Rocket Scientist with Ties to Classified U.S. Propulsion Technology Remains Missing Nearly 10 Months After Vanishing

Los Angeles, Calif. (April 14, 2026) — Monica Jacinto Reza, a 60-year-old aerospace and materials engineer credited with co-inventing a specialized super-alloy critical to advanced U.S. rocket engines, has not been seen since she disappeared on a hike in the Angeles National Forest on June 22, 2025. Despite extensive searches involving helicopters, dogs, radar, and volunteer teams, no trace of Reza has been found, and the case has drawn renewed scrutiny due to her professional links to highly sensitive defense research.

Reza, who also went by Monica Jacinto in her professional career, was last seen around 9:10 a.m. near the 6000ft Day Use Parking area on the Mount Waterman Trail in the rugged San Gabriel Wilderness section of the Angeles National Forest. She was hiking with two experienced companions when she became separated from the group. According to accounts, she was approximately 30 feet behind one hiker, smiling and waving moments earlier. When the companion turned around, she had vanished. She was reportedly carrying a backpack containing several liters of water at the time.

Reza stood 4'11" tall, weighed about 101 pounds, had gray hair and brown eyes, and was last seen wearing a red long-sleeve shirt and green hiking pants. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department classified her as an at-risk missing person and conducted an initial intensive search-and-rescue operation. That phase concluded without success after roughly a week, with the investigation continuing through the department’s Homicide Bureau Missing Persons Unit. Detectives Shannon Rincon and Richie Sanchez continue to handle the case.

What has elevated public and media interest is Reza’s distinguished career in materials science. She worked for decades at Aerojet Rocketdyne (formerly Rocketdyne) and held ties to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where she was associated with the Materials Processing Group. She is listed as a co-inventor on a 2010 patent for “Mondaloy,” a nickel-based super-alloy designed to withstand extreme heat while resisting ignition — a rare and valuable property for rocket engine components. The technology was developed with funding from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and has been incorporated into advanced propulsion systems aimed at reducing reliance on foreign rocket technology.

Reza’s work placed her in professional contact with retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland, who commanded the AFRL and oversaw billions in classified aerospace R&D during the period when her alloy research was funded. McCasland himself disappeared under puzzling circumstances from his Albuquerque, New Mexico home on February 27, 2026 — walking out on foot and leaving behind personal items. The parallel disappearances of two individuals connected through sensitive military-funded projects have fueled online speculation and discussions of a broader pattern involving experts in nuclear, space, and propulsion technologies. Authorities have not confirmed any link between the cases.

Volunteer search efforts organized through dedicated Facebook groups and hiking communities continued into late 2025 and early 2026, with teams returning to the area to conduct additional sweeps. Some independent investigators have called for advanced techniques such as LiDAR scanning, but no new leads have been publicly reported as of mid-April 2026. The terrain in the Angeles National Forest is vast, steep, and densely vegetated, complicating searches even under ideal conditions.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department continues to treat the matter as an active missing person investigation. No evidence of foul play has been publicly confirmed, and Reza had no known health conditions that would explain her sudden disappearance.Anyone with information about Monica Jacinto Reza’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau.

17GEN4.com