OH OH - Brian Shaffer, 27, Columbus, 1 April 2006 - #1

[arielilane]

Did anyone attend this fundraiser?

 

[MaryLiz]

? Did anyone attend this fundraiser?

No, I wanted to but had a family reunion. I think they had one last year in the fall, too, so I hope they have another one then...I would like to try to go.

 

[maza]

Thank you all for your nice comments.
Again, I would be shocked if these things hadn't been considered by the investigation team, but:
1. Did the band move their equipment after the show/bar closure? Did anyone consider Brian helped them load? Was the band selling shirts/sweathsirts that evening (I realize most bar bands don't)? If so, perhaps Brian could have put on a band t-shirt when he left (maybe even with the band). Was there video? Were any of the equipment cases large enough to hold a body?
2. Did the bar staff take out the garbage that night? If so, were the containers larger enough to hold a body (I think that alot of restaurants/bars use those big yard waste containers)? I read the dumpsters were checked, but was the garbage hauler's schedule ever considered relative to searching each dumpster? Was the nearest landfill ever searched?

I hope the silence means that the police have their eye on someone or are withholding some evidence until they build their case (could they be looking for a suspect they can't locate because they moved or live in another country? It's not uncommon to feign ignorance until the pieces are in place.) Typically, if there's more than one person involved, at least one person will succumb to their guilt.
I hope some of these questions jar a piece of the puzzle for someone.

The kick drum case would have been large enough (if the band had one). Also, some bands use tour cases and it is possible one of those could have been large enough.

 

[pcoor1970]

I received a response to my email from someone close to the case. I have omitted a few items to protect their identity because I am not sure if they want their opinons shared with the public.
Some (or all) of this info may have been publicized, but it gives us an insider's perspective.
************************************
... I... believe that the 2 'friends' he was with know much more than they are telling. They only spoke to the police for the first few weeks and then lawyered up. Meredith supposedly passed a lie detector test. I don't think she killed Brian but I feel that she may know more than she is saying. Clint has refused to take a lie detector test. ...In the initial interviews... Clint...had... a few 'negative' things to say about Brian and it was within days of him going missing. Seems weird to me. When Randy got to <Brian's> house, Clint was already there INSIDE with officers.

As far as the video questions, I know that Randy spent hours/days looking over where the cameras were, which ones panned, etc. I was not involved in that aspect so I am unable to answer many of those questions.

I had seen the video many times showing Brian going up the escalator. When you get to the top, it opens up and to the left, there is a theatre. On the right, is the entrance to the Ugly Tuna. I was surprised at how very SMALL the UT is. It is MUCH smaller than I had assumed. I don't know how many people could be in there at one time but it is VERY <small>.

The Ugly Tuna just wants it all to go away and have since day one. They have not been the 'easiest' to work with during this experience... I believe it's because they just do not want to be known as the 'bar where the OSU student disappeared'.

One of my concerns is the balcony (the UT is on the 2nd floor). I... asked ... if they had ever considered that Brian was thrown from the balcony. He isn't sure if there is a camera to watch the balcony.

I know that they did look at the films to see if Brian could have 'changed his appearance' but did not find anyone they thought could have been him.

On the last video of Brian, he did not appear to be staggering drunk. He actually didn't seem drunk at all. Randy has been able to speak with both girls that were seen talking to him on the video and he does not feel they were involved. They also said Brian was not 'drunk'.

...I think the cops just thought it was a kid who had drank too much and would turn up soon. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case. A 'domestic violence' unit ... originally investigat(ed) the case!

I believe one car was searched (can't remember which one but not both).

The door to the construction area was 'chained' and someone 'could' have squeezed thru but very unlikely is what we've been told.

I'm not sure about his involvement with anyone else. From all accounts, <Brian> was in love with Alexis and wanted to marry her. BUT, you just never know.

The nearest landfill was searched. Randy and friends searched the dumpsters on Sunday/Monday.

...Brian's family was not notified that he was missing for almost 48 hours... He went missing late Friday/early Saturday morning. Randy received a call from Alexis on Sunday night at 7 p.m...

THANK YOU for looking into Brian's case and spending the time to make the list of questions. I hope some of my answers will help a little.

