The mystery surrounding the death of Matthew James Sullivan, who had been circulating claims about UFOs, has taken a decisive turn after authorities confirmed his cause of death as an accidental drug overdose, per the New York Post.
This comes as officials begin an investigation into a "possible sinister connection" as the number of dead or missing space specialists reaches 14.
Overdose with multiple drugs
The New York Post reported that Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) expressed "grave concern" about the unexplained death and sent the case to the FBI for examination because of "implications for national security."
In a letter, Burlison sent to FBI Director Kash Patel, he wrote, “Mr Sullivan’s death was a local Virginia medical examiner case, and the manner and circumstances of his death raise substantial questions, as he was preparing to provide testimony to Congress.”
Burlison added, “The sudden and suspicious circumstances surrounding his death raise significant concerns about potential foul play and the safety of other individuals involved in this matter.”
{{/usCountry}}Burlison added, “The sudden and suspicious circumstances surrounding his death raise significant concerns about potential foul play and the safety of other individuals involved in this matter.”
{{/usCountry}}The Northern District Office of the Chief Medical Examiner next reported that on May 12, 2024, Matthew James Sullivan, 39, passed away at his Falls Church, Virginia, home from a fatal combination of alcohol, alprazolam, cyclobenzaprine, and imipramine.
Ipipramine is a medication used to treat anxiety and bedwetting in children; cyclobenzaprine is a potent prescription muscle relaxant that acts on the central nervous system; and alprazolam is a generic version of Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug.
Read more: Who are the UFO scientists in focus? Full list of experts dead or missing
Matthew Sullivan claims and Congress testimony
Before his death, Matthew James Sullivan had reportedly made claims positioning himself as a whistleblower with knowledge of classified information related to UFOs or unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs).
The New York Post reported that Sullivan was a part of the U.S. government's crash retrieval program, also known as the "legacy UFO program," which has been running covertly across multiple executive branch agencies for decades.
According to the outlet, Sullivan would have revealed the legacy program at the congressional hearing in November 2024 since he had personally witnessed UFOs in the possession of the federal government.
However, he passed away mysteriously before the hearing.
In a statement, the FBI said that Sullivan's death and the twelve other US scientists who have gone missing or died may be the subject of an inquiry.
FBI stated, “While we do not comment on specific incidents, the FBI is spearheading the effort to look for connections into the missing and deceased scientists. We are working with the Department of Energy, Department of War, and with our state and local law enforcement partners to find answers.”
At the funeral, retired Major Gen. David Abba, a former director of special programs and later director of the Department of Defense Special Access Program Central Office, stated that Sullivan carried "the burden that a select few in this nation have of truly understanding what's going on."