Now that I've had some sleep and had a chance to reread my post, #2 is sort of lumped together and there are definitely some things that didn't come out right! Had been up for over 30 hours due to a bad work schedule this weekend, so apologies for that.
The reason I put "started a new life" at #4 is because of the attorney comments and hearing that some of the people familiar with the case think that's a possibility. But I strongly lean toward it being one of the first two. I believe something happened at a party afterward, or that something happened shortly after he left the building and his body ended up in a dumpster. #3 and #4 are more longshots, and #5-11 are extreme longshots. Of course, that's all just my opinion and I love reading all the different theories.
Generally speaking, most people aren't very good at keeping secrets. That's the reason why I question whether something could have happened at a party. If something happened to Brian while he was with more than a couple of people, then I think that someone would have talked by now. Your basic scenario makes more sense to me if Brian had been with only one other person or perhaps two other people.
I have a couple of college degrees and have spent my share of time in college towns, so I know what college towns are like. If Brian had made it back to his apartment that night, someone would have seen or heard him. Some students would have still been up and about regardless of the hour. Therefore I am certain that something happened to Brian soon after he was last captured on video.
There's been a lot of talk about ways that Brian could have exited the building without being seen on camera, but the normal way to leave would have been by going down the escalator, and we know that he didn't do that. Why not? Was he trying to dodge Clint and Meredith? I think that he could have done that without going through the construction area; he could have simply taken the escalator down before Clint and Meredith left the bar.
I think that he had a specific purpose for going through the construction area, but I don't know what it was.
a. Maybe he had to take a leak.
b. Maybe he felt sick and thought that he might have to vomit.
c. Maybe he thought he could catch up with the band.
d. Maybe he thought that he could catch up with Amber and Brightan before they reached the parking garage.
e. Maybe he had made arrangements to meet someone in the construction area or adjacent to it (near Wendy's).
f. Maybe it was simply a shortcut, albeit an odd one.
This is how I rank my top five scenarios, from least likely to most likely.
5. Brian was hiding depression over the death of his mother and chose to take his own life in a way that would guarantee that he wouldn't be found. I see this as possible but highly unlikely considering the timing and considering Brian's demeanor on the night he disappeared.
4. Brian stumbled upon some kind of illegal activity in the construction area and was killed and then disposed of.
3. Brian met up with someone and died in the other person's residence, and his death was concealed by that person because he or she had some culpability.
2. Brian started to walk home and some kind of conflict arose that ended with Brian's murder. The different possibilities for how that could have occurred are legion, but we know that Brian had a tendency to mouth off at people. We also know that his route home could have taken him through some bad neighborhoods; he may have tried to fight off a mugger. A hate crime is a possibility, too. Most street criminals don't bother with disposing of bodies, but it might have been easy to toss Brian into a dumpster.
1. Brian had a freak accident in the construction area and for some odd reason his body wasn't found. Dogs are not infallible, and his body could have been concealed during any undocumented construction work that occurred before the alarm was raised. We haven't heard from any of the workers or supervisors of the construction area; why is that?
