OH OH - Brian Shaffer, 27, Columbus, 1 April 2006 - #4

[Ozoner]

I don't know that bar's policy, or what the state law was at the time we know the bar's last call is at 2 AM. You can stay in the bar and finish your drink, but I've been in bars where no one from outside is allowed inside if they weren't in at last call (2 AM) even if the bar was open later for people to finish their last drink.

At every bar I've ever been to in the US, the bar clock has been 10 minutes fast. If last call is at 2:00 A.M. by the bar clock, the true time is actually 1:50 A.M.

 

[MerryB]

At every bar I've ever been to in the US, the bar clock has been 10 minutes fast. If last call is at 2:00 A.M. by the bar clock, the true time is actually 1:50 A.M.

I guess what I’m asking is: doesn’t it seem that Brian left when he did in response to seeing Clint & Meredith approaching the exit?
It’s like he was going to head back in, saw them, and ducked out the nearest exit.
Clint & Meredith were on the escalator by 2:00 AM.
Brian was right outside the bar at 1:58. He said goodbye to the girls & started back towards the bar door. Clint & Meredith were out the door & on the escalator by 2:00.
Did Clint see Brian?

 

[itsrak]

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

That is what now retired Sgt. Hurst said in latest interview, as to whether there was any chance Brian died in an accident in the construction area. Not 'probably not' - absolutely. That is a red flag.

Why absolutely? If absolutely, then why did they bother to search the site several days after Brian went missing? Because it seemed like he could be there. That'd be why Brian's dad was compelled to search the site as well. The reason Hurst now says Brian absolutely didn't die in there must be because CPD searched the construction site and didn't find him. In other words, he is saying 'no way we missed him'. Please.

When Hurst has spoken of the construction site, what he says - Brian seemed not to have left the building, Brian not seen in the neighborhood, site completely dug up, active construction site, easily accessed, difficult to navigate even sober, uneven piles of dirt, pit where elevator was to go in just feet from where Brian was last seen, and suggesting that Brian may well have entered the construction area and 'most likely' 'got exited out of there' screams 'Brian is in there'. But then he concludes 'absolutely not'. He gives you all the reasons he seems to be in there, and then he say he is NOT in there! And then there is the fact that CPD's video review showed that everyone who entered the building that day per video also appeared on video exiting the building, except one. And who might that have been? It was the guy who went permanently missing that evening. What a coincidence. Gee, do ya think there might be a linkage? A causal linkage? Seemed not to have left the premises, and went permanently missing at the same moment? And there happened to be a completely dug up construction area right there. And there was a stench reported in the wake of the disappearance. And Cingular issued pings from its cellular tower network in the wake of Brian's disappearance and showed that Brian's phone was in the Columbus area after his disappearance, and quite possibly stationary.

Brian's been gone 14 years and neither his body nor his phone has turned up. He's likely buried somewhere. That somewhere is most likely right there in the building. They just missed him. Sadly. IMO.

 

[zasar18]

And Cingular issued pings from its cellular tower network in the wake of Brian's disappearance and showed that Brian's phone was in the Columbus area after his disappearance, and quite possibly stationary.

I agree that a simple explanation is best; however, we probably cannot put value into the phone pings under this particular theory. If I understand correctly, Brian's phone did not ping for several months after he went missing. If he was buried with his phone, the battery surely would have died in that time span, so it would not ping. Furthermore, there's a decent chance that he would not have reception if he were indeed buried. So, I think it is fairly safe to say that: (1) he is not buried, (2) if he is buried, his phone is not with him, and/or (3) the phone ping was a computer glitch.

 

[Ozoner]

I agree that a simple explanation is best; however, we probably cannot put value into the phone pings under this particular theory. If I understand correctly, Brian's phone did not ping for several months after he went missing. If he was buried with his phone, the battery surely would have died in that time span, so it would not ping. Furthermore, there's a decent chance that he would not have reception if he were indeed buried. So, I think it is fairly safe to say that: (1) he is not buried, (2) if he is buried, his phone is not with him, and/or (3) the phone ping was a computer glitch.

The phone ping from several months later was almost certainly a glitch, if you want to call it that.
-
However, Brian's mobile phone service pinged his phone a couple of times (at the request of LE) in the days following his disappearance. The pings showed that Brian's phone had not left ghe general area.

 

[_Patches]

As an engineer who has spent lots of time on construction sites, I don’t think it would have been possible to just accidentally die on a construction site and have no one notice. It’s just not realistic. More possible that someone buried him there, but I do still think cadaver dogs would have hit on him had he been there.

I’ve never heard anything of a “stench”. Ugly Tuna was a college bar, I drank there a bunch during my time at OSU, it usually smelled a little off like any other bar I went too. They had dollar drinks from 8-10 every day, it was a dive bar. Always baffles me when people call this a “seafood restaurant” or something.

