Monica Jacinto Reza

Monica Jacinto Reza (professional name Monica Jacinto) is a materials scientist and co-inventor of Mondaloy (US Patent 2010/0266442 A1, "Burn-Resistant and High Tensile Strength Metal Alloys," filed 2001). Her career spanned Aerojet Rocketdyne — where she served as Technical Fellow in Materials & Processes Engineering with AFRL funding from the mid-1990s through at least 2017 — and NASA JPL, where she became Director of the Materials Processing Group around 2023 after L3Harris acquired Aerojet Rocketdyne for $4.7B.

Mondaloy's specific composition is ITAR-controlled and now proprietary to L3Harris. At least 12 components of the AR1 engine are made from Mondaloy variants (Mondaloy 100/200), including the preburner, turbine rotor, and turbine housing. The alloy was also used in the USAF Hydrocarbon Boost Technology Demonstrator (250,000 lbf reusable engine program).

Disappearance

Disappeared June 22, 2025 on the Upper West Ridge Trail, Mount Waterman, Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County, CA. Last seen at approximately 9:10 a.m. waving to a companion from ~30 feet behind on the ridgeline. Extensive multi-agency search including helicopters (FLIR thermal), drones, canines, and SAR teams concluded June 30, 2025; supplemental search August 8, 2025. No body, no scent termination point, and no physical evidence ever recovered. Case transferred to LA County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau – Missing Persons Unit. Status: missing.

A Find A Grave memorial (ID 284387277) was created for her four days after disappearance — three days before the official search was suspended — by a contributor whose profile is no longer publicly accessible.