A missing retired Air Force major general is being sought in the US
Retired US Air Force Major General William Neil McCasland went missing almost two weeks ago in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Law enforcement agencies have appealed to the public for help in locating him.
According to the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, 68-year-old McCasland left his home on foot at around 11 am on 27 February. He has not been in contact with family or friends since then.
On 6 March, the police reported his disappearance in an official statement. The following day, a Silver Alert was issued, which remains in effect. According to the authorities, the man has a medical condition, which makes the search even more urgent.
His mobile phone, prescription glasses and wearable electronic devices were left at home. Investigators believe he may have taken hiking boots, a wallet and a .38-calibre revolver in a leather holster with him.
Law enforcement officers have also released a more detailed chronological account of events. At around 10 am on 27 February, a repairman spoke with McCasland at the house. His wife returned home shortly after midday and discovered that her husband was missing.
On 7 March, during a search operation, a grey US Air Force sweatshirt was found approximately two kilometres from the house. It has not yet been confirmed that it belongs to McCasland. According to the sheriff’s office, there were no traces of blood on the garment.
Law enforcement officers conducted a large-scale survey of local residents and search operations. Over 700 homeowners in the area were interviewed.
According to the police description, McCasland is approximately 180 centimetres tall, with white hair and blue eyes. He was an active hiker, runner and cyclist in the Northeast Heights area of Albuquerque and the foothills of the Sandia Mountains.
Investigators have also released a photograph showing him wearing a light green long-sleeved shirt. He was likely wearing this outfit at the time of his disappearance.
The search operation has involved drones, helicopters, ground rescue teams and canine units. However, investigators have reported that no confirmed evidence or video footage has yet been found to suggest that McCasland left the area or was heading in any particular direction.
Due to McCasland’s military background, several agencies have been involved in coordinating the search, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s field office in Albuquerque and Kirtland Air Force Base. The FBI has confirmed its involvement in the investigation.
During his service, McCasland held a number of senior positions within the US military. He is an aerospace engineer and was educated at the United States Air Force Academy, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Over the years, he served as chief engineer of the US Department of Defence’s Global Positioning System programme, director of the Space-Based Laser Project Office, and head of special programmes at the Pentagon. He also commanded the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
After retiring, McCasland collaborated for a time with Blink-182 musician Tom DeLonge, who is a co-founder of To The Stars, Inc. The company states that it is engaged in researching information about unidentified aerial phenomena.
His wife, Susan McCasland Wilkerson, noted in a Facebook post that her husband had a brief connection with the UFO research community.
“It is true that Neil had a brief association with the UFO community,” she wrote.
She also stated that this was not the reason for her husband’s abduction and that he had no special knowledge of extraterrestrial objects or debris related to the Roswell incident.
Silver Alert is an emergency alert system used to locate missing persons over the age of 50 in cases of cognitive impairment. However, the missing man’s wife stated that her husband does not have dementia and was not disoriented.
She also thanked the volunteers and law enforcement officers involved in the search operation.
The Sheriff’s Office stated that no evidence of a crime has been found so far, but investigators are considering all possible scenarios.
Law enforcement officers have urged anyone with any information or video footage to submit it via a dedicated page on the sheriff’s office website.
