OH OH - Brian Shaffer, 27, Columbus, 1 April 2006 - #2

[HelpingHeart]

I thought my guy was going to propose to me a few months ago. Instead he left me. So who knows! When they're depressed, their moods change drastically. This is definitely a possible case. Also - they tend to do something they wouldn't normally be characteristic of them, i.e. drink a lot, cheat, gamble, etc. then you factor in suicide or escaping.


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[neesaki]

I thought my guy was going to propose to me a few months ago. Instead he left me. So who knows! When they're depressed, their moods change drastically. This is definitely a possible case. Also - they tend to do something they wouldn't normally be characteristic of them, i.e. drink a lot, cheat, gamble, etc. then you factor in suicide or escaping.


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I do wonder if Brian had any history of depression. I do get a distinct impression that he was torn, as in his statements about becoming a doctor was just a "job", and wanting to skip school and run off. Then he lost his mother.

 

[HelpingHeart]

I forgot. How far was the river compared to the bar?


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[MatthewTyler]

I forgot. How far was the river compared to the bar?


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It's about a mile or 2 away. Kind of far for a drunken trek, which is why a lot of people don't believe the theory that he accidentally stumbled into the river and drowned

 

[Alleykins]

It's about a mile or 2 away. Kind of far for a drunken trek, which is why a lot of people don't believe the theory that he accidentally stumbled into the river and drowned

I agree.
That's a long way to stumble and actually make it.
The incidents we have here of accidental drowning and falling into the river/ocean, the people are intoxicated and they are right along the water's edge. When my nephew went off to college in a town notorious for this, I told him to stay away from the bars on the piers for that reason. The water isn't even blocked off in some cases - only a thick rope tied to a post separates the patron and certain doom.
We're waiting on news that should be announced today about remains found a couple days ago in the bay in my town to find out if it's a young man who went missing December.

 

[Deleted member 155000]

I forgot. How far was the river compared to the bar?


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There are a couple different routes...the closest being between 1.2 and 1.3 miles away. So it's not like it was running right behind the street he was on, which was what I was imagining when I first saw the speculation about that.

 

[HelpingHeart]

Foul play, then dumped in there is a theory though.


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[HelpingHeart]

And if they put them in there a certain way, doesn't mean they'll be found. Thinking of that makes me feel sick.


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[MatthewTyler]

And if they put them in there a certain way, doesn't mean they'll be found. Thinking of that makes me feel sick.


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Possibly if they tied him down with weights or wrapped him up in some kind of covering. I don't know how deep the Olentangy river is exactly, but I haven't heard of anyone falling in and not being found eventually. He would be the first (that I know of). Also his father, brother and a team of searchers bought wading boots and actually went in the river to look for him

 

[ekardh]

If Brian was going to run away and start a new life, I don't think he would've done it in the middle of a night out. Yes it's possible bla bla bla but a lot of things were physically possible, that doesn't make them any more likely.

 

[Deleted member 155000]

Possibly if they tied him down with weights or wrapped him up in some kind of covering. I don't know how deep the Olentangy river is exactly, but I haven't heard of anyone falling in and not being found eventually. He would be the first (that I know of). Also his father, brother and a team of searchers bought wading boots and actually went in the river to look for him

Some locals have come on this thread, and the previous one, to point out the Olentangy was very low at this time due it being drained/dam-controlled. Still doesn't rule out the possibility, but decreases the likelihood.

 

[HelpingHeart]

Some locals have come on this thread, and the previous one, to point out the Olentangy was very low at this time due it being drained/dam-controlled. Still doesn't rule out the possibility, but decreases the likelihood.

I see. I truly just cannot think of anything else that could have happened outside of him running away then. But yes, why that evening while out? Being at a bar, then gone. Could he have walked home if his friends left him? Was it too far?


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[MatthewTyler]

My personal theory is this (And I know it is by no means solid and there are plenty of holes I'm sure):

. Brian goes out drinking with Clint and later Meredith
. At the Ugly Tuna Saloona, he talks to someone who mentions a party afterwards at someone's house
. He does not say anything to Clint or Meredith about this-- maybe because they would try to talk him out of it if they suspected there would be heavy drug use. (Maybe Brian had a history of experimenting?)
. Instead of taking the front exit he takes the service or construction exit so he can avoid Clint and Meredith finding him and taking him home. Maybe he tells other people going to the party he'll meet them outside after he sneaks out away from his friends.
. Brian gets into a car right outside waiting for him (possible explanation of why cadaver dogs lost his scent near the bar)
. He goes to a party, maybe in Hilliard because that's where his phone pings months later, and something happens- overdose maybe. Then he dies.
. Guests panic and bury his body somewhere in Hilliard- it seems to be more back countryish and less traffic/witnesses.



