Melissa Casias, a New Mexico government worker who disappeared nearly a year ago, has been found dead in a remote area of the Carson National Forest.
According to New Mexico State Police, a hiker discovered human remains in the McGaffey Ridge area that were later identified as Casias. Authorities said a firearm was found near the remains, though they have not yet announced an official cause or manner of death.
Thomas McNally, a private investigator hired by Casias’ family, told the Daily Mail that her body was “skeletonized” and found sitting against a tree with a gunshot wound to the skull. He also claimed her clothing appeared sun-bleached and that there were no signs of animal activity at the scene.
Casias, 53, worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory and was reported missing on June 26, 2025. She was last seen walking in the Talpa area near Ranchos de Taos around 2:20 p.m., according to a GoFundMe created by loved ones. The fundraiser described her as a devoted wife, mother, daughter and sister.
According to the New York Post, Casias appeared to take deliberate steps before vanishing. Investigators said she erased data from her phones, left the devices and her identification behind, and walked away from her home in Ranchos de Taos on the day she disappeared.
Earlier that day, she had driven her husband, Mark, to Los Alamos National Laboratory before reportedly returning home after saying she had forgotten her work badge. Private investigator Thomas McNally told the outlet the couple had argued during the drive over a vape pen.
Casias later returned home, where her daughter, Sierra, said she appeared completely normal. After dropping off a sandwich, Casias told her daughter she planned to work from home before leaving again.
She was last seen walking alone along State Road 518, about three miles from her home, at approximately 2:20 p.m. McNally told the New York Post he believes Casias may have been fleeing someone when she disappeared. He also claimed that during the investigation, police gave weight to her husband’s suggestion that she had left to be with another man, a theory McNally disputes.
The case drew widespread attention because Casias was among several government employees and scientists who have died or disappeared in recent years. However, McNally told the Daily Mail he does not believe her death is connected to her work or to any of the other cases.
While authorities have not indicated whether foul play was involved, McNally said he believes the circumstances are suspicious. He also said Casias’ family plans to file a civil lawsuit against New Mexico State Police, alleging the investigation into her disappearance was mishandled.
The investigation remains ongoing.
