OH OH - Brian Shaffer, 27, Columbus, 1 April 2006 - #3

[embufum]

It certainly could have been disabled due to construction - but I though that this staircase led to the street entrance which would have triggered the camera (and that LE confirmed that camera was working)?? Is there more than one emergency exit?

Yes I do believe that's the one that was set to snap a photo when the door opened.

 

[embufum]

Not sure about the back story, someone posted it and asked if anyone thought it resembled Brian.

 

[embufum]

Balcony escape is doable, but 1) as you note, he'd have been seen doing it and 2) as you note, he'd have appeared on surveillance cams and more significantly 3) he never made another peep or was ever seen again after 2am or so, suggesting that not only may he NOT have left the building, he may have died there shortly after 2am or so. It seems to me that Brian's departure from the building was likely linked to his death, and his attempted departure was through the construction site, and he died there in a mishap, and his remains are still there... In other words, the argument against the balcony 'escape' is an argument against any 'escape', because had he 'escaped' his life would have gone on with the attendant clues - cell phone use, atm use, apt use, car use, etc etc. IMO, Brian was very likely dead within minutes of his final appearance on the cam just outside the entrance to the Saloona.

I think this presumed linkage of Brian's (attempted) departure from building and his seeming disappearance from the face of the Earth at that the very same point in time is the key to the case, a key that was perhaps too easily dismissed circa the first week of April, 2006.

My theory is that he waited under the stage until the place was empty and then left over the balcony. I did read one article from a detective that theorized Brian could have jumped off the balcony. The day I went there with under a minute of being there I noticed the stage and IMO how easy it would have been for him to hide under there.

 

[Satch]

I am leaning more and more toward this and less and less toward foul play, Also, Brian's severely drunken state lead to curiosity and perhaps to go exploring. He saw that construction site and was curious about it with the liquor affecting his judgment and thinking. He walked, stumbled, and fell into danger that killed him, or injured him so badly that he couldn't escape and died. People think that they can do things when drunk that they would never dream of doing when sober.

Satch

My question is come Monday morning and daylight, why wouldn't the construction crews see Brian's body? I don't really know anything about construction, However, even if buried under rubble, how can a working crew miss a body? I could see a tragic situation of a puppy or kitten or some other animal being overlooked, but a human body? How would that be missed? This isn't a body of water here, this is a construction site. Wouldn't there be evidence in the concrete and foundation of a human body's impact, even if concealed?

Satch

 

[embufum]

My question is come Monday morning and daylight, why wouldn't the construction crews see Brian's body? I don't really know anything about construction, However, even if buried under rubble, how can a working crew miss a body? I could see a tragic situation of a puppy or kitten or some other animal being overlooked, but a human body? How would that be missed? This isn't a body of water here, this is a construction site. Wouldn't there be evidence in the concrete and foundation of a human body's impact, even if concealed?

Satch

Good question. What do we even know about the construction that was going on there? Was there concrete being laid and if so did they pour any on Friday or Monday or any day? From the photos I posted you can see that from where some people say Brian entered to where the exit is looks to be about the length of the entire building. Maybe a few hundred feet. Now I know what the police meant when they said it would be nearly impossible for a sober person to navigate.

This construction are looks to be a long hallway or some kind of passage way possibly that maybe leads between the stores. It doesn't look to me like it was a standard remodel of an office.

 

[embufum]

On a side note I spoke to a friend of mine last night who lives in Columbus. (childhood friends) he never heard of Brian Shaffer. He has lived there I'm guessing over 20 years.

I was asking him about the bars and what time they close he said state law they all close at 2:30. Another friend of mine was a campus police officer at Ohio State but he was promoted before Brian went missing. I asked him a few years back if he heard about Brian and he said he did but didn't really know much. He mentioned that one of the Sargent's son went missing after a night of drinking. Seems this one doesn't get much publicity.

 

[neesaki]

Not sure about the back story, someone posted it and asked if anyone thought it resembled Brian.