Again, I know it's flawed. Here are two things I definitely don't think happened:

. Brian exits bar and is killed by random attacker/mugger-- No cards of his were ever used. Plus I doubt an attacker would bother hiding his body so well. They would, if anything, probably throw it in a dumpster. Many witnesses as well.

. Brian is hurt/killed/overdoses in the bar and is covered up by staff-- again too many witnesses and that's pretty tough to hide in a crowded bar. Where would they even stash in body? And to have nobody see them drag the body into a hidden spot for the rest of the night? Plus Brian is seen on camera at 1:55 AM and presumably disappears with everyone else by 2:09 when is was closing. That's not a lot of time for any tragedy to happen and be covered.

Personally I think this case puts too much into the whole "not being caught on camera thing". There's always the chance that the camera just missed him going out the back exit or he simply took the construction detour.

 

[HelpingHeart]

My personal theory is this (And I know it is by no means solid and there are plenty of holes I'm sure):

. Brian goes out drinking with Clint and later Meredith
. At the Ugly Tuna Saloona, he talks to someone who mentions a party afterwards at someone's house
. He does not say anything to Clint or Meredith about this-- maybe because they would try to talk him out of it if they suspected there would be heavy drug use. (Maybe Brian had a history of experimenting?)
. Instead of taking the front exit he takes the service or construction exit so he can avoid Clint and Meredith finding him and taking him home. Maybe he tells other people going to the party he'll meet them outside after he sneaks out away from his friends.
. Brian gets into a car right outside waiting for him (possible explanation of why cadaver dogs lost his scent near the bar)
. He goes to a party, maybe in Hilliard because that's where his phone pings months later, and something happens- overdose maybe. Then he dies.
. Guests panic and bury his body somewhere in Hilliard- it seems to be more back countryish and less traffic/witnesses.



Again, I know it's flawed. Here are two things I definitely don't think happened:

. Brian exits bar and is killed by random attacker/mugger-- No cards of his were ever used. Plus I doubt an attacker would bother hiding his body so well. They would, if anything, probably throw it in a dumpster. Many witnesses as well.

. Brian is hurt/killed/overdoses in the bar and is covered up by staff-- again too many witnesses and that's pretty tough to hide in a crowded bar. Where would they even stash in body? And to have nobody see them drag the body into a hidden spot for the rest of the night? Plus Brian is seen on camera at 1:55 AM and presumably disappears with everyone else by 2:09 when is was closing. That's not a lot of time for any tragedy to happen and be covered.

Personally I think this case puts too much into the whole "not being caught on camera thing". There's always the chance that the camera just missed him going out the back exit or he simply took the construction detour.

I agree. I think he left that evening. How and when, not sure? But, he either met with foul play - via random or maybe hanging with wrong people like you said, or he escaped his life - especially considering the stuff he said up until his disappearance and losing his mom.


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[dotr]

Maybe in the darkened or flashing lights of the bar during the band set, Brian slipped out through the band /back entrance/exit, perhaps unseen if he walked past an area blocked by possible band van or truck parked nearby?
Could he have crawled out of the club and thus undetected on cctv?
all speculation, imo.

 

[Deleted member 155000]

My personal theory is this (And I know it is by no means solid and there are plenty of holes I'm sure):

. Brian goes out drinking with Clint and later Meredith
. At the Ugly Tuna Saloona, he talks to someone who mentions a party afterwards at someone's house
. He does not say anything to Clint or Meredith about this-- maybe because they would try to talk him out of it if they suspected there would be heavy drug use. (Maybe Brian had a history of experimenting?)
. Instead of taking the front exit he takes the service or construction exit so he can avoid Clint and Meredith finding him and taking him home. Maybe he tells other people going to the party he'll meet them outside after he sneaks out away from his friends.
. Brian gets into a car right outside waiting for him (possible explanation of why cadaver dogs lost his scent near the bar)
. He goes to a party, maybe in Hilliard because that's where his phone pings months later, and something happens- overdose maybe. Then he dies.
. Guests panic and bury his body somewhere in Hilliard- it seems to be more back countryish and less traffic/witnesses.



Again, I know it's flawed. Here are two things I definitely don't think happened:

. Brian exits bar and is killed by random attacker/mugger-- No cards of his were ever used. Plus I doubt an attacker would bother hiding his body so well. They would, if anything, probably throw it in a dumpster. Many witnesses as well.

