Final texts of US scientist raise questions as FBI probes deaths, disappearances

Messages sent by a US researcher before her death have drawn renewed attention as authorities investigate a series of cases involving scientists who have died or gone missing under unclear circumstances.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is examining the deaths and disappearances of 11 scientists, while the White House has said it is seeking to determine whether there is any link between the cases.

Amy Eskridge, a 34-year-old researcher working on experimental anti-gravity technology, died from what authorities described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound on June 11, 2022. Prior to her death, she had sent messages to a contact stating that she would not take her own life.

In texts shared by retired British paratrooper and intelligence officer Franc Milburn, Eskridge wrote that if any report claimed she had killed herself, overdosed or harmed others, it should not be believed. In another message, she said that if anything happened to her, including an accident, it should be treated as suspicious.

Milburn told the Daily Mail that Eskridge and colleagues had faced harassment and intimidation, which he said was aimed at disrupting their work. Authorities have not confirmed those claims.

Eskridge had founded her own laboratory and was involved in research focused on controlling or reducing gravity, a field with potential applications in space travel and energy.

The FBI investigation is ongoing, with officials seeking to establish whether the incidents are connected or unrelated.