Hi embufum, I don't remember this pic, was it posted here or elsewhere ? If so do you have a link ? TIA

 

[Satch]

Here is a Google Earth picture of what the Ugly Tuna Saloona and surrounding areas look like today. (Or whenever Google snapped this picture.) Go to Google Maps and type in "Ugly Tuna Saloona" (no quotes) and you can navigate around the area from both map view and satellite view. (Google Earth.) This just gives us another picture perspective to add to our research.

What we REALLY need is a view from April 1, 2006!

Satch

 

[j_in_c]

My question is come Monday morning and daylight, why wouldn't the construction crews see Brian's body? I don't really know anything about construction, However, even if buried under rubble, how can a working crew miss a body? I could see a tragic situation of a puppy or kitten or some other animal being overlooked, but a human body? How would that be missed? This isn't a body of water here, this is a construction site. Wouldn't there be evidence in the concrete and foundation of a human body's impact, even if concealed?

Satch

This is definitely where I know there has been previous discussion and it was pointed out that a lot of ppl would have been on this job which would mean a lot of eyes. I can't recall if dumpsters were checked but I do recall it being clarified that any accidental pouring of concrete without seeing a body where they were about to pour is very unlikely.

It would be great to see photos of the construction zone as it was on April 3rd when searched by the police - it would either lend credence to the idea his body was trapped somewhere in there or make that incredibly improbable.

 

[itsrak]

My theory is that he waited under the stage until the place was empty and then left over the balcony. I did read one article from a detective that theorized Brian could have jumped off the balcony. The day I went there with under a minute of being there I noticed the stage and IMO how easy it would have been for him to hide under there.

Why do you think that after hiding under the stage and then leaping from the balcony to the street, Brian was never seen, videotaped, or otherwise heard from again as if he were dead?

Do you think he was coincidentally murdered just as he began his 'great escape' from his great life?

Do you think he may still be alive?!

 

[itsrak]

My question is come Monday morning and daylight, why wouldn't the construction crews see Brian's body? I don't really know anything about construction, However, even if buried under rubble, how can a working crew miss a body? I could see a tragic situation of a puppy or kitten or some other animal being overlooked, but a human body? How would that be missed? This isn't a body of water here, this is a construction site. Wouldn't there be evidence in the concrete and foundation of a human body's impact, even if concealed?

Satch

Hard to say without knowing what the construction site looked like on 4/1/06, isn't it? Wouldn't it be interesting to hear from Detective/Sgt. Hurst what the construction site was like and what the investigators did to ensure that Brian had not become injured or died on the construction site. I wonder what degree of confidence they have that Brian's remains are not presently on the former construction site. Also be interesting to hear what their theories are today.

 

[Looking4Brian]

Hello fellow sleuthers! I am excited to tell you that Episode 2 of our podcast called Comeback will be available tomorrow. The episode is called Details From Sergeant Hurst. It will feature our recorded call with Sergeant Hurst where he answers many of he questions we all have. Since I can’t give away any details I would love to discuss what you guys think now after hearing from Sergeant Hurst. I gotta tell ya with an in-depth investigation like we are doing The Brian Shaffer rabbit hole has gotten bigger and smaller at the same time. It’s all just so strange to me!

 

[embufum]

Why do you think that after hiding under the stage and then leaping from the balcony to the street, Brian was never seen, videotaped, or otherwise heard from again as if he were dead?

Do you think he was coincidentally murdered just as he began his 'great escape' from his great life?

Do you think he may still be alive?!

It's all about perception as far as how good or bad someone's life is. I know a girl who's husband hung himself in their garage with zero warning. In fact he walked right past the family and just did it with no good byes or warning. I guess my point is we can never tell what someone is really thinking when trapped inside their own mind.

I'm going to try and find the interview where I read the detective saying that Brian could have jumped off the balcony. I'm not 100% positive but I think he said that if Brian went right which would be down towards the construction exit into the alley he could have eluded cameras. Like I said I'm not sure so I'll do my best to find it.


