Search Continues for Missing Retired Air Force General

Retired U.S. Air Force Major General William 'Neil' McCasland, 68, has been missing for two weeks after vanishing from his Albuquerque home on February 27. Authorities are conducting an extensive search with assistance from multiple agencies including the FBI and Kirtland Air Force Base.

The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office issued a Silver Alert due to McCasland's age and unspecified medical issues, which add urgency to the search. The alert is used in New Mexico for missing persons aged 50 or older with concerns about their safety. Authorities have not found evidence of foul play but are considering all possible scenarios.

McCasland was last seen at his home on foot and may have been in the Sandia Mountains near Albuquerque on February 27 or 28. Described as an avid outdoorsman, he is known to frequently hike, run, and cycle in the area. Investigators believe he left his home voluntarily but are appealing to the public for any information that might help locate him.

Multiple agencies are assisting with the search, including federal agents from the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. The sheriff's office has conducted neighborhood canvassing, interviews, and coordinated search operations involving over 600 homeowners in McCasland's neighborhood. They have also asked residents to check security camera footage for any relevant information.

McCasland vanished within a one-hour window while his wife was out for an appointment. His phone, glasses, and 'wearable devices' were found in the home, but his wallet, hiking boots, and a .38-caliber revolver are unaccounted for. Search teams found a U.S. Air Force sweatshirt just over a mile from the home, though authorities have not confirmed it belonged to McCasland.

McCasland's wife downplayed his military record as a potential reason for his disappearance and stated that he does not have dementia or Alzheimer's. She also mentioned that while McCasland had access to highly classified programs during his Air Force career, he has only held commonly held clearances since retiring in 2013.

McCasland retired in 2013 after a long career in the Air Force, including serving as commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and leading the Phillips Research Site at Kirtland Air Force Base. He earned degrees from the U.S. Air Force Academy, MIT, and Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

According to nypost.com, McCasland had a brief association after his retirement with former Blink-182 frontman Tom DeLonge, who co-founded a company that studies information about unidentified aerial phenomena. McCasland served as an unpaid consultant on military and scientific matters for the company.

McCasland's wife addressed speculation about her husband's ties to the UFO community in a Facebook post, stating that he does not have any special knowledge about extraterrestrial bodies and debris from the Roswell crash stored at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. She emphasized that his involvement with DeLonge was limited to consulting on military and scientific matters.