White House Probes Mysterious Deaths and Disappearances of 11 Scientists

Four prominent LA County researchers tied to sensitive aerospace and nuclear research are among the cases under federal scrutiny.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 4:19am

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The Trump administration has launched a 'holistic review' into 11 scientists tied to sensitive aerospace and nuclear research who have died or vanished since 2024. Four of the cases are linked to Los Angeles County, including researchers from Caltech and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Why it matters

The proximity of the scientists to top-tier institutions like JPL and their access to classified data on aerospace, nuclear, and planetary defense projects have raised national security concerns, prompting a federal investigation into whether the deaths and disappearances are connected.

The details

The review includes four prominent LA County researchers: Monica Jacinto Reza, an aerospace engineer at NASA JPL and Aerojet Rocketdyne who went missing in 2025 while hiking; Carl Grillmair, a renowned astrophysicist at Caltech's IPAC who was murdered in 2026; Michael David Hicks, a veteran JPL physicist who died in 2023; and Frank Maiwald, a JPL principal researcher who died in 2024. Authorities have noted overlaps in the victims' professional backgrounds.

  • Monica Jacinto Reza went missing on June 22, 2025.
  • Carl Grillmair was murdered on February 16, 2026.
  • Michael David Hicks died on July 30, 2023.
  • Frank Maiwald died on July 4, 2024.

The players

Monica Jacinto Reza

An aerospace engineer and materials processor who worked for both NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena (JPL) and Aerojet Rocketdyne. She was known for developing and patenting a specialized type of metal used in rocket manufacturing.

Carl Grillmair

A renowned 67-year-old astrophysicist at Caltech's Infrared Processing and Analysis Center (IPAC), which partners with NASA. He was famous for discovering water on a distant exoplanet and for his work on dark matter and galactic structures using the Spitzer Space Telescope.

Michael David Hicks

A veteran research scientist at JPL for 24 years, specializing in the physical properties of comets and asteroids. He served on high-profile science teams for the DART Project, the Near Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) Project, and the Dawn Mission.

Frank Maiwald

A 61-year-old principal researcher at JPL, working on the Surface Biology and Geology (SBG) mission and designing a VSWIR instrument to map Earth's 'living color.' He had also worked on programs to help astronauts identify signs of life on icy moons like Europa and Enceladus.

Karoline Leavitt

The White House Press Secretary, who confirmed the federal probe into the 11 cases.

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What they’re saying

“In light of the recent and legitimate questions about these troubling cases... the White House is actively working with all relevant agencies and the FBI.”

— Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary

“I hope it's random, but we're going to know in the next week and a half.”

— Donald Trump

What’s next

The White House has promised a transparent investigation, with Leavitt noting that 'no stone will be unturned.' President Trump indicated that the administration expects to have more definitive answers in the coming weeks. Locally, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department remains the lead on the Reza missing persons case.

The takeaway

The proximity of the scientists to top-tier institutions like JPL and their access to classified data on aerospace, nuclear, and planetary defense projects have raised national security concerns, prompting a federal investigation into whether the deaths and disappearances are connected.