GA GA - Brian Wehrle, 39, Carrollton, 23 Sept 2009

[webrocket]

Updates to questions asked:

1. Professionals search hard drive?
No one outside of the police searched the hard drive. Not known if this is considered professionally or not.
2. at any time in the last 18 months did Brian have a computer replaced, repaired, stolen or an old hard drive trashed?
No
3. at the time Brian planned the stay in Carrollton, did he expect to spend the time at the house alone?
Yes, Brian would be the only one in the house. It remains empty with the exception of family events or if family from out of town visit.
4. was Brian getting prescriptions by mail and did he get a three months supply that might not be accounted for?
He did not receive prescriptions through the mail.

As far as the e-mails go. He had two accounts:yahoo and g-mail. His niece knew the answers to his security questions and reset them. Nothing of interest was found on the hard drive.

In answer to my question: She thinks Brian is in NCMA. I could not find him.

This one is perplexing to say the least.

Medical emergency - I doubt that happened as he would not have gone far. Even if he went out for a drive at 7 am, I don't think he would have left Carrollton. A medical emergency is just that and he would have been near his car and someone would have found a body.

Victim of crime - If he went out for a ride at 2 am, it was said he would have been no more than 5 mins from home. According to crime statistics, Georgia is safer than the national average and Carrollton is safer than the state as a whole. I don't see anything happening at 2 am like a carjacking. Plus the car was eventually found in the exact same condition, except someone switched plates.

Accident - I don't think Carrollton has any road hazards like gorges or lakes that he might have driven off of or into. I assume that possibility was checked out.

Voluntary departure - always a possibility but he needed expensive medication. If the computer is in fact clean, then he did not use it to hook up with anyone. I think I read he was a land surveyor. Was he on the road alot? Where were most of his jobs, Atlanta area? Are there many internet cafes in or around Atlanta?

 

[webrocket]

His bed looked like some one had laid down in it and jumped back up.

I totally missed this one.

Brian had been there a couple of days and it looked like no one slept in the bed? What is the reference to "jumped back up"?

 

[dreamweaver]

Info from Brian's niece, in response to my questions:
Answers to WS questions asked will be updated later.

Brian's car is still in the driveway.
GBI has not looked at it. Family does not know of any plans to look at the car.
The Carrollton Police Dept have not returned family phone calls the last three weeks.
Taco Bell friendly people:
He met them while driving to Carrollton. From Atlanta to Carrollton should be a 45 min drive. It took him 4 hours because of the flooding that was occuring in the area at the time. He has frustrated and stopped somewhere (not known where) and this is where he met the "cool, very interesting people". He had got sidetracked when telling his niece about them and they never finished talking about them.
This conversation was around 3pm on the last day he was seen.
He did call his niece later that night and left a message.
She returned his phone call at 10pm and left a message.
His phone records were checked and all the numbers were called.
The only people that had called him since he left Atlanta were all people family knew.
The police still have his phone and it is still active.

His pacemaker does have a serial number.
Flyers were posted all over town for three weeks.
The niece thinks they are still up.

Brian's neighbor did NOT see Brian, but saw his car in the driveway.
(I know, I was shocked at this info.)
No canine search. Never heard that the house or driveway was ever searched for any forensic evidence.
They took pictures of the room Brian stayed in.

Niece says that:
Jeffrey Rolsten, Brian's partner, was interviewed by an online gay advocate magazine about Brian's disappearance. The article will be out this Wed.

 

[webrocket]

Info from Brian's niece, in response to my questions:

Taco Bell friendly people:
He met them while driving to Carrollton. From Atlanta to Carrollton should be a 45 min drive. It took him 4 hours because of the flooding that was occuring in the area at the time. He has frustrated and stopped somewhere (not known where) and this is where he met the "cool, very interesting people". He had got sidetracked when telling his niece about them and they never finished talking about them.


Brian's neighbor did NOT see Brian, but saw his car in the driveway.
(I know, I was shocked at this info.)


They took pictures of the room Brian stayed in.

Niece says that:
Jeffrey Rolsten, Brian's partner, was interviewed by an online gay advocate magazine about Brian's disappearance. The article will be out this Wed.

thank you for this information. Was it like Brian to talk to strangers? I did not get that impression from the description that he would not likely pick someone up (I know they are not the same things). Personally, if I got stuck in traffic that long I'd be furious and even less likely to talk to strangers, unless of course the topic of conversation is - "any idea of any alternative routes out of here?"

So if Brian's car only was seen at 2 a.m. that means Brian was most certainly at home, be it awake or asleep. I cannot imagine a scenario where he would be gone but the car just sitting there.

Is there any possibility he brought anyone home? Not that there was any struggle noted or items stolen, but if someone else was there, they might have left in the early morning hours.

 

[dreamweaver]

Niece answers questions from WS:
re: The bed looked like someone had laid down in it but was not messed like someone had slept in it.
*Brian did not sleep well or at normal sleeping times. He is frequently up very late and would nap during the day. So he could have slept on the couch or maybe did sleep in the bed just not restlessly. The was it looked though as if he remembered something and ran out to get it but I guess this is a personal interpretation.
computer use:
*there are internet cafe's in Atlanta but Brian would just use his laptop at home.

