Remains found in New Mexico national forest ID’d as those of Melissa Casias, who vanished last year

U.S. newsRemains found in New Mexico national forest ID’d as those of Melissa Casias, who vanished last yearCasias, 53, had been missing for nearly a year after she didn’t show up for work at Los Alamos National Laboratory. A gun was found near the remains, authorities said.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Melissa CasiasSierra CasiasShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 31, 2026, 9:32 PM EDTBy Dennis RomeroHuman remains found by a hiker last week in a New Mexico national forest are those of a Los Alamos National Laboratory employee who had been missing for nearly a year, authorities said.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The discovery in the McGaffey Ridge area of Carson National Forest was reported Thursday, and the New Mexico Medical Investigator’s Office identified the remains as those of Melissa Casias, authorities said.“Investigators also learned that a handgun was located alongside the remains,” New Mexico State Police said in a statement Saturday.The Medical Investigator’s Office is likely to determine the cause and manner of death, police said. A representative for Casias’ family said it would have no comment until after an upcoming meeting with investigators.Representatives for Los Alamos National Laboratory didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.The area of the discovery, about 6 miles from Casias’ home, can be reached by a state highway, which she was seen walking along the day she was reported missing.Casias, 53, was reported missing on June 26, when her supervisor phoned her husband looking for her because she hadn’t reported for work, her husband, Mark Casias, said in an interview last year.Melissa Casias was reported missing in June. Authorities said her remains were found in a New Mexico national forest Thursday.Mark Casias said his wife had dropped him off at the laboratory, a federal energy research institution where they were both employed, earlier on...