Former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has compared the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie to a string of missing or dead scientists, two cases that have each attracted relentless media attention and prompted active federal involvement.
In a post on X, Greene, a Georgia Republican, wrote that coverage of Guthrie’s case once dominated headlines while alleging far less scrutiny of what she described as “11 missing or dead or suicided scientists all linked to space or military programs,” adding that the FBI has only recently opened a probe.
“Remember when it was wall to wall coverage of missing Nancy Guthrie like the media could not talk about anything else?” Greene posted on X on Tuesday morning. “There are 11 missing or dead or suicided scientists all linked to space or military programs and the FBI just now opened a “probe.”
“The FBI is spearheading the effort to look for connections into the missing and deceased scientists,” the FBI told Newsweek in a statement on Wednesday. “We are working with the Department of Energy, Department of War, and with our state and local law enforcement partners to find answers.”
Nancy Guthrie Update as FBI Receives DNA Sample From 11 Weeks Ago
Guthrie, 84, vanished from her home in Tucson, Arizona, on January 31. Authorities quickly determined she had likely been abducted, citing signs of a struggle and blood found on her porch. Surveillance footage released early in the investigation showed a masked man approaching her home and attempting to tamper with a doorbell camera, intensifying public concern and media attention.
The FBI recently received and is reviewing DNA evidence from Guthrie’s home as the investigation into her disappearance continues, ABC News and NewsNation reported last Thursday. The DNA evidence includes hair, according to the outlets.
“There is no new DNA evidence in the Nancy Guthrie case. The FBI requested this material over two months ago,” an FBI official told Newsweek. “The Pima County Sheriff’s Office sent it to a private lab in Florida. Eleven weeks later, that lab has now transferred an original hair sample to the FBI Laboratory for testing. We remain fully committed to this investigation.”
Nancy Guthrie is the mother of NBC’s Today co-host Savannah Guthrie, who took time away from the show following her mother’s disappearance and returned on April 6, thanking colleagues and viewers for their support.
Missing, Dead Scientists Prompt FBI Investigation
Separate from Guthrie’s disappearance, the FBI confirmed this month that it is leading a multi-agency review into a series of deaths and disappearances involving scientists and researchers tied to sensitive government work. The investigation arose days after President Donald Trump confirmed he had been briefed on the situation and called it “pretty serious stuff,” adding that more would be known within the coming days.
Who Are the Scientists?
At least 10 or 11 cases are under review, involving individuals connected to space, aerospace, nuclear or military-related research facilities across several states. Below is the list of workers with ties to advanced research whose disappearances or deaths have attracted public interest.
Amy Eskridge—Scientist reportedly researching anti-gravity technology.
Died in 2022 from a reported self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Michael David Hicks—Research scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory; worked on the DART Project and Deep Space 1 mission.
Died: July 2023. Described as an astronomer and artist. No cause of death reported.
Frank Maiwald—Principal researcher at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Anthony Chavez—Former employee at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Missing since: May 2025.
Monica Reza—Director of Materials Processing at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Missing since: June 2025.
Melissa Casias—Administrative worker at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Missing since: June 2025.
Steven Garcia—Government contractor at a New Mexico facility for the Kansas City National Security Campus.
Missing since: August 2025.
Nuno Loureiro—Director of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center.
Died from a gunshot in December 2025.
Carl Grillmair—Caltech astrophysicist who worked on NASA’s NEOWISE and NEO Surveyor missions.
Died: February 2026 from a gunshot at his home in California.
William “Neil” McCasland—Retired U.S. Air Force major general, former commander of Air Force Research Laboratory and current director of technology at Applied Technology Associates.
Missing since: February 27, 2026.
Jason Thomas—Pharmaceutical researcher.
Found dead: March 2026. According to his Legacy.com obituary, which was published in April of this year, Thomas “passed away unexpectedly after having been missing since December 12, 2025.”
Officials have stressed that no definitive connection has been established and that some of the incidents might ultimately prove unrelated, despite surface similarities such as the victims’ professional backgrounds.
The issue drew heightened attention after lawmakers, including Representative Eric Burlison, a Missouri Republican, called for briefings and greater transparency, warning that even the appearance of a pattern involving experts with access to sensitive information could raise national security concerns.
Greene’s comparison underscores broader debates about media attention, public fear and trust in institutions. While Guthrie’s disappearance became highly visible because of her family’s public profile and the dramatic circumstances surrounding her abduction, the scientists’ cases have often unfolded quietly over several years, spread across jurisdictions and involving varying facts.
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