This is yet another one of those cases that I had heard about years back and even watched some videos on years ago and it never really left my mind. The whole thing is just so bizarre.
Brian Shaffer was born on February 25, 1979 to Randy and Renee Shaffer. He was the oldest of two boys and his upbringing was happy and normal by all accounts. His family settled in Pickerington, Ohio, a suburb of Colubus and after Brian graduated high school in 1997, he began to attend classes at Ohio State University (OSU).
After 6 years of undergraduate work, Brian graduated with a degree in microbiology. The following year (2004), he decided to continue his studies and once again headed back to OSU but this time, under their medical program. In 2006, after 2 years in the program, Brian's mother unexpectedly died from myelodysplasia. His friends have said that although Brian claimed to be okay and he was seemingly handling it well, the death of his mother hit him particularly hard.
While Brian was grieving the loss of his mother, he had many friends and even a girlfriend to offer him comfort. Alexis Waggoner, a 2nd year medical student at OSU had began dating Brian prior to his mother's death. The relationship was reportedly serious and Alexis along with all of their family and friends, had a suspicion that Brian would probably be proposing soon. He had planned a trip for him and Alexis to Miami, Florida during spring break. His friends stated that although Brian had a busy life and was working towards becoming a doctor, he really enjoyed the beach and a more relaxed atmosphere. He would often tell his friends that his true ambition was to start a band who played music similar to Jimmy Buffett and to just enjoy what life had to offer.
On March 31st, 2006, classes had ended at the OSU campus and students were off for spring break. Brian's dad, Randy, decided to celebrate the occasion by treating his son to a steak dinner at a local restaurant. During dinner, Randy noticed that Brian looked incredibly exhausted and asked if he was alright. Brian stated that he was just tired from pulling
all-nighters and cram sessions in preparation for his tests. Randy knew that Brian had plans for later that evening and because of his apparent condition, he didn't think Brian should go though he never expressed it directly to Brian.
At 9:00pm that same night, Brian met up with his friend William "Clint" Florence at the Ugly Tuna Saloona, a bar that was located on the South Campus Gateway complex on High Street. After an hour out, Brian decided to call Alexis and check in with her. She had gone back home to Toledo to visit her family before her and Brian flew out to Miami.
After their conversation, both Clint and Brian continued bar hopping and continued to drink. According to Clint, both he and Brian each had 1 shot of hard liquor at every place they visited.
Around midnight, Brian and Clint met up with Meredith Reed, a friend of Clint's at The Short North. Meredith gave the guys a ride back to the Ugly Tuna Saloona where they had started their night and all three of them had one last round. Sometime that night, Brian had separated from his friends and though Clint and Meredith repeatedly called out for him, they ultimately had to leave at 2:00am without him once the bar closed. They waited for him outside among the crowd of people but after not seeing him, they both assumed Brian had found his way back to his apartment without telling them.
After not hearing from him, both Randy and Alexis called Brian several times that weekend but unfortunately, there was no answer. Still, they had hope that he would show up on Monday at the airport and meet Alexis there so they could fly to Miami together as planned. Come Monday, Alexis waited for Brian anxiously but Brian never showed. After missing his flight, he was reported missing to the Columbus police.
Police began their investigation at the Ugly Tuna Saloona where Brian had last been seen. Because of the high crime rate in that area, the bar and the surrounding areas were equipped with security cameras. When police reviewed the footage, Brian, Clint and Meredith can be seen entering the bar's main entrance around 1:15 am via the escalator. At approximately 1:55 am, Brian is then seen outside talking to 2 girls before saying goodbye then heading out of the camera's view towards the bar's entrance. Though the Tuna Saloona closed shortly after, it's security camera does not capture him leaving. The footage of him speaking to those girls is the last known footage of Brian alive.