. Brian is hurt/killed/overdoses in the bar and is covered up by staff-- again too many witnesses and that's pretty tough to hide in a crowded bar. Where would they even stash in body? And to have nobody see them drag the body into a hidden spot for the rest of the night? Plus Brian is seen on camera at 1:55 AM and presumably disappears with everyone else by 2:09 when is was closing. That's not a lot of time for any tragedy to happen and be covered.

Personally I think this case puts too much into the whole "not being caught on camera thing". There's always the chance that the camera just missed him going out the back exit or he simply took the construction detour.

I always hope for the best; that somehow he's still alive.

But I agree about your likely scenario. I would add, he was said to have gone to talk to the band right before Clint and Meredith lost touch with him. He did have a Pearl Jam tattoo and had said on his MySpace in multiple places he wished he could be in a band someday. So the idea that he would've enjoyed hanging out afterward with band members seems very possible. Maybe, if they had equipment, he helped them break it down and load it up. They may have even invited him somewhere with them...to a party, back to their place, (less likely) to join them on the road.

Clint and Brian DID make a point to go back to Ugly Tuna after leaving. Maybe, they in fact, *wanted* to hear the band and that's why they did so. And, maybe, Brian purposefully dodged them so he--a music fan--could stay and hang out with band members after.

If any of this is plausible, then it's frustrating because in all the coverage I read, I found almost nothing about the band. A local came on and called the stage "a small stage area" at one point. No one said the name of the band or even the genre that I know of. I believe it was briefly mentioned they "checked with the band," but I am not sure if the police questioned them, how extensively, if they checked their vehicles etc. Does anyone know anything about the band?

 

[HelpingHeart]

I always hope for the best; that somehow he's still alive.

But I agree about your likely scenario. I would add, he was said to have gone to talk to the band right before Clint and Meredith lost touch with him. He did have a Pearl Jam tattoo and had said on his MySpace in multiple places he wished he could be in a band someday. So the idea that he would've enjoyed hanging out afterward with band members seems very possible. Maybe, if they had equipment, he helped them break it down and load it up. They may have even invited him somewhere with them...to a party, back to their place, (less likely) to join them on the road.

Clint and Brian DID make a point to go back to Ugly Tuna after leaving. Maybe, they in fact, *wanted* to hear the band and that's why they did so. And, maybe, Clint purposefully dodged them so he--a music fan--could stay and hang out with band members after.

If any of this is plausible, then it's frustrating because in all the coverage I read, I found almost nothing about the band. A local came on and called the stage "a small stage area" at one point. No one said the name of the band or even the genre that I know of. I believe it was briefly mentioned they "checked with the band," but I am not sure if the police questioned them, how extensively, if they checked their vehicles etc. Does anyone know anything about the band?

All I've read is they were questioned. To what extent, I'm not sure. But, how did no other cameras catch him anywhere? So puzzling.


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[Deleted member 155000]

All I can find about the band is this reference in an article on the 10th anniversary of his disappearance: "The whip of a nearby shake band, punctuated by tanked melody, thundered through the bar."

Matthew Tyler, have you run into the name of the band?

If anyone else is reading who is local, knew Brian, or knows a source that mentions more about the band, would you please post?

 

[MatthewTyler]

I don't know the name of the band but I saw in the msnbc video about the case that one of the detectives said the band was questioned and unable to provide any information. I believe they also said they don't even recall Brian talking to them. But of course, if they DID invite Brian to hang out with them after and he overdosed then of course they would deny ever knowing him. They wouldn't want their name attached to Brian's disappearance or a drug scandal. Was the band the last to leave besides the staff? Brian said around 2 am that he was going to talk to the band, but I doubt they'd pack up and be gone in only 10 minutes when everyone was leaving and Clint and Meredith were supposedly looking for him. Once it cleared out more I feel like if he was helping the band pack up then his friends would have been able to locate him.

 

[HelpingHeart]

I don't know the name of the band but I saw in the msnbc video about the case that one of the detectives said the band was questioned and unable to provide any information. I believe they also said they don't even recall Brian talking to them. But of course, if they DID invite Brian to hang out with them after and he overdosed then of course they would deny ever knowing him. They wouldn't want their name attached to Brian's disappearance or a drug scandal. Was the band the last to leave besides the staff? Brian said around 2 am that he was going to talk to the band, but I doubt they'd pack up and be gone in only 10 minutes when everyone was leaving and Clint and Meredith were supposedly looking for him. Once it cleared out more I feel like if he was helping the band pack up then his friends would have been able to locate him.

"Talk to the band", could be an excuse to leave.


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