 

[Donna P]

Has anyone combed the area under the balcony? I have never been to UT but would like to go and check it out. I noticed that Clint Florence was making negative comments to and found it odd. :waitasec:

 

[MaryLiz]

pcoor1970 - Thanks for posting the replies you got. It makes things a little easier in trying to put a picture in my mind about what may have happened that night...not entirely, but at least I have more thoughts about it than I did when it first happened. Odd that Clint was already inside Brian's house talking to the police before Brian's dad even got there. I agree with whoever answered your questions, too, that Clint making negative comments about Brian after he went missing is kind of strange.

I sure wish the Ugly Tuna would have been more cooperative and helpful for the sake of Brian's family. Maybe someone who works/worked there knows more about it than what they are saying, too.

Thanks again.

 

[MaryLiz]

OOOO, I so do not think that is a good idea..Not being disrespectful, but there is a wealth of info about that guy and his site.. AND they are pushing a tv show, which imo, presents a conflict..

Gosh Blink, you're right...I was only going by the fact that I've seen some threads on here where people have consulted with him on a couple of cases. I didn't really know much about him but I checked out his site and saw he had lottery picks on there!!! Guess it wasn't such a good idea.

Donna - Creating the Flair on Facebook was good though.

 

[Donna P]

ummmm, thanks. just looking for opinions, no judgements

 

[MaryLiz]

ummmm, thanks. just looking for opinions, no judgements

No judgment...I just hadn't checked him out when I said I thought it was a good idea. I was going on what I had seen here about him with other members in regards to their family members being missing. For me personally the rub was seeing he gave lottery picks on his site. Combining missing persons and lotteries didn't seem right to me. That's what we want on here is opinions and ideas. As Blink34 said, no disrespect intended.

 

[Blink34]

ummmm, thanks. just looking for opinions, no judgements

If that was to me I did give me opinion, giving a judgement would be telling you exacly why in specific detail, I am not a proponent.
I specifically chose not to do that to stay on topic.

 

[arielilane]

Thinking of Brian and his family...

 

[Donna P]

ummmm, thanks. just looking for opinions, no judgements

move on already----
www.findbrianshaffer.com

 

[bluestarzz]

sorry to asked...but any "smiley faces" around the water close to the bar/or the other place w/the woman?
bluestarzz

 

[Donna P]

They have never said that they have found any, to my knowledge anyway

 

[SisterMadly]

I don't believe they found any either. The retired detectives who are spearheading that case have said that they believe Brian's case is connected. I'm still holding out hope that he is alive out there somewhere and will come back to his father any day now, so I pray he isn't connected.

 

[Donna P]

What evidence did they find to say that they think it is connected? Did they base this on him fitting the target description?

I don't believe they found any either. The retired detectives who are spearheading that case have said that they believe Brian's case is connected. I'm still holding out hope that he is alive out there somewhere and will come back to his father any day now, so I pray he isn't connected.

 

[SisterMadly]

What evidence did they find to say that they think it is connected? Did they base this on him fitting the target description?

Pretty much, yeah. There hasn't been any published evidence or information saying why they believe that, so I'm guessing it's based on the profile of his disappearance. They spoke really briefly with NBC4 back in April, but it's disappeared from NBC4's website. There is a reprint of the news story at this link (right now it's the second story from the bottom of the page):
http://fromwhisperstor.6.forumer.com/a/smiley-face-murders-college-age-boys-at-risk_post29189.html

 

[Indianagirl]

Thank you all for your nice comments.
Again, I would be shocked if these things hadn't been considered by the investigation team, but:
1. Did the band move their equipment after the show/bar closure? Did anyone consider Brian helped them load? Was the band selling shirts/sweathsirts that evening (I realize most bar bands don't)? If so, perhaps Brian could have put on a band t-shirt when he left (maybe even with the band). Was there video? Were any of the equipment cases large enough to hold a body?
2. Did the bar staff take out the garbage that night? If so, were the containers larger enough to hold a body (I think that alot of restaurants/bars use those big yard waste containers)? I read the dumpsters were checked, but was the garbage hauler's schedule ever considered relative to searching each dumpster? Was the nearest landfill ever searched?

