerque home.
McCasland, 68, left his residence on foot around 11 a.m. on February 27 and has not been heard from since, according to the Bernalillo County Sheriffâs Office in New Mexico. Authorities say his cellphone was left behind at the house, raising concern about his safety and prompting an immediate investigation.
Local officials issued a Silver Alert the day after he disappeared, citing an unspecified medical issue that may increase urgency in locating him. The case escalated further when the FBI confirmed its Albuquerque Field Office is now assisting local authorities in the search.
Search Expands With Federal Support
Investigators have carried out an extensive search across neighborhoods and nearby outdoor areas where McCasland was known to spend time. The Bernalillo County Sheriffâs Office said deputies have contacted more than 600 homeowners in the area, asking residents to share any home security or doorbell camera footage that might provide clues about his movements.
Authorities are particularly interested in footage captured on February 27 and February 28. They are also requesting that hikers, cyclists, and visitors to the Sandia Mountains foothills review GoPro recordings or other digital footage from those days.
The request for security footage marks a significant escalation in the investigation as officials attempt to build a clearer timeline of the retired generalâs last known movements.
Search teams have already deployed a wide range of resources, including drones, helicopters, tracking dogs, and mounted searchers on horseback. Volunteers from the local community have also joined organized search efforts alongside law enforcement.
Despite the extensive operation, the sheriffâs office said investigators have not yet uncovered evidence suggesting foul play. Officials emphasized that all scenarios remain under consideration as the search continues.
A High-Ranking Military Career
McCaslandâs disappearance is receiving unusual attention because of his long and influential career inside the U.S. militaryâs aerospace and defense research programs.
An astronautical engineer by training, he graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and later earned advanced degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Universityâs John F. Kennedy School of Government.
During his military career, McCasland held several highly sensitive positions. He served as chief engineer on the Department of Defenseâs Global Positioning System program and later became system program director of the Space Based Laser Project Office.
He also served as director of special programs at the Pentagon before eventually commanding the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.
The laboratory manages one of the Air Forceâs largest science and technology portfolios, overseeing billions of dollars in research focused on aerospace innovation, advanced weapons systems, and future defense technologies.
More details about his military service can be found in the official Air Force biography of Maj. Gen. William N. McCasland.
Links to UFO Research Communities
McCaslandâs past work has also drawn interest from the UFO research community. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base has long been associated with rumors related to extraterrestrial debris allegedly recovered after the 1947 Roswell incident, although the U.S. Air Force has consistently denied those claims.
Following his retirement roughly 13 years ago, McCasland worked with To The Stars Inc., a research organization co-founded by Blink-182 musician Tom DeLonge that studies information related to unidentified aerial phenomena, commonly known as UFOs or UAPs.
His connection to that community has fueled widespread online discussion since news of his disappearance emerged.
Investigative journalist Ross Coulthart, who has reported extensively on UFO disclosure claims, described McCaslandâs disappearance as âan issue of grave concern.â
Coulthart suggested on a podcast that geopolitical adversaries such as Russia or China could theoretically target individuals with knowledge of sensitive programs, although he acknowledged there is no evidence supporting that theory.
Timing Raises Questions Online
The timing of McCaslandâs disappearance has also drawn attention in some circles. It occurred just days after President Donald Trump announced in a Truth Social post that he was directing the Pentagon and other federal agencies to release government records related to extraterrestrial life and UFO sightings.
While some observers have speculated about a possible connection, investigators have not indicated any evidence linking the retired generalâs disappearance to government disclosure discussions or classified aerospace research.
Former Defense Department intelligence officer Luis Elizondo urged caution against speculation while the investigation continues.
âI hope and pray this is not one of those cases where a former senior military officer was specifically targeted,â Elizondo told CNN, adding that authorities should be given time to conduct their work before drawing conclusions.
Family Pushes Back Against Conspiracy Theories
McCaslandâs family has also attempted to calm speculation surrounding the case.
In a Facebook post, his wife Susan McCasland Wilkerson said her husband had only a limited association with the UFO research community and did not possess secret knowledge related to extraterrestrial technology.
âThis connection is not a reason for someone to abduct Neil,â she wrote. âNeil does not have any special knowledge about the ET bodies and debris from the Roswell crash stored at Wright-Patt.â
Wilkerson also clarified that her husband does not suffer from dementia and was not confused or disoriented before he left home that day.
She noted that he retired more than a decade ago and said it would be unlikely that anyone would attempt to obtain classified information from him now.
In a light-hearted comment acknowledging the intense speculation surrounding the case, she joked that âmaybe the best hypothesis is that aliens beamed him up to the mothership,â adding that no such sightings have been reported over the nearby Sandia Mountains.
Investigation Continues
Authorities say McCasland is approximately 5-foot-11 with white hair and blue eyes. Friends and neighbors describe him as an avid outdoorsman who frequently ran, hiked, and cycled in Albuquerqueâs Northeast Heights and nearby mountain foothills.
The sheriffâs office continues to encourage anyone with information, photos, or video footage from the days surrounding February 27 to contact investigators through the official reporting portal available on the Bernalillo County Sheriffâs Office website.
Until new evidence emerges, the disappearance of William Neil McCasland remains an unresolved mystery â one that sits at the intersection of a high-profile military career, public fascination with UFO research, and an expanding federal investigation.
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