OH OH - Brian Shaffer, 27, Columbus, 1 Apr 2006 #6

[imstilla.grandma]

Brian Shaffer was a 27-year-old medical student in his second year at OSU when he was last seen. Lori Davis, an advocate for missing persons, has worked with Brian’s family since he went missing.

“He had already went through the White Coat Ceremony and he was on his way to becoming a doctor,” Davis said. “His personality, they’ve said that Brian was very funny, that he was very charismatic, that he was very outgoing. And I’ve even heard that he could be a little stubborn at times.”

• 

On March 31, 2006, a Friday and the beginning of spring break for students, Brian called his brother, asking if he wanted to join him for dinner. His brother had already made plans with his fiancée, so Brian ended up grabbing dinner at a local steakhouse with his dad, Randy, Davis said. Just a few weeks prior, on March 6, Brian’s mother had died.

“They had a nice time,” Davis said. “There has been some speculation that there may have been an argument during that same dinner and that would have been about the life insurance policy for Brian’s mother, Renee. [Randy] never told me that, so I can’t say if that is true or false.”

Randy and Brian left the restaurant on good terms, Randy told Davis. Later that night, around 9 p.m., Brian went bar hopping with his friend William “Clint” Florence. The two were taking shots throughout the night, according to NBC News. Brian’s girlfriend, Alexis Waggoner, was unexpectedly out of town that weekend due to medical issues with a family pet, Davis said.

https://www.nbc4i.com/news/unsolved-ohio/unsolved-ohio-ohio-state-student-who-disappeared-at-bar-still-missing-18-years-later/

 

[imstilla.grandma]

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Davis discussed the case with a detective, who had repeatedly studied the video. That detective told her the video haunts him, as he is 100% sure every person who went in the bar can be seen on video leaving, except for Brian.

The only way out without security camera coverage would have been through a service exit that led to a construction site with doors to the street. A Columbus police sergeant told NBC News in 2006 that the area was “heavily” under construction and would have been difficult to exit, even sober. At least one of the cameras was not stationary and rotated, Davis said, so there are small windows of time where it’s possible Brian left without being captured.

The next day, Brian did not answer multiple calls from Waggoner and Randy. The real concern began to set in when Monday came around – Brian and Waggoner were supposed to go to Florida for spring break, but she never heard from him.

Brian’s disappearance quickly gained national media attention and remains heavily discussed online today. Davis said she has “heard it all” regarding the case. Theories include Brian being killed in the bar and taken out with band equipment, thrown down a garbage chute, or that Brian put on a disguise and left on his own.

Randy even made trips out of state in response to “sightings” of Brian. Davis said a popular rumor was that Brian was a homeless man in Mexico, which was ruled out. Police and his family have received countless tips, none of which have led to an answer.

In September 2008, Randy died never knowing what happened to his son. During a storm, high winds came through the state and a tree fell, fatally striking him.

“There has been tons of speculation of what happened to Brian Shaffer that day, and sadly, 18 years later, I don’t feel like we’re any closer to knowing truly what had happened to Brian,” Davis said.

https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/ohio-state-student-who-disappeared-at-bar-still-missing-18-years-later/

 

[arielilane]

From linked article:

Police do not seem to be any closer than they were in 2006 to discovering what happened to Brian, either. Columbus police said the case is “periodically” reviewed, but there are no new updates to provide at this time.

At the time of his disappearance, Brian was 6 feet 2, around 165 pounds, and had brown hair and hazel eyes. He had a Pearl Jam tattoo on his upper right arm, and a dot on the iris of his left eye. He was last seen wearing jeans, a blue or green striped shirt and tennis shoes.

Anyone with information regarding the disappearance of Brian Shaffer is urged to call the Columbus Police Department at 614-645-4545 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at 614-461-8477.

 

[OwnedByALabrador]

"At least one of the cameras was not stationary and rotated, Davis said, so there are small windows of time where it’s possible Brian left without being captured."

To me this case is not that complicated; just my humble opinion but I think a lot of people get hung up on not seeing BS leaving the bar.

Either he left via the normal front route and as suggested above, it simply was missed by the cameras OR he left via the back, trade exit.

If he'd fallen at the construction site I would assume the builders would have seen his body and reported it.

Therefore I think either he did leave via the front route, or he safely left via the construction site.

Once he left the bar, there are several plausible explanations. He'd been drinking so he could have taken a tumble into a river. He could have been mugged and fatally injured and his body hidden/buried. He could have got into a fight and as above, his body hidden/buried.

