Michael Beck, a retired National Security Agency (NSA) officer and the first person to report symptoms later linked to 'Havana Syndrome,' has died at age 65. Beck passed away on January 25 while out shopping, according to his daughter. The exact cause of death has not yet been determined.
Beck, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at 45, claimed the condition resulted from exposure to a directed-energy weapon during a 1996 overseas mission, decades before Havana Syndrome was officially recognized. Havana Syndrome, first reported publicly in 2016 by US diplomats and intelligence personnel in Cuba, is a mysterious neurological condition marked by severe headaches, dizziness, ringing in the ears, and cognitive difficulties, sometimes leaving victims debilitated.
Despite battling his illness and receiving little support from the government, Beck remained with the NSA until 2016, when his health forced him to step down. In 2017, Beck told investigators he believed a weaponized microwave attack was slowly killing him, a claim that has fueled ongoing debate over the syndrome's origins. His case became a focal point in the ongoing investigation into Havana Syndrome, drawing attention to the mysterious illnesses affecting dozens of US government personnel overseas.
Experts suspect that Havana Syndrome may be caused by exposure to a type of directed-energy weapon, which transmits concentrated energy toward a target. The most commonly considered form is pulsed microwave radiation, which can penetrate soft tissue and potentially affect nerves and brain function without leaving visible marks. High-intensity exposure is believed to cause severe neurological symptoms.