Also, off campus OSU in the mid -2000s was a different animal than it is today. I know more than a few people who got jumped in “nicer” areas of off-campus between 2012-2017. College kids at night make easy targets.

 

[itsrak]

As an engineer who has spent lots of time on construction sites, I don’t think it would have been possible to just accidentally die on a construction site and have no one notice. It’s just not realistic. More possible that someone buried him there, but I do still think cadaver dogs would have hit on him had he been there.

I’ve never heard anything of a “stench”. Ugly Tuna was a college bar, I drank there a bunch during my time at OSU, it usually smelled a little off like any other bar I went too. They had dollar drinks from 8-10 every day, it was a dive bar. Always baffles me when people call this a “seafood restaurant” or something.

Also, off campus OSU in the mid -2000s was a different animal than it is today. I know more than a few people who got jumped in “nicer” areas of off-campus between 2012-2017. College kids at night make easy targets.

The stench was reported on yelp by a patron of the Gateway Cinema. I posted about it here in 2018, at which time I had searched old yelp postings for businesses in the Gateway Complex hoping to find a clue, and was stunned to find a post from around 2007 or 2008 mentioning a stench in the Gateway Cinema. Brian was last seen on vid standing just outside the UTS, in a common area between the 2nd floor entrances to the UTS and Gateway Cinema businesses. Of course, whether the reported stench was related to missing Brian Shaffer is unknown.

 

[Old Mozez]

As an engineer who has spent lots of time on construction sites

If a roof covered building is near completion let's say, pretty much what's left is for some businesses to move in and so forth, why would a police officer describe the area as completely dug up and difficult to navigate even sober?
Also what´s up with the suspended wooden walk-way, it span quite some distance in there. That tells me the foundation wasn't cemented and admissible, possibly even dangerous by all accounts to roam freely.
We also recently got to hear of possible tunnels and what not...

When the searches were conducted it's possible they just tagged along that wooden walk-way and relied on the canines to pick something up. Which they didn't, hence conclusion; he's not there.

By then also priority was given to all search sites inside & outside the gateway complex. Which was the right call by then, however later Brian wasn't found anywhere else either. And the only one not seen leaving the building and picked up by other cameras. So the assumption to reach would be something like, maybe he never left? To say that he absolutely did is not right IMO, what points, point to the fact that he didn't leave...so after that can we discuss other theories and the likelihood of those.

 

[_Patches]

If a roof covered building is near completion let's say, pretty much what's left is for some businesses to move in and so forth, why would a police officer describe the area as completely dug up and difficult to navigate even sober?
Also what´s up with the suspended wooden walk-way, it span quite some distance in there. That tells me the foundation wasn't cemented and admissible, possibly even dangerous by all accounts to roam freely.
We also recently got to hear of possible tunnels and what not...

When the searches were conducted it's possible they just tagged along that wooden walk-way and relied on the canines to pick something up. Which they didn't, hence conclusion; he's not there.

By then also priority was given to all search sites inside & outside the gateway complex. Which was the right call by then, however later Brian wasn't found anywhere else either. And the only one not seen leaving the building and picked up by other cameras. So the assumption to reach would be something like, maybe he never left? To say that he absolutely did is not right IMO, what points, point to the fact that he didn't leave...so after that can we discuss other theories and the likelihood of those.

I’m not saying that he couldn’t have accidentally died there, but I can’t fathom anyway that he would accidentally die and never be seen on that construction site. They are dangerous places, but it would be crazy for all of the people who would have walked that site in the next week not have noticed him there. Even the “elevator pit” would have workers in it at some point.

He would have had to cause an excavated trench to collapse and then bury himself in. And then I’m sure someone would be questioning why their trench was filled in. These places are a bit more organized than people imagine.

Maybe someone buried him there, but the accidental death while somehow concealing himself is a huge stretch to me.

What do you mean by “suspended wooden walkway”? Like scaffolding? Any raised platform would likely be for workers to get to an elevated area (or was actually part of the design) not because the foundation was unsafe to walk on.

 

[_Patches]

The stench was reported on yelp by a patron of the Gateway Cinema. I posted about it here in 2018, at which time I had searched old yelp postings for businesses in the Gateway Complex hoping to find a clue, and was stunned to find a post from around 2007 or 2008 mentioning a stench in the Gateway Cinema. Brian was last seen on vid standing just outside the UTS, in a common area between the 2nd floor entrances to the UTS and Gateway Cinema businesses. Of course, whether the reported stench was related to missing Brian Shaffer is unknown.

I mean Gateway is a pretty low budget theatre, like a cheap version of a regal or AMC. It’s not super nice. There could be any number of smells coming from the bathroom.