I hope the silence means that the police have their eye on someone or are withholding some evidence until they build their case (could they be looking for a suspect they can't locate because they moved or live in another country? It's not uncommon to feign ignorance until the pieces are in place.) Typically, if there's more than one person involved, at least one person will succumb to their guilt.
I hope some of these questions jar a piece of the puzzle for someone.

I remember watching a news clip and it said that the tapes had been closely looked at for Brian leaving the bar, even looked for him to be wearing something different. No one matched him leaving the bar.

 

[Indianagirl]

Greetings, I am new to this and after seeing Brian's story on Psychic Kids and then doing some research on my own, I came up with some questions. As a former cop, I can't help but think these questions have been asked, but I couldn't find the answers. Thanks.

*Was the video surveillance equipment property of the Ugly Tuna? On the video, it appears that the escalator may have been part of a small retail area, not just the bar (I have never been there so I have no reference).
*Were the times listed on the surveillance video verified as being accurate?
*Did taping continue after the closure of the bar (was taping done 24 hours/day)?
*If surveillance taping did not continue after the bar closed, who knew that taping would discontinue?
*If video taping continued overnight, was there ever a time when lights were off and a person could leave the bar undetected despite the video recording?
*Could Brian have been unconscious/deceased and left in the bar and moved at a later time? (Again, was the video on all the time?)
*Was the bar alarmed? If so, was it monitored by an alarm company? (If so, are there records that the alarm was set and if so, was the setting consistent with other Friday nights?)
*If alarmed, was the alarm activated at any point that night?
*Were there any windows Brian could have exited or forced through? If so, were they finger printed?
*Could Brian have been wearing a jacket or hat when he left the bar?
*Were the two women Brian was seen talking to on the video ever identified and questioned?
*Does Brian's "inner circle" feel it's suspicious that Clint and Meredith refused polygraph exams?
*Do the family/friends or police have any suspicions they are not sharing with the public so as not to arouse suspicion about a person?
*Were Clint and/or Meredith’s cars searched?
*Brian’s dad stated that Brian never carried cash. Was his credit/debit card used at all that night? (Even before he went missing)
*Was there ever a question if Brian may have been involved with someone else? What was his reputation regarding women? (Sorry, I don't mean to be insensitive)
*Was the door that went to the “construction area” locked? It doesn’t make sense that a door to a dangerous area would not be secured.
*Was the construction area an extension of the Ugly Tuna or another establishment?
*Was there any reason for any bar staff to be in that area?
*Is there a general consensus theory on what happened?

I think it is very possible that Brian left the bar through the service exit that lead outside to the construction area, outside of camera view. I remember a few years ago on New Years Eve, I was a bit drunk partying at a really nice hotel. We did not stay in the rooms, everyone partied outside of the rooms where it overlooked the lobby of the hotel. I'm not sure what floor I was on but i was pretty high up. Well, I accidentally went through a door that lead to stairs, where construction had been going on. When I tried to get back in the door it had automatically locked behind me. So I had to go down several flights of stairs, where no one was around. When I got to the bottom the only exit lead to outside, where no one was. It was very scary! I wasn't even sure what street I was on....

 

[pcoor1970]

I have doubts about the service exit. During an interview, a detective speculated that it would be very difficult to navigate the area and then squeeze through the chained up door (however, Brian does look slim and fit). Since search dogs didn't pick up a scent in the construction area and there was no blood evidence, I think the most likely point of egress is through the main exits.
Consider the possibility that:
1. He wasn't recognized on the video. The quality is never very good on surveillance video and altough the family and detectives reviewed the video (frame by frame, I'm sure), there is always a chance he wasn't noticed, or disguised in a way to make him unrecognizable.
OR
2. He left (or was forced to leave) in a "blind spot" outside of camera range (like along a wall). Most surveillance cameras are set up to catch the majority of activity in an area, there are often areas that they only catch the view of a foot or hand.
If you consider this, it is a HUGE coincidence that Brian would just "happen" to exit in such a way. An even more interesting theory is someone abducted him inside the bar and was aware enough of the cameras that they deliberately avoid the camera view when they left with him.
It's all speculation. I just wish we had some small indication of what happened that night.