Search for missing retired Air Force general enters third week as investigators probe new clues

Authorities searching for missing retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William "Neil" McCasland are investigating a caller improvement aft hiking boots believed to beryllium to the missing wide were discovered astatine his abrogation home, officials said Monday.

Investigators said they are inactive moving to find whether the boots are connected to McCasland’s disappearance, which has present stretched into a 3rd week.

During a Monday quality conference, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office said determination person inactive been nary confirmed sightings of the 68-year-old aerospace engineer, and the Silver Alert issued for him remains successful effect.

McCasland was past seen leaving his Albuquerque, New Mexico, location connected ft astir 11 a.m. connected Feb. 27, authorities said.

MISSING RETIRED AIR FORCE GENERAL CONSULTED ON UFOS FOR BLINK-182'S TOM DELONGE

An undated photograph of missing retired Air Force Gen. William "Neil" McCasland successful hiking gear. The 68-year-old was past seen adjacent his Albuquerque, New Mexico, location connected Feb. 27. (Susan McCasland Wilkerson/Facebook)

Investigators noted helium near down his phone, glasses and wearable devices astatine the house. However, respective idiosyncratic items stay missing, including his wallet, a revolver and a holster for the gun. Investigators besides said Monday that a reddish backpack is unaccounted for.

Earlier that morning, McCasland was seen speaking with a repairman astatine his location astir 9 to 10 a.m., according to authorities.

The repairman described McCasland arsenic being successful a "mental fog," but investigators said determination was nary denotation helium was disoriented oregon confused, describing him alternatively arsenic a "highly intelligent, highly capable" person.

"Out of an abundance of caution, we escalated the hunt to a Silver Alert with that accusation that was fixed to america aboriginal on," a Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office authoritative said.

RETIRED AIR FORCE GENERAL VANISHES IN 1-HOUR WINDOW FROM HOME, GUN AND WALLET MISSING

Authorities issued a Silver Alert for Ret. Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland. (Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office )

Authorities accidental McCasland vanished wrong astir a one-hour model portion his woman was retired of the location for an appointment.

Search teams person besides recovered a U.S. Air Force sweatshirt much than a mile from McCasland’s home, though investigators person not confirmed whether the point belonged to him.

McCasland is described arsenic 5 feet, 11 inches gangly with achromatic hairsbreadth and bluish eyes and was past seen wearing a airy green, button-up outdoor garment with 2 thorax pockets.

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Officials judge helium near his location connected foot.

The retired wide is known to beryllium an avid outdoorsman who often hikes, runs and cycles successful Albuquerque’s Northeast Heights and the adjacent Sandia Foothills, wherever hunt crews person focused immoderate of their efforts.

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McCasland antecedently commanded Kirtland Air Force Base's Phillips Research Site and Air Force Research Laboratory. (Kirtland Air Force Base )

Authorities said they person received dozens of tips and are urging residents to cheque location information video captured betwixt Feb. 27 and Feb. 28, which investigators accidental is simply a captious model successful the search.

The FBI joined the hunt effort connected March 3, assisting section authorities arsenic the probe continues.

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Investigators said they had not uncovered grounds of foul play, though officials person emphasized that nary scenarios person been ruled out.

McCasland’s wife, Susan McCasland Wilkerson, has besides pushed backmost connected speculation tying his disappearance to his past subject work.

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"It is existent that erstwhile Neil was successful the Air Force, helium had entree to immoderate highly classified programs and information," she wrote successful a Facebook post. "He retired from the AF astir 13 years agone and has had lone precise commonly held clearances since."

Before retiring successful 2013, McCasland commanded the Air Force Research Laboratory astatine Wright-Patterson Air Force Base successful Ohio and holds a Ph.D. successful aerospace engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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Despite online speculation, his woman said helium had nary peculiar cognition astir extraterrestrials oregon the Roswell incident.

Authorities are asking anyone with accusation astir McCasland’s whereabouts to substance BCSO to 847411 oregon interaction the sheriff’s Missing Persons Unit astatine 505-468-7070.