It is harder for me to imagine that the smell of a dead body went unreported from the exact place someone went missing. It was a widely reported missing persons case and the smell of death is not just something people would ignore there. Like literally hundreds if not thousands of people would have to ignore it.

 

[itsrak]

I mean Gateway is a pretty low budget theatre, like a cheap version of a regal or AMC. It’s not super nice. There could be any number of smells coming from the bathroom.

It is harder for me to imagine that the smell of a dead body went unreported from the exact place someone went missing. It was a widely reported missing persons case and the smell of death is not just something people would ignore there. Like literally hundreds if not thousands of people would have to ignore it.

I know, right. The thing is, something really weird happened in this case. Its one of the weirdest cases ever. Something really hard to believe went down on 4/1/06, IMO. Like that just-so chain of 10 events that'll bring a plane full of people down. So, you're searching amongst the dirt piles in the 'completely dug up' construction area on say 4/6/06, because you know some guy has been reported missing, you're going through the motions cuz your thinkin', hell, he ain't in here, why would he have come down in here, this guy'll turn up next week in Key West, psych case er sumtin, but hey, I'm glad to have the overtime. We could break out the shovels, but, nah. The dogs are smelling scents from the kitchen in the Gateway Cinema, from the UTS, from MadMexx, from the construction worker who urinated in the dirt, from the pizza the guys are having for lunch, and odors from Wendy's across the street etc.... Months later, the guy still hasn't turned up. And an odor has begun wafting up, occasionally managing to make it through the new concrete floors enough to just be noticed occasionally by one with a most sensitive nose. And one of those who noticed the odor actually mentioned it later on in a review posted on the then brand new rating service called Yelp. Must be that stinky college bar, or the trash in the cinema kitchen, or rotten produce in the Sunflower Market, then newly opened (and soon closed!) in what had been the 'construction area' that Brian Shaffer is surmised to have entered, alone, in the wee hours of 4/1/06, right at the very moment he went permanently missing................

 

[Old Mozez]

What do you mean by “suspended wooden walkway”? Like scaffolding? Any raised platform would likely be for workers to get to an elevated area (or was actually part of the design) not because the foundation was unsafe to walk on.

This is a screenshot from the video of the camera crew who entered one of the construction doors at ground level and went further in. Can't say which angle of the building they entered through though. Does it seem to be scaffolds.

 

[Lamima]

I think his remains are on that site somewhere. JMO!

 

[_Patches]

This is a screenshot from the video of the camera crew who entered one of the construction doors at ground level and went further in. Can't say which angle of the building they entered through though. Does it seem to be scaffolds.

Somewhat blurry and hard to tell what is on the right hand side there (looks like a hallway with the floor slab already poured and a temp light on the ceiling but I honestly don't know), but the left looks like a temporary guardrail built to help prevent someone going over an edge. Pretty common to see that on a site, would mean there is a 6' or more drop on the other side of the rail as that is when OSHA would require fall protection.

Something like this:

 

[Ozoner]

I’m not saying that he couldn’t have accidentally died there, but I can’t fathom anyway that he would accidentally die and never be seen on that construction site. They are dangerous places, but it would be crazy for all of the people who would have walked that site in the next week not have noticed him there. Even the “elevator pit” would have workers in it at some point.

He would have had to cause an excavated trench to collapse and then bury himself in. And then I’m sure someone would be questioning why their trench was filled in. These places are a bit more organized than people imagine.

Maybe someone buried him there, but the accidental death while somehow concealing himself is a huge stretch to me.

What do you mean by “suspended wooden walkway”? Like scaffolding? Any raised platform would likely be for workers to get to an elevated area (or was actually part of the design) not because the foundation was unsafe to walk on.

He might not br buried. I think it's just as likely that he got lodged in some above-ground cavity or gap between two walls or surfaces. If that happened, construction workers might have inadvertantly sealed him in before the area was sear

 

[Ozoner]

I’m not saying that he couldn’t have accidentally died there, but I can’t fathom anyway that he would accidentally die and never be seen on that construction site. They are dangerous places, but it would be crazy for all of the people who would have walked that site in the next week not have noticed him there. Even the “elevator pit” would have workers in it at some point.

He would have had to cause an excavated trench to collapse and then bury himself in. And then I’m sure someone would be questioning why their trench was filled in. These places are a bit more organized than people imagine.

Maybe someone buried him there, but the accidental death while somehow concealing himself is a huge stretch to me.

What do you mean by “suspended wooden walkway”? Like scaffolding? Any raised platform would likely be for workers to get to an elevated area (or was actually part of the design) not because the foundation was unsafe to walk on.

