Search Expands for Missing Retired Air Force General in Albuquerque

Search-and-rescue teams, K-9 units, drones and helicopters have been scouring the area around a retired Air Force major general's Albuquerque home for more than two weeks after he walked away and never returned, with investigators saying they still cannot confirm which direction he went.

Retired Maj. Gen. William N. "Neil" McCasland, 68, was last seen at his Albuquerque residence at 11 a.m. on Feb. 27. His wife, Susan McCasland Wilkerson, left the home just after that for a medical appointment. When she returned roughly an hour later, McCasland was gone. She spent the next several hours contacting family members and friends before reporting him missing to the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office at 3:07 p.m. that afternoon.

Investigators found McCasland's cell phone, prescription glasses and wearable devices at the residence. Missing from the home were his hiking boots, wallet and a .38 caliber revolver with a leather holster. BCSO said McCasland is believed to have left on foot. He may have been wearing a light green long-sleeve, button-up shirt at the time of his disappearance.

McCasland stands 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighs 160 pounds, and has white hair and blue eyes.

A silver alert was issued for McCasland following the disappearance. Despite extensive search operations, authorities have been unable to place him anywhere after he left the home. "To date, BCSO has not received any confirmed sighting or confirmed video showing Mr. McCasland leaving the area or indicating a direction of travel," the sheriff's office said.

The FBI Albuquerque Field Office has joined the investigation alongside BCSO. The sheriff's office cited McCasland's military background as a factor in the multi-agency response. "Due to his background and established partnerships, BCSO is coordinating closely with multiple agencies, including the FBI Albuquerque Field Office," the agency said. BCSO added that investigators "have so far uncovered no evidence of foul play."

McCasland spent his Air Force career in space research, acquisition and operations roles within the service and the National Reconnaissance Office, according to the Air Force. He held director-level positions at the Pentagon and commanded the Phillips Research Site of the Air Force Research Laboratory at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, as well as the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.

Investigators also recovered additional images from cameras at a neighboring home and reported that a person whose DNA was found on a recovered glove had been cleared, according to the sheriff's office, though no further details on either item have been released publicly.

Anyone with information on McCasland's whereabouts is urged to contact the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office.