What happened to William McCasland? Final photo of missing ex-Air Force general sparks UFO questions
Retired US Air Force Major General William Neil McCasland remains at the center of an ongoing mystery months after his disappearance in New Mexico, with a newly released photograph now drawing attention to the case and its alleged links to UFO-related claims.
According to The Mirror US, the image shows McCasland leaving a sporting goods store in Albuquerque on February 27, the same day he reportedly vanished from his home. In the photograph released by the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, the retired officer appears calm and composed while carrying a large white shopping bag and another smaller item under his arm.
The image reportedly surfaced following a Freedom of Information Act request filed by Los Angeles Magazine reporter Lauren Conlin.
Wife said general ‘planned not to be found’
McCasland’s disappearance has become the subject of online speculation after reports suggested he may have had access to classified military and UFO-related information during his Air Force career.
According to The Mirror US, McCasland’s wife, Susan Wilkerson, told investigators that he left home around 11 am local time without his phone, wallet, wearable devices, or prescription sunglasses.
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She was also quoted as telling a 911 dispatcher shortly after his disappearance: “He’s left his phone, he changed his clothes into I don’t know what. I think he’s on foot.”
Wilkerson further claimed that the retired general had “planned not to be found.”
Questions raised over final movements
In a post shared on X, podcaster Lauren Conlin suggested that the items McCasland carried may have been collected through a pre-arranged pickup order rather than purchased during the visit.
“McCasland doesn’t appear to be carrying a traditional REI shopping bag,” Conlin wrote. She added that the retailer allows online purchases to be picked up in-store, leaving open the possibility that the items had been retrieved earlier.
The contents of the package remain unknown. However, some online users cited by the outlet speculated that a smaller yellow item seen in the image resembled a lightweight first-aid kit.
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UFO-related claims
The case has gained attention after claims emerged linking McCasland to sensitive aerospace and military research programs.
An unidentified woman quoted by The Mirror US claimed she and a member of the US Space Force had dinner with McCasland the night before he disappeared. The woman alleged that the retired officer had ties to Air Force Research Laboratory projects and referenced his name appearing in “UFO documents” expected to be released publicly.
The same witness also claimed McCasland appeared unusually quiet and distracted during the meeting, saying he “wasn’t his usual self.”
Authorities have not publicly confirmed any UFO-related connection to the disappearance, and the investigation into McCasland’s whereabouts remains ongoing.