I don't think it's plausible that he simply disappeared intentionally - none of his belongings were missing and would he really have done that to his father and brother who were both grieving their wife/mother.....?

He also was planning on proposing to his long term girlfriend.

He went into the bar, and he left the bar by one of two possible routes. No real mystery there but a terribly sad case, for sure.

 

[nadia90]

"At least one of the cameras was not stationary and rotated, Davis said, so there are small windows of time where it’s possible Brian left without being captured."

To me this case is not that complicated; just my humble opinion but I think a lot of people get hung up on not seeing BS leaving the bar.

Either he left via the normal front route and as suggested above, it simply was missed by the cameras OR he left via the back, trade exit.

If he'd fallen at the construction site I would assume the builders would have seen his body and reported it.

Therefore I think either he did leave via the front route, or he safely left via the construction site.

Once he left the bar, there are several plausible explanations. He'd been drinking so he could have taken a tumble into a river. He could have been mugged and fatally injured and his body hidden/buried. He could have got into a fight and as above, his body hidden/buried.

I don't think it's plausible that he simply disappeared intentionally - none of his belongings were missing and would he really have done that to his father and brother who were both grieving their wife/mother.....?

He also was planning on proposing to his long term girlfriend.

He went into the bar, and he left the bar by one of two possible routes. No real mystery there but a terribly sad case, for sure.

Yes, I think like a lot of these cases it was an accident involving water otherwise I believe his body would have been found.

 

[ErinC]

Yes, I think like a lot of these cases it was an accident involving water otherwise I believe his body would have been found.

My only issue with this is that neither local river, the Scioto nor the Olentangy is within super close walking distance (iirc- I haven't been up to Campus since before COVID) and even if they were, they 1) are not particularly large or busy- a body would likely have turned up 2) were both searched iirc. That certainly isn't to say that there wasn't some kind of retention pond or other body of water that he could have gone in, as happened with Tony Luzio.

 

[arielilane]

Updated: 10:19 AM EDT October 22, 2014

After nine years of searching, investigators found Tony Luzio Jr.’s missing car in a mere seven feet of water.
Investigators spotted the vehicle around 4:00 p.m. Tuesday evening on East Orange Road and Summerfield Road in Delaware County. The car was badly silted over and had algae growing on it.

...

Body, Vehicle Found In The Search For Missing Powell Man Tony Luzio Jr.

After nine years of searching, investigators found Tony Luzio Jr.’s missing car in a mere seven feet of water.

www.10tv.com

Updated: 10:19 AM EDT October 22, 2014

 

[chaddylex]

Apple Podcasts Web Embed

This is a must listen. True Crime Garage Podcast just released this episode about Brian's disappearance. Maggie Freleng interviews the John Hurst, the lead investigator on Brian's case. (he is now retired.)


How did Brian Shaffer a 27 year-old man at the time just simply disappear? It's a question Columbus Police detectives and thousands from central Ohio have been asking for more than 18 years. Brian Shaffer, was a medical student at The Ohio State University. As legend has it; he walked into a campus bar and was never seen walking out. Brian vanished after going out with friends on the evening of March 31st, 2006 to celebrate the beginning of spring break. According to friends during the early morning hours of April 1st, Brian was separated from them, and they assumed he had gone home. Shaffer has not been seen or heard from since. Columbus police have several theories about what happened; some suspicion has been directed at a friend. While foul play is suspected, it has also been speculated that Brian might be living somewhere under a new identity. Today we bring to you an interview with Columbus Police Sergent John Hurst who was the lead investigator in the Shaffer case. Conducting the interview is the Captain and investigative journalist Maggie Freleng.

 

[AAApopo]

Apple Podcasts Web Embed

This is a must listen. True Crime Garage Podcast just released this episode about Brian's disappearance. Maggie Freleng interviews the John Hurst, the lead investigator on Brian's case. (he is now retired.)


How did Brian Shaffer a 27 year-old man at the time just simply disappear? It's a question Columbus Police detectives and thousands from central Ohio have been asking for more than 18 years. Brian Shaffer, was a medical student at The Ohio State University. As legend has it; he walked into a campus bar and was never seen walking out. Brian vanished after going out with friends on the evening of March 31st, 2006 to celebrate the beginning of spring break. According to friends during the early morning hours of April 1st, Brian was separated from them, and they assumed he had gone home. Shaffer has not been seen or heard from since. Columbus police have several theories about what happened; some suspicion has been directed at a friend. While foul play is suspected, it has also been speculated that Brian might be living somewhere under a new identity. Today we bring to you an interview with Columbus Police Sergent John Hurst who was the lead investigator in the Shaffer case. Conducting the interview is the Captain and investigative journalist Maggie Freleng.