He might not br buried. I think it's just as likely that he got lodged in some above-ground cavity or gap between two walls or surfaces. If that happened, construction workers might have inadvertantly sealed him in before the area was sear

 

[Old Mozez]

Somewhat blurry and hard to tell what is on the right hand side there (looks like a hallway with the floor slab already poured and a temp light on the ceiling but I honestly don't know), but the left looks like a temporary guardrail built to help prevent someone going over an edge. Pretty common to see that on a site, would mean there is a 6' or more drop on the other side of the rail as that is when OSHA would require fall protection.

Right, maybe this gif gives a better understanding, the light-source is from the camera itself. Was like a bat-cave in there evidently. Good talking to ya, comes handy if u might happen to go missing in an construction area..

Brian Shaffer Construction Area Entrance GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

 

[MerryB]

I am not set on one theory & will consider all possibilities.
However, I feel like the fact that Brian is not seen exiting the building could be a red herring.
Remember that at that time, there was a false wall to the left of the Ugly Tuna Saloona because of construction. There was a small hallway behind the wall that can be seen in more recent pictures now that the false wall is gone. This was easy to access. This door was used to get to the elevator & go down to the service area on the 1st floor. The staff & band would’ve used this exit. I believe Brightan stated that Amber had stepped out that door on other visits to speak on the phone.
Once down the stairs or elevator, there was no barrier to the construction area/exit. There is also the possibility that Brian avoided that area completely and ducked into MadMex, which was right down the hallway. Hurst states the restaurant often left their kitchen door open to the loading dock, where he could’ve exited.
I believe the service area was monitored by cameras, so it’s assumed Brian used the stairs and not the elevator.
Another option would be the emergency exit in the bar. It was monitored by a camera, but the footage was overridden somehow. It may mean nothing, but seeing as patrons reported no alarm sounded by using that door, it’s definitely a possibility he used it.
Basically, we can’t assume he didn’t leave the building just because we don’t see him doing it.
The most simple explanation would be that he did not leave; however, there’s just no evidence he is in that building.
Perhaps the question we should be asking is, why would he choose to leave in an unorthodox way?
I believe he was avoiding running into Clint & Meredith.
I have some ideas why. Do you?

 

[itsrak]

I am not set on one theory & will consider all possibilities.
However, I feel like the fact that Brian is not seen exiting the building could be a red herring.
Remember that at that time, there was a false wall to the left of the Ugly Tuna Saloona because of construction. There was a small hallway behind the wall that can be seen in more recent pictures now that the false wall is gone. This was easy to access. This door was used to get to the elevator & go down to the service area on the 1st floor. The staff & band would’ve used this exit. I believe Brightan stated that Amber had stepped out that door on other visits to speak on the phone.
Once down the stairs or elevator, there was no barrier to the construction area/exit. There is also the possibility that Brian avoided that area completely and ducked into MadMex, which was right down the hallway. Hurst states the restaurant often left their kitchen door open to the loading dock, where he could’ve exited.
I believe the service area was monitored by cameras, so it’s assumed Brian used the stairs and not the elevator.
Another option would be the emergency exit in the bar. It was monitored by a camera, but the footage was overridden somehow. It may mean nothing, but seeing as patrons reported no alarm sounded by using that door, it’s definitely a possibility he used it.
Basically, we can’t assume he didn’t leave the building just because we don’t see him doing it.
The most simple explanation would be that he did not leave; however, there’s just no evidence he is in that building.
Perhaps the question we should be asking is, why would he choose to leave in an unorthodox way?
I believe he was avoiding running into Clint & Meredith.
I have some ideas why. Do you?

Yeah, he might have exited the building. Vid evidence suggests he did not, but he still might have. But if he did, you need to conjure up explanations for failure to appear on area cams, failure to appear at apt, failure to use phone, failure to call post-party friends, failure for body to turn up, radio silence for 14 years, and you need to conjure a motive for killing.

I sure do wish I coulda been there when the premises were searched. If the searchers had known then what we know now - that vid would seem to show that he hadn't exited, and that he would never be seen again and had very likely died that morn, that a stench would eventually be reported on the premises - you can bet the searches of the premises would have been more intensive and the outcome may well have been different.

 

[_Patches]

He might not br buried. I think it's just as likely that he got lodged in some above-ground cavity or gap between two walls or surfaces. If that happened, construction workers might have inadvertently sealed him in before the area was sear

It's not impossible that could have happened, I just know nothing that happens on a construction site is just done "accidentally" or without a lot more planning and QC work than people realize. Example, they wouldn't just start closing up walls without multiple trades signing off on the wall (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, etc). So typically all those trades would check their work in the wall, and then there would be a team to actually close the wall up. Just a scenario where multiple people would have needed to miss him (on top of police) that it becomes more and more unlikely in my mind.