Assuming he did this one can only speculate what happened. Maybe he hid under the stage to hide from Clint for some reason and once the place was closed and when he left he was murdered by coincidence. I don't think that Clint killed Brian even if there was something going on it could just be something unrelated. What if they did get into an argument like best friends do and then Brian ends up missing. Would you want to tell the police hey I have know clue what happened to him but yeah we got into an argument that night. You would all of the sudden become the prime suspect.

Woops you asked me if I think he is still alive. It's happened before. Look at the lady they just arrested in Florida a couple years ago. She was presumed dead for almost 20 years. A husband and 2 young kids. Right in the middle of cooking dinner she walked to a park met 2 strangers and left with them and never looked back. This lady left with nothing!! The husband almost got charged with murder. Could Brian be alive? Of course he could, but he could just as easily be dead.

 

[Satch]

Woops you asked me if I think he is still alive. It's happened before. Look at the lady they just arrested in Florida a couple years ago. She was presumed dead for almost 20 years. A husband and 2 young kids. Right in the middle of cooking dinner she walked to a park met 2 strangers and left with them and never looked back. This lady left with nothing!! The husband almost got charged with murder. Could Brian be alive? Of course he could, but he could just as easily be dead.

How was the lady found alive?

Satch

 

[embufum]

Hi embufum, I don't remember this pic, was it posted here or elsewhere ? If so do you have a link ? TIA

I'm trying to find where I saw this. I think it was on someone's facebook page. OK so there was I think 3 photos. I saved all of them. They all look the same but you can see slight changes in his expression so who ever took these photos took them real quick in succession. They were taken in the back seat of a car and it was raining outside and you can see houses in the back ground.

Do I think this is Brian? IMO it could be. This man looks a lot like him but maybe older. He looks to be around early to mid 30's. His hairline is very similar as well as the nose and shape of the face. He looks to be a little surprised and his eyebrows seem to be up in the air like someone who is slightly startled. It doesn't look like this guy knew he was getting his picture taken. I'll post the originals because I think I lightened these up some.

 

[embufum]

How was the lady found alive?

Satch

She got arrested. Imagine their surprise. lol She was a house cleaner so no record of her at all. OK my bad, it was 11 years she only looks 20 years older.


https://www.cnn.com/2013/05/01/us/pennsylvania-woman-reappears/index.html

 

[embufum]

So there are 4 pics all slightly different. Looks like he was in the middle of talking when they were taken. No flash so you gotta wonder if he knew his pic was being taken. Whether one thinks he is or isn't Brian it's kind of an odd way to take photos of someone.

 

[neesaki]

I'm trying to find where I saw this. I think it was on someone's facebook page. OK so there was I think 3 photos. I saved all of them. They all look the same but you can see slight changes in his expression so who ever took these photos took them real quick in succession. They were taken in the back seat of a car and it was raining outside and you can see houses in the back ground.

Do I think this is Brian? IMO it could be. This man looks a lot like him but maybe older. He looks to be around early to mid 30's. His hairline is very similar as well as the nose and shape of the face. He looks to be a little surprised and his eyebrows seem to be up in the air like someone who is slightly startled. It doesn't look like this guy knew he was getting his picture taken. I'll post the originals because I think I lightened these up some.

He does bear some resemblance, hard to say though. If taken more recently he’d be older, so a little different. Looking forward to the other pics.

 

[neesaki]

He does bear some resemblance, hard to say though. If taken more recently he’d be older, so a little different. Looking forward to the other pics.

Eta: thanks! So hard to tell, too bad he’s not smiling.

 

[embufum]

Eta: thanks! So hard to tell, too bad he’s not smiling.

I'm betting he is being taped and these are still shots. At one point he looks to his right it just doesn't seem like he is aware he is being filmed. He also looks a tad nervous to me.