The Unsolved Mystery of Brian Shaffer's Disappearance

There was only one exit to that bar, so, how did Brian Shaffer leave the bar without a trace? This has been one of the most puzzling cases of a missing person in the state of Ohio.

The Beginning

Brian Randall Shaffer was born in Pickerington, Ohio on February 25, 1979. At the time of his disappearance, he was a second-year medical student at the University of Ohio College of Medicine.

Just three weeks before he went missing, Brian had lost his mother to bone cancer.

The Night of the Disappearance

On the night of his disappearance, March 31, 2006, Brian had just finished his exams and was celebrating his upcoming spring break. Brian had a loving girlfriend called Alexis Waggoner, and her family believed he was planning to propose to her during a spring break trip to Miami which he had planned with her. He also had a passion for music and wanted to start a band. However, his life was not without tragedy.

That night Brian and his father Randy celebrated the end of his classes by having a steak dinner together. Randy noticed that Brian seemed exhausted from studying for his exams, but didn't express his concerns as he wanted him to rest instead of going out that night. Brian went out with his friends later that night.

He met up with his roommate William "Clint" Florence and they went to the Ugly Tuna Saloona, a bar in the University District. They had some drinks and then decided to go to other bars in the Arena District and Short North. They were joined by Meredith Reed, a friend of Florence, who offered to drive them back to the Ugly Tuna around 1:15 a.m.

Security cameras outside the Ugly Tuna captured Brian, Florence, and Reed entering the bar via an escalator. Brian was later seen on the security camera talking to two women. He then appeared to re-enter the bar, but there was no footage of him leaving.

Florence and Reed tried to call him several times, but his phone went straight to voicemail. They waited for him briefly after the bar closed at 2. am, but there was no sign of him coming out of the bar. They assumed he had gone home and left without him.

The Search and Investigation

On Monday morning, April 3, Brian missed his flight to Miami with Waggoner. He was reported missing to the police that day. The police searched the Ugly Tuna and the surrounding area but found no sign of Brian. They also searched his apartment and car but found nothing out of the ordinary. His phone, wallet, keys, and clothes were all left behind. There was no activity on his bank accounts or credit cards. There was no evidence of foul play, suicide, or voluntary disappearance.

Brian's father and girlfriend both passed polygraph tests. The police searched everywhere including the sewer system, but they had no positive leads.

One of the most puzzling aspects of the case was the behavior of Florence, Brian's roommate and friend. He refused to take a polygraph test, claiming that he had nothing to do with Brian's disappearance and that he had already told the police everything he knew. He also hired a lawyer and stopped cooperating with the investigation. The police and Brian's family suspected that he was hiding something, but they had no proof or motive to implicate him.

Several theories were put forward to explain the disappearance of Brian Shaffer. Some people believe he is still alive, they claim the loss of his mother drove him to distance himself from everyone else.

Truly, no one knows what became of Brian Shaffer. How can one vanish so mysteriously without a trace?