By Natasha Chen, Alex Stambaugh, Chris Boyette, CNN
(CNN) — A nuclear physicist and MIT professor fatally shot outside his Massachusetts residence. A retired Air Force general missing from his New Mexico home. An aerospace engineer who disappeared during a hike in Los Angeles.
These are among at least 10 individuals connected to sensitive US nuclear and aerospace research who have died or disappeared in recent years, prompting concerns whether they are connected and fueling speculation online about the possibility of nefarious activity.
The Republican-led House Oversight Committee announced Monday it will investigate reports of the deaths and disappearances of the individuals, who it said had access to sensitive scientific information.
The reports “raise questions about a possible sinister connection” between the deaths and disappearances, the committee said in its statement, seeking briefings on the matter from the FBI, the Defense Department, the Department of Energy and NASA.
CNN reached out to each agency for comment on the committee’s investigation.
The FBI declined to comment. The Defense Department said only that it would respond to the committee directly, and the Department of Energy referred questions to the White House.
In a post on X, NASA said it is “coordinating and cooperating with the relevant agencies” in relation to the scientists.
“At this time, nothing related to NASA indicates a national security threat,” NASA spokesperson Bethany Stevens said.
The cases vary widely in circumstance. Some involve unsolved homicides, while others are missing persons cases with no signs of foul play. In at least two instances, families have pointed to preexisting medical conditions or personal struggles as explanations. Authorities have not established any links between the cases.
The White House said last week it is also working with federal agencies to probe any potential links between the deaths and disappearances, with President Donald Trump referring to the matter as “pretty serious stuff.”
“It’s very unlikely that this is a coincidence,” House Oversight Chair James Comer, a Republican, told Fox News Sunday. “Congress is very concerned about this. Our committee is making this one of our priorities now because we view this as a national security threat.”
Circumstances vary case by case
The string of mysterious deaths and disappearances began in 2023, lawmakers say, with the death of Michael David Hicks, a scientist who worked at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory for nearly 25 years.
Hicks, 59, died July 30, 2023. During his career at JPL, he specialized in comets and asteroids, according to the American Astronomical Society. His cause of death was not disclosed.
His daughter, Julia Hicks, told CNN her father had been struggling with known medical issues and that the recent speculation has her “shaken up.”
“From what I know of my dad, there’s no train of logic to follow that would implicate him in this potential federal investigation,” she said. “I don’t understand the connection between my dad’s death and the other missing scientists.”
“I can’t help but laugh about it, but at the same time, it’s getting serious,” Hicks said.
In the years since, several others connected to JPL have also died or disappeared: Frank Maiwald, a specialist in space research, died in Los Angeles in 2024 at 61. Monica Reza, a 60-year-old aerospace engineer, disappeared while hiking in a Los Angeles fores