I know it has been discussed many times before, but Hurst now claims that Brian's ex said Brian had experimented with men sexually AND he confirmed with a male that it happened before... Who was that male that stated it was true? Hurst also said Brian and Clint possibly could have been more than friends. I think that is potentially a big clue if true. It would either give motive and/or during a time where a lot of crazy stories happen when homosexual relationships tried to meet on the internet in 2006.

I was really hoping the interview would dive into further details of the medical students he met at the bar and the two women he spoke with before "vanishing" - never even brought up during the interview. Also, there are confirmed phone pings after he left the bar (initially and 6 months later) so I found it odd that Hurst's theory is he got drunk and ended up in a dumpster. I don't see how he comes to that conclusion based on the phone pings.

 

[ErinC]

I found it odd that Hurst's theory is he got drunk and ended up in a dumpster. I don't see how he comes to that conclusion based on the phone pings.

This is all MOO, but I think some of it may have to do with the Kosta Karageorge case, eight years later. (I think there's a thread here somewhere about Kosta) The short version is that Kosta was experiencing mental health issues and climbed into a dumpster to end his own life; the way it was ever found out what had happened was that a dumpster diver just happened to stop by that one dumpster. MOO OMO IMO etc, but it felt to me like local law enforcement agencies saw what happened there and went "Hey! If we know for a fact this one kid went in the dumpster, could it have happened to other kids too?" Corrie Mckeague, not long after that, sort of helped cement the idea also.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

It seems unlikely to me that a successful student, who has a place to live, who has no known history of mental health issues, purposely climbed into a dumpster.

 

[ErinC]

It seems unlikely to me that a successful student, who has a place to live, who has no known history of mental health issues, purposely climbed into a dumpster.

Oh, I 100% agree. I just think that maybe the subsequent case(s) put "student/young man winds up in dumpster" into the public consciousness, and now they've gotten a bit of tunnel vision with that idea, even though it's fairly impractical.

 

[Laura Avery]

Climbing into a.bin, especially if drinking beforehand isn't that uncommon. There have been several cases in the UK at least, this one is quiet well known. Drinking doesn't give us right mindset regardless of mental health issues. Corrie McKeague died after getting into a bin on a night out, inquest finds

 

[AAApopo]

Climbing into a.bin, especially if drinking beforehand isn't that uncommon. There have been several cases in the UK at least, this one is quite well known. Drinking doesn't give us right mindset regardless of mental health issues. Corrie McKeague died after getting into a bin on a night out, inquest finds

But with the phone pings I don’t think the dumpster theory stands unless thrown in and someone took his phone.

 

[Laura Avery]

Possibly, worth keeping an open mind, I guess.

 

[Laura Avery]

Did anyone see this one? Male skeletal remains found in river down from where he was last seen. There's only one rule out and it's not him, if he did come out of the club and tried to.walk to the university, I guess it was easy to fall into the river as it looks so.close to.where his phone last pinged . Included a map to show locations. Grey dot is roughly where last ping was, red dot roughly where remains where located, ugly Tuna also shown on map.
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[ErinC]

Did anyone see this one? Male skeletal remains found in river down from where he was last seen. There's only one rule out and it's not him, if he did come out of the club and tried to.walk to the university, I guess it was easy to fall into the river as it looks so.close to.where his phone last pinged . Included a map to show locations. Grey dot is roughly where last ping was, red dot roughly where remains where located, ugly Tuna also shown on map.
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

They STILL haven't identified that guy??? I hope someone who knows how to do it will submit Brian as a potential, because that sounds a little more than coincidental.

 

[CooperDyl]

Did anyone see this one? Male skeletal remains found in river down from where he was last seen. There's only one rule out and it's not him, if he did come out of the club and tried to.walk to the university, I guess it was easy to fall into the river as it looks so.close to.where his phone last pinged . Included a map to show locations. Grey dot is roughly where last ping was, red dot roughly where remains where located, ugly Tuna also shown on map.
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

There is a websleuths forum for these remains, no progress from what I can see.
There is some conversation about a homeless encampment nearby, and a detective supposedly told the finder of the bones they may have been there as long as 6 months.

You would like to think that with Brian’s case being quite high profile and close in proximity investigators would have looked at a connection, but there’s no reports that they have.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Sad and interesting. They really should run DNA or manually check dental records, if possible, and see if this is him. (There is a quote in that thread indicating some of the skull may have been found, but it also sounds like a very incomplete find.) All IMO.