Info from Brian's niece, in her words: I just cut and paste.
Brian was not necesarily one to talk to strangers but he could easily do so. If they were talking about something he thought was interesting then he would have no problem joining in.
He is smart, very energetic but not reckless.
He was a land surveyor for my uncle(his brothers) company. He has not worked in at least six years though.
He had a very bad time with rheumatoid arthritis and it took a while for them to find the right medicinal combination. It was crippling pain. He would be afraid to take a bath when there wasn't any one home because he was worried he'd sit down and wouldn't be able to get back up.
After that my grandparents needed someone to help them. He would drive down there daily to help them. After my grandfather passed in July 2007 he moved into their house to help with my grandmother. She is now staying with a nurse who takes care of people in her house.
Brian moved back home to Atlanta. Jeff's mother had moved in and Brian would help keep an eye on her while Jeff was at work. Brian had kind of started looking for part time jobs but had not found anything. He would still be in Carrollton several times a week. Whether it was just spending time with family or taking my granmother to doctor appointments.

 

[webrocket]

He was a land surveyor for my uncle(his brothers) company. He has not worked in at least six years though.
He had a very bad time with rheumatoid arthritis and it took a while for them to find the right medicinal combination. It was crippling pain. He would be afraid to take a bath when there wasn't any one home because he was worried he'd sit down and wouldn't be able to get back up.
After that my grandparents needed someone to help them. He would drive down there daily to help them. After my grandfather passed in July 2007 he moved into their house to help with my grandmother. She is now staying with a nurse who takes care of people in her house.
Brian moved back home to Atlanta. Jeff's mother had moved in and Brian would help keep an eye on her while Jeff was at work. Brian had kind of started looking for part time jobs but had not found anything. He would still be in Carrollton several times a week. Whether it was just spending time with family or taking my granmother to doctor appointments.

Sorry to hear some of this. Actually the last 6 years have not sounded too happy here and I am not saying anything about his outlook because I never knew him. I'm just saying between not being able to work, being in pain with arthritis, having a heart condition, taking care of a dying father, an aging mother then a mother-in-law, it sounds like many family burdens were placed on him.

If he was not working, I was wondering how his medications were being paid for?

 

[dreamweaver]

Sorry to hear some of this. Actually the last 6 years have not sounded too happy here and I am not saying anything about his outlook because I never knew him. I'm just saying between not being able to work, being in pain with arthritis, having a heart condition, taking care of a dying father, an aging mother then a mother-in-law, it sounds like many family burdens were placed on him.

If he was not working, I was wondering how his medications were being paid for?

Good question.
Maybe he had private health insurance.
Maybe his partner, Jeffrey, works where there is good health insurance and allows for domestic partnership coverage.
Maybe he had savings.

I don't know.

 

[webrocket]

Good question.
Maybe he had private health insurance.
Maybe his partner, Jeffrey, works where there is good health insurance and allows for domestic partnership coverage.
Maybe he had savings.

I don't know.

Not sure. Usually if you take maintenance medications and have health ins you get them by mail order. The niece said he did NOT get mail order meds.

If he was disabled per Soc. Sec. then he should get Medicare (I think).

 

[dreamweaver]

Per Brian's niece:
Brian is on his partner Jeff's health insurance, through a domestic partnership option. Brian is not on any disability program.
Brian and his partner are okay financially.
Brian's niece says that 'even with all the problems he's had over the years, he was always in a good mood and loves life, food, shopping, family, friends and going to concerts. He is always doing something.'

 

[webrocket]

this is strange to say the least.

Other than the cost of medication issue, not to dispute the family's description of Brian's personality, I could easily see why anyone in that situation would say "I've had enough of this s--t" and want out.

That is only one side of the equation, however. Even if Brian did say I'm sick of this, there are only so many options at his disposal.

 

[webrocket]

here is a $64,000 question which applies here as well as many other missing persons cases.

I assume that LE has flagged Brian's social security number so if anyone uses it for work or to obtain credit it would be noticed.

If Brian (or anyone for that matter) worked off the books or was supported by another and purchased a private medical insurance policy or signed onto someone else's policy as a domestic partner or dependent, would that be flagged too or would privacy laws prevent a health insurer from reporting that?

 

[dreamweaver]

http://www.edgeunitedstates.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=101878
The Edge magazine article about Brian's disappearance.

A few thing there that I did not know about.

 

[webrocket]

http://www.edgeunitedstates.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=101878
The Edge magazine articlea about Brian's disappearance.

A few thing there that I did not know about.

The article is both heartfelt about Brian's partner and family yet lacking in detail. For instance:

Johnson said a crime scene specialist with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation processed the car. This investigator sent the materials to the state crime lab, but Johnson said he is waiting for the results. He added there is no time frame as to when the tests will be completed.

Was this after the car was recovered in Chattanooga or did they do a subsequent search of the vehicle?

