Almost a year after she vanished with no explanation, the family of Melissa Casias has finally received confirmation of what happened — though not the outcome they had hoped for.
Casias, 53, worked as an administrative assistant at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. She was reported missing on June 26, 2025.
She did not arrive at work that day. When her daughter, Sierra, returned home, she found her mother’s keys and wallet inside the house, along with both Casias’ work phone and personal phone. The devices had been wiped of all data.
Casias’ vehicle was also still at the property, and the home was secured and locked.
On May 28, a hiker located human remains in the McGaffey Ridge area of Carson National Forest. The Office of the Medical Investigator later confirmed the body was Casias.
Officials have not yet announced the cause or manner of death. Further anthropological analysis is expected as part of the continuing examination.
Police also said a handgun was found “alongside the remains.”
Casias’ relatives shared the identification in a statement posted to a Facebook page run by her niece, Jazmin McMillen: “We confirm that the remains found in Rio Chiquito are Melissa. There will be more information to come but what we can tell you now is she was located in an area previously searched. This is a lot to process, our hearts are heavy and we fully intend to continue to pursue answers for justice.”
On a GoFundMe page, her family described Casias as “a beautiful, wonderful person” and “an amazing daughter, sister, wife and mother.” She began working at Los Alamos National Laboratory in March 2023, after previously serving as an executive administrative assistant at New Mexico Highlands University. She is survived by her husband Mark, who also worked at the laboratory, and their daughter Sierra.
Those close to her said she loved being outdoors. In 2021, she obtained a hunting guide licence through the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.
Investigators were told that on the morning she disappeared, Mark said his wife drove him to the lab and indicated she was going to another section of the facility to complete a work-related task.
Authorities said the remains were found roughly six miles from the family’s home in Ranchos de Taos. The area is reached via Forest Road 437, a one-lane dirt road that branches off State Road 518 in Talpa — where security footage captured what has been described as Casias’ last known sighting on the day she went missing.
Forest Road 437 continues into Carson National Forest, a roughly 1.5 million-acre region spanning four counties in Northern New Mexico, and leads toward the Garcia Park recreation area as well as multiple trailheads.
State police have not publicly released the precise location within the wider area where the remains were recovered.
The disappearance attracted national interest, including coverage on the Crime Junkie podcast. It was also discussed in connection with broader public speculation surrounding deaths and disappearances of US scientists and government workers with access to sensitive information. The investigation into Casias’ disappearance and death is continuing.