Retired Air Force General Linked to UFO Secrets Goes Missing in New Mexico

Authorities say William Neil McCasland's disappearance poses a 'grave national security crisis'

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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A retired Air Force major general with deep expertise about UFOs has been missing without a trace since Feb. 28, and his mysterious disappearance constitutes a 'grave national security crisis,' according to an investigative journalist. Local law enforcement said William Neil McCasland, 68, disappeared after leaving his Albuquerque, New Mexico home on foot, leaving his phone behind in a missing persons investigation that has since been joined by the FBI.

Why it matters

McCasland is said to possess some of the U.S. government's most sensitive secrets regarding extraterrestrial activity and classified space weapons programs. His disappearance comes at a time when the public is increasingly curious about the government's knowledge of UFOs, raising concerns about national security implications.

The details

During his Air Force career, McCasland headed up research at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, which is rumored to be in possession of fragments of extraterrestrial debris allegedly from the Roswell, New Mexico UFO incident. Journalist Ross Coulthart said McCasland was supportive of giving the public more information about those classified topics.

  • On February 28, 2026, McCasland disappeared from his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
  • The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office issued a Silver Alert for the missing retiree on the same day.

The players

William Neil McCasland

A 68-year-old retired Air Force major general with deep expertise about UFOs and classified space weapons programs.

Ross Coulthart

An investigative journalist who reported on McCasland's disappearance, describing it as a 'grave national security crisis' for the United States.

Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office

The local law enforcement agency that issued a Silver Alert for the missing McCasland and is leading the investigation, with assistance from the FBI.

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What they’re saying

“This is a man with some of the most sensitive secrets of the United States in his head.”

— Ross Coulthart, Investigative Journalist (Reality Check podcast)

What’s next

The FBI has joined the investigation into McCasland's disappearance, which authorities say poses a 'grave national security crisis' given his knowledge of classified government information related to UFOs and space weapons.

The takeaway

McCasland's disappearance highlights the sensitive nature of the information he possessed and the potential national security implications of his unknown whereabouts. It also comes at a time when public interest in the government's knowledge of UFOs is growing, raising concerns about what other classified information may still be withheld from the public.