Wehrle called Rolsten while visiting his sister and spoke about going to Wal-Mart to purchase a topographical map to find alternate routes to their Atlanta home--the floods had made several of the area’s main roads impassable. As a land surveyor, Wehrle would have been able to easily read a topographical map and navigate his way back to Atlanta.

Did he buy the topographical map?

"Right now, we’re just curious," Rolsten said. "We feel like they should be investigating the person who lives in the house where the car was parked near."

This quote was taken right after discussing a neighbor that saw Brian at 2:00 am. I assume that is NOT who Jeff is referring to, rather the guy in Chattanooga.

 

[summer_breeze]

http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=101878

by Conswella Bennett
EDGE Contributor
Wednesday Feb 3, 2010

It has been a long four months for Jeff Rolsten.

He spent Christmas without his best friend and longtime partner, Brian Anthony Wehrle. And in 10 days, he may spend yet another holiday - Valentine’s Day--without him.

Wehrle, 40, has been missing since Sept. 24, 2009, after he left his parents’ home in Carrollton. He left behind his cell phone, money and some clothing. Wehrle traveled to his family’s home a day after floods swept through parts of Georgia.

 

[dreamweaver]

I asked a few more questions on FB pm... to Brian's niece and to his partner, Jeffrey R.
I will post their answers.

 

[dreamweaver]

More information from Brian's niece and Brian's partner, Jeffrey R:

1. Most important: Brian was seen by the neighbor in Carrollton.
The neighbor saw Brian in his parent's garage, at 2am, per Jeffrey R.

Jeffrey thinks the person who lives in the house near where the car was found in Chattanooga is ... cannot write the words as police have not said it.... but
viewed with high suspicion by Jeffrey.

Jeffrey: The license plate was stolen from a not so good neighborhood.

From niece:
No topographical map has been found.
But she feels he probably went to Walmart to buy the map.
She also says that feels police did not ask Walmart to view their security tapes and Walmart would not let family view them.
His debit/credit card was not used at a Walmart.
Family feels police have not interviewed people in Chattanooga neighborhood aggressively.

 

[webrocket]

More information from Brian's niece and Brian's partner, Jeffrey R:

1. Most important: Brian was seen by the neighbor in Carrollton.
The neighbor saw Brian in his parent's garage, at 2am, per Jeffrey R.

Jeffrey thinks the person who lives in the house near where the car was found in Chattanooga is ... cannot write the words as police have not said it.... but
viewed with high suspicion by Jeffrey.

Jeffrey: The license plate was stolen from a not so good neighborhood.

From niece:
No topographical map has been found.
But she feels he probably went to Walmart to buy the map.
She also says that feels police did not ask Walmart to view their security tapes and Walmart would not let family view them.
His debit/credit card was not used at a Walmart.
Family feels police have not interviewed people in Chattanooga neighborhood aggressively.

I assume the Chattanooga police inquired in the neighborhood about the car. As I recall they had a general description of the guy someone saw exiting the car one day, but that description might apply to many men in the neighborhood.

I do think it would be odd (but not impossible) that someone from Chattanooga would go all the way to Carrollton to take a car and dispose of a person between 2 am and 8 am THEN leave the stolen car in his own backyard.

As for the trip to Walmart, if Brian left for Walmart I would think he did not make it there. I guess I have one question - does Walmart even sell the map in question? If they do, and Brian made it to the store, then he would have had the map in the car. The container of cash was not taken so I don't know what use a topographical map would be to a perp.

 

[webrocket]

She also says that feels police did not ask Walmart to view their security tapes and Walmart would not let family view them.

Something was mentioned on the thread for Robert Hall, Sr., missing from NJ. The family gave a picture of Robert to the supermarket and store personnel viewed the tapes and told them whether he was on tape or not.

The family might ask WalMart to do that but not sure how long they keep the tapes.

 

[carbuff]

I assume the Chattanooga police inquired in the neighborhood about the car. As I recall they had a general description of the guy someone saw exiting the car one day, but that description might apply to many men in the neighborhood.

I do think it would be odd (but not impossible) that someone from Chattanooga would go all the way to Carrollton to take a car and dispose of a person between 2 am and 8 am THEN leave the stolen car in his own backyard.

As for the trip to Walmart, if Brian left for Walmart I would think he did not make it there. I guess I have one question - does Walmart even sell the map in question? If they do, and Brian made it to the store, then he would have had the map in the car. The container of cash was not taken so I don't know what use a topographical map would be to a perp.

Okay, wait. My hinky meter just went on red alert.

Why does he need a topo map to find an alternate route? He can get that info from Googlemaps or Mapquest.

Topo maps are for things like hiking or identifying really back roads.

What part of Atlanta would he have been going back to?

 

[webrocket]

Okay, wait. My hinky meter just went on red alert.

Why does he need a topo map to find an alternate route? He can get that info from Googlemaps or Mapquest.

Topo maps are for things like hiking or identifying really back roads.

What part of Atlanta would he have been going back to?

Not as strange as it sounds. As the story went, due to flooding of historic proportions, some roads between Atlanta and Carrollton had been washed out. Brian supposedly got stuck driving 4 hours for a 45 minute trip going from Atlanta to Carrollton a few days earlier.