Autopsy Reveals Chilling New Details in Mysterious Death of US Nuclear Lab Worker

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New details have emerged in the mysterious death of a New Mexico woman who worked at one of the nation’s premier nuclear research facilities, with an autopsy revealing that she suffered a gunshot wound to the head around the time she died.

Melissa Casias, 53, an administrative assistant at Los Alamos National Laboratory, disappeared June 26, 2025, before her skeletal remains were discovered nearly 11 months later in Carson National Forest.

Her remains were found May 28 propped against a tree with a handgun nearby, according to the Daily Mail.

A newly released autopsy determined that Casias had been shot through the base of her skull.

The bullet entered the lower right side of her cranial base, damaged the C1 vertebra — the uppermost bone of the neck — and exited through the left side of her head near the temple.

The Office of the Medical Investigator classified the gunshot wound as “perimortem,” meaning it occurred at or around the time of her death.

Because Casias’ remains were significantly decomposed by the time they were recovered, the medical examiner could not determine whether the gunshot itself caused her death.

Her official cause and manner of death remain undetermined.

An anonymous law enforcement source who spoke with the Daily Mail nevertheless argued that the trajectory of the bullet raises questions about whether the wound could have been self-inflicted.

“There’s no way this was suicide, not from that angle,” the source claimed.

“The kickback would have made the gun go straight up. That’s ridiculous. She was murdered.”

That assessment has not been adopted by the medical examiner or publicly confirmed by investigators.

New Mexico State Police said their investigation remains active.

The autopsy also revealed that Casias’ left hand and left leg were located approximately 20 feet from the rest of her remains.

Investigators found evidence indicating wildlife had scavenged the body after her death.

The latest findings add another layer of mystery to a case that has raised questions since Casias abruptly disappeared last summer.

On the morning of June 26, Casias reportedly dropped off her husband, Mark Casias, at Los Alamos National Laboratory before returning to the couple’s home in Taos.

She reportedly said she had forgotten the work badge required to access the facility.

Casias later brought a sandwich to her daughter’s workplace and told the teenager she would work from home because she did not have her badge, according to the Daily Mail.

She never reported to Los Alamos that day.

Casias was last captured on surveillance footage at approximately 2:20 p.m., walking alone east along State Road 518 roughly three miles from her home.

Her family later returned to the house and reportedly discovered a drop of blood inside.

Both of Casias’ cellphones had also been wiped and reset to factory settings, according to the Daily Mail.

Her disappearance remained unresolved until her remains were discovered in the McGaffey Ridge area of Carson National Forest.

Questions have since emerged about how authorities handled the location where her body was recovered.

David Adams, an attorney representing Casias’ parents and siblings, previously said relatives and volunteers returned to the area nearly a month after New Mexico State Police had cleared the scene.

The group allegedly discovered additional evidence that had been left behind, including bones, torn and bloody clothing, a tobacco pouch, orange peels and strands of hair that the family’s attorney said did not appear to belong to Casias.

Adams argued that any failure to properly secure and process potential evidence could become significant if investigators eventually conclude that another person was responsible for Casias’ death.

“There becomes a question of a chain of custody,” Adams said.

Casias’ relatives have continued to suspect foul play, according to the outlet.

Her employment at Los Alamos National Laboratory has also fueled broader speculation surrounding the case.

Los Alamos has played a central role in U.S. nuclear research since the Manhattan Project and continues to conduct sensitive national security work.

The Daily Mail reported that Casias’ disappearance has been discussed alongside several other cases involving scientists, military personnel and people connected to nuclear research.

The White House has reportedly directed the FBI to investigate whether there are connections among a broader series of deaths and disappearances involving nuclear laboratory employees, NASA scientists and military personnel.

Among the other names linked in reporting about the cases is retired U.S. Air Force Gen. William Neil McCasland, who previously oversaw military connections to research conducted at Los Alamos.

However, no evidence cited in the report establishes that Casias’ employment at Los Alamos caused her death or that the various cases are connected.

Adams also told the Daily Mail that he has seen no indication the FBI is specifically investigating Casias’ death.

For now, the central mystery remains unresolved.

The autopsy establishes that Casias suffered a gunshot wound around the time she died, but authorities have not determined whether the wound was self-inflicted, inflicted by another person or ultimately responsible for her death.