Authorities in Bernalillo County are searching for a retired U.S. Air Force major general who has been missing for nearly two weeks, prompting a statewide alert and a multi-agency investigation.
Retired William Neil McCasland, 68, disappeared after leaving his home in Albuquerque on foot at around 11 a.m. on February 27. According to the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, he has not contacted family or friends since leaving the house, and his cell phone was found inside the residence.
Authorities issued a Silver Alert the following day, which remains active. Officials say McCasland has an unspecified medical condition that has increased concern about his safety.
Search efforts have been extensive. Investigators say more than 600 homeowners in the surrounding neighborhood have been contacted as part of canvassing efforts. Law enforcement teams have also conducted interviews and coordinated search operations in the area.
McCasland is described as 5 feet 11 inches tall with white hair and blue eyes. Investigators say he is an avid outdoorsman who frequently hikes, runs and cycles in Albuquerque’s Northeast Heights and in the nearby Sandia Mountains foothills.
Because of McCasland’s military background and connections, several federal agencies are assisting in the investigation. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s FBI Albuquerque Field Office and Kirtland Air Force Base are coordinating with local authorities in the search.
During his career, McCasland held several senior positions in the U.S. military. An astronautical engineer educated at the United States Air Force Academy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard Kennedy School, he worked on a number of high-profile defense programs.
He served as chief engineer for the Global Positioning System program at the United States Department of Defense and later directed the Space Based Laser Project Office. He also served as director of special programs at the Pentagon and commanded the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.
The base has long been linked to conspiracy theories about extraterrestrial material from the Roswell Incident, although the United States Air Force has repeatedly denied those claims.
After retiring from the military nearly 13 years ago, McCasland briefly worked with Tom DeLonge, the co-founder of To The Stars, Inc., a group that studies information related to unidentified aerial phenomena.
His disappearance came days after Donald Trump announced plans to direct the Pentagon and other agencies to release government records related to UFOs and extraterrestrial life.
Former Defense Department intelligence officer Luis Elizondo said he hoped the situation was unrelated to McCasland’s past work and urged patience while investigators conduct their search.
McCasland’s wife, Susan McCasland Wilkerson, said in a social media post that although her husband had briefly interacted with the UFO research community, he did not possess secret knowledge about alleged extraterrestrial materials.
Authorities say there is currently no evidence of foul play but that investigators are considering all possibilities. Search teams have deployed drones, helicopters, tracking dogs and volunteer searchers as the effort continues.
Residents with surveillance footage or any information that could assist investigators have been asked to contact the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office.