Retired Air Force General's Mysterious Disappearance Sparks UFO Theories

William Neil McCasland vanished from his Albuquerque home, raising questions about his military background at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

Apr. 6, 2026 at 7:04am

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Retired Air Force Major General William Neil McCasland, who previously commanded the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, disappeared from his Albuquerque home on February 27th. His disappearance has sparked speculation from UFO researchers due to his military background and connection to the facility that was once home to Project Blue Book, the military's official UFO investigation.

Why it matters

McCasland's disappearance has drawn intense scrutiny from the UFO community due to his military background and previous connection to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, which has long been rumored to house wreckage from the 1947 Roswell crash. His wife has pushed back against these theories, but the case remains a mystery.

The details

McCasland, 68, walked out of his Albuquerque home in under an hour while his wife was at a medical appointment, leaving behind his phone, glasses, and wearable devices. His wallet, a .38 caliber revolver, and a red backpack remain unaccounted for. The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office issued a Silver Alert the next day due to concerns for his safety. Authorities have searched over 700 homes and deployed drones, helicopters, and K-9 units, but have only found a grey Air Force sweatshirt about 1.25 miles from his home.

  • On February 27, 2026, McCasland disappeared from his Albuquerque home.
  • Eight days after his disappearance, a grey US Air Force sweatshirt was found about 1.25 miles from his home.

The players

William Neil McCasland

A 68-year-old retired Air Force Major General who previously commanded the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Susan McCasland Wilkerson

McCasland's wife, who has pushed back against speculation tying her husband's disappearance to extraterrestrial secrets.

Tom DeLonge

The Blink-182 guitarist who wrote in leaked emails that McCasland was advising his UFO disclosure project and was 'very, very aware' of classified material.

John Podesta

Hillary Clinton's former campaign chairman, whose emails were leaked by Russian hackers and contained the messages from Tom DeLonge about McCasland.

Eric Burlison

A Missouri Republican representative who has requested FBI involvement in the case, calling McCasland's disappearance 'deeply concerning'.

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What they’re saying

“'When Roswell crashed, they shipped it to the laboratory at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. General McCasland was in charge of that exact laboratory up to a couple years ago. He not only knows what I'm trying to achieve, he helped assemble my advisory team.'”

— Tom DeLonge, Blink-182 guitarist

“'Neil worked with Tom for a bit shortly after his Air Force retirement as an unpaid consultant on military and technical/scientific matters to lend verisimilitude to Tom's fiction book and media activities. Neil does not have any special knowledge about the ET bodies and debris from the Roswell crash stored at Wright-Patt.'”

— Susan McCasland Wilkerson, McCasland's wife

“'It's remarkable that General McCasland apparently walked out of his home, left all of his devices and never came back.'”

— Eric Burlison, Missouri Republican representative

What’s next

Authorities continue to search for any clues or leads in McCasland's disappearance, and Representative Burlison has requested FBI involvement in the case.

The takeaway

This case highlights the enduring fascination with UFOs and the military's potential involvement in extraterrestrial research, as well as the challenges in investigating the disappearance of a high-profile individual with a sensitive background.