Investigators realized the possibility that Brian may have changed his clothing or possibly worn a hat to hide his face if he wanted to leave unseen. They had also thought that he may have used another exit but the only other exit led to a construction zone that would have proven too difficult for even a sober person to maneuver, let alone an intoxicated one. With no other leads, police continued their investigation by looking at other security cameras in the area. Many bars and businesses had cameras as well and police hoped that maybe one of them had captured Brian leaving the bar that night. Unfortunately, none of the businesses in the surrounding area were of help.
Police then began looking for possible clues as to where Brian may have gone. They were sometimes accompanied by police dogs when searching in dumpsters and other waste containers and they asked locals along the way if they had seen Brian. Flyers began to plaster the streets with distinct details on Brian's body that may make it easier to identify him. Brian had a tattoo of a stick figure from the album cover of Pearl Jam's Alive album in one of his arms and a distinctive fleck in one of his irises.
They were so desperate for clues that they even persuaded the city into letting them explore the sewers in hopes of clues. Again, nothing turned up. Thinking maybe he had headed back to his apartment and something may have happened there, police visited his apartment where they found his vehicle parked in the driveway but when they looked inside, nothing looked out of place and nothing was missing.
With nowhere else to turn, police began to theorize something other than foul play. They thought that maybe since his mother had recently died, Brian had decided to remove himself from his daily responsibilities to go grieve in solitude. Their initial thoughts were that once he was ready, he would return to his life, but when Brian's absence proved permanent, those theories were discarded.
As with most missing person's cases, they then began to look at those closest to Brian and those who had seen him last. They conducted a lie detector test on both Meredith and Randy, which they both passed but interestingly, Clint refused to take one. A couple of years later, the 2 women who were seen talking to Brian were identified but neither of them were considered suspects. Both women admitted that law enforcement never asked them to take a lie detector.
Alexis refused to give up hope. She would call Brian's cellphone every single night mostly knowing it would go straight to voicemail as it usually did. One September night though, Alexis was shocked when she heard 3 rings before the call went to Brian's voicemail. "I kept calling it to hear it purely because it was one of the best sounds I have ever heard, even if no one picked up", she later wrote on her MySpace page. Brian's cellphone carrier, Cingluar, was later contacted and their explanation was that it was most likely due to a computer glitch though a ping from his cellphone was detected in Hillard, 14 miles northwest of Columbus.
Brian's dad continued to look for his son, despite having recently lost his wife. He and Brian's younger brother, Derek, investigated on their own and searched everywhere they could for clues. They went to a psychic who told them that Brian's body was located in a body of water near a bridge pier. Derek and a few other locals who had become invested in the case bought waders and they searched nearby in the Olentangy River but unfortunately, nothing was ever found. Though there was a few leads over the years, none of them proved to be of help to the case. The FBI became involved for a brief period of time when it was thought that Brian's disappearance could possibly be the work of the Smiley Face Killer thought that was quickly ruled out.
In 2008, Randy Shaffer was out cleaning debris from his yard during a heavy windstorm when a branch from his property fell on him, killing him instantly. His neighbors found his body the next day. Shortly after his obituary was published online, a post appeared on the condolence book that read "To Dad, love Brian (U.S Virgin Islands)" which sparked investigators' interest in the case once again. Unfortunately, all of it was later proven to be a hoax when it was discovered that the note was posted from a local computer in Franklin County.
After Randy's death, the search for Brian has slowed down though it is not over. Clint acquired a lawyer who later disclosed some information to a private investigator who was helping Brian's family in his search. The lawyer stated that based on comments made by law enforcement, it was believed that Brian was alive. Derek and Alexis are not convinced. Derek was quoted saying that he believes Clint knows more than he initially stated and he doesn't understand why he won't come forward to help the case. Clint's lawyer said his client has already spoken on the case and does not see the point in doing so again.
As of 2014, the case continues to be investigated with tips coming in at least twice a week. No other information is known and the search for Brian continues.
If you have any information regarding this case, please contact Columbus Police Department at (614) 645-4545 or The National Center for Missing Adults at 800-690-FIND
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