Full Transcript for The Unsolved Disappearance of Brian Schaffer

that direction, her Christmas gift to Brian 36 00:01:57.920 --> 00:02:00.000 and Alexis included a trip for two to My Head 37 00:02:01.959 --> 00:02:04.599 in Lexis were to leave on Monday, April third for 38 00:02:04.680 --> 00:02:08.639 a week long trip. They were never to live that experience, however. 39 00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:14.599 On Friday, March thirty first, Brian officially started his break 40 00:02:14.680 --> 00:02:17.800 by having dinner at the Outback Steakhouse. In Rentalsburg, Ohio, 41 00:02:17.879 --> 00:02:22.039 with his father, Randy. Brian's friends wanted him to join 42 00:02:22.080 --> 00:02:24.520 them for drinks earlier in the evening, but Brian insisted 43 00:02:24.520 --> 00:02:27.439 he spend some time with his father. They were both 44 00:02:27.479 --> 00:02:29.759 in the midst of grief over losing the mattriarch of 45 00:02:29.759 --> 00:02:34.159 the family. Brian's father reported that he seemed mainly concerned 46 00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:38.280 about his father's well being. Brian was a bit tired, 47 00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:42.520 but otherwise well. Such fatigue would be unsurprising, of course, 48 00:02:42.599 --> 00:02:46.039 given everything he had endured that month. He needed ress, 49 00:02:46.039 --> 00:02:50.039 but he deserved a night to forget all his troubles. 50 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:54.879 After dinner with his father, Brian returned to his apartment 51 00:02:54.919 --> 00:02:58.240 to prepare for a night of revelry. Around nine pm, 52 00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:01.520 he joined his friend Clint Lawrence with the intention of 53 00:03:01.520 --> 00:03:06.080 bar hopping. They met up at the Ugly Tuna Saluna, 54 00:03:06.319 --> 00:03:09.280 a bar that has since been closed. The Ugly Tuna 55 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:11.599 was within a few blocks of Brian's apartment, so it 56 00:03:11.639 --> 00:03:14.960 made sense to begin the evening there. Within the hour, 57 00:03:15.400 --> 00:03:17.319 Brian took a moment to speak on the phone to 58 00:03:17.360 --> 00:03:20.680 his girlfriend Alexis. She had driven up to Toledo for 59 00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:24.240 the weekend. She wished to spend a few days with 60 00:03:24.280 --> 00:03:27.199 her parents before she and Brian jetted off to Miami together. 61 00:03:28.599 --> 00:03:31.280 Friends and family had suggested to the couple that perhaps 62 00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:35.840 Miami would be the perfect location for a proposal. Alexis, 63 00:03:35.960 --> 00:03:38.199 certain that Brian was the love of her life, was 64 00:03:38.280 --> 00:03:41.159 eager to take such a trip with him. Their call 65 00:03:41.240 --> 00:03:43.759 was brief, and he made sure to emphasize his love 66 00:03:43.800 --> 00:03:48.680 for her before saying goodbye. Unfortunately, this was the last 67 00:03:48.680 --> 00:03:53.479 time that Alexis heard Brian's voice. Brian and Clinton decided 68 00:03:53.520 --> 00:03:55.680 to continue their evening by moving on to several other 69 00:03:55.759 --> 00:03:57.960 bars before they met up with a young woman named 70 00:03:58.000 --> 00:04:01.439 a Meredith Read. She was a friend of Clint's, and, 71 00:04:01.639 --> 00:04:05.360 given their condition, offered to give them a ride. They accepted, 72 00:04:05.599 --> 00:04:07.840 and together the three of them returned to the Ugly 73 00:04:07.879 --> 00:04:12.039 Tuna Saluna. Brian and his friends arrived at the bar 74 00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:16.680 around one fifteen am on Saturday, April first surveillance camera's 75 00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:19.600 timestamped the trio's arrival as they ascended the escalator to 76 00:04:19.639 --> 00:04:24.720 the second story bar. Forty minutes later, Brian was seen 77 00:04:24.759 --> 00:04:27.759 again on surveillance standing near the top of the escalator 78 00:04:27.879 --> 00:04:32.079 speaking with two young women. After a few moments, Brian 79 00:04:32.120 --> 00:04:34.680 says goodbye and appears to re enter the Ugly Tuna. 80 00:04:35.240 --> 00:04:40.079 He is never seen on camera again. Clint and Meredith 81 00:04:40.160 --> 00:04:43.439 left around two am, unable to find Brian in person 82 00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:46.319 or able to get him to answer her cell phone. 83 00:04:46.360 --> 00:04:49.279 Sunday evening, a few hours prior to their scheduled flight 84 00:04:49.319 --> 00:04:52.959 to Miami, Alexis was more than concerned. She had not 85 00:04:53.040 --> 00:04:55.399 been able to contact her boyfriend over the weekend and 86 00:04:55.480 --> 00:04:59.480 she knew something was wrong. Out of an abundant of caution, 87 00:05:00.120 --> 00:05:02.680 she contacted Brian's father and brother to let them know 88 00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:06.360 of her worries. They met her that evening at Brian's apartment. 89 00:05:07.279 --> 00:05:09.680 He was nowhere to be found, so they began searching 90 00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:13.240 the immediate area. By the time the police were informed 91 00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:17.519 of the situation, nearly two days had passed. Surveillance footage 92 00:05:17.560 --> 00:05:19.680 was reviewed from the Ugly Tuna as well as other 93 00:05:19.759 --> 00:05:23.360 local areas that were on his route that evening. After 94 00:05:23.399 --> 00:05:26.199 his last appearance at one fifty five am, he is 95 00:05:26.279 --> 00:05:30.040 never seen again on camera. All possible exits from the 96 00:05:30.079 --> 00:05:32.800 bar were covered by cameras, so it is unknown how 97 00:05:32.839 --> 00:05:36.120 he left without being caught on video. There was only 98 00:05:36.160 --> 00:05:38.199 one exit out of the building that was not actively 99 00:05:38.240 --> 00:05:41.399 being monitored, but it was on the first floor. It 100 00:05:41.480 --> 00:05:43.680 was also a service exit that led directly to a 101 00:05:43.720 --> 00:05:47.800 construction site. According to Sergeant John Hurst, who was the 102 00:05:47.879 --> 00:05:50.600 lead supervisor of the Missing Persons

Department at the time, 103 00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:53.839 leaving through the service exit would have been extremely difficult. 104 00:05:54.759 --> 00:05:56.759 He said that there would be no reason for anyone 105 00:05:56.800 --> 00:05:59.160 to want to leave that way. It would have been 106 00:05:59.199 --> 00:06:02.519 a difficult towns even sober, and Brian had been drinking 107 00:06:02.519 --> 00:06:06.480 heavily that evening. When it became clear that something was 108 00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:11.279 truly amiss, word of Brian's disappearance spread rapidly. His picture 109 00:06:11.319 --> 00:06:14.399 and description were widely circulated across the OSU campus and 110 00:06:14.439 --> 00:06:18.040 the surrounding areas, as well as on various social media platforms. 111 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:23.800 Brian is athletic in appearance. He's a Caucasian male, standing 112 00:06:23.839 --> 00:06:26.120 six foot two inches and weighing between one hundred and 113 00:06:26.120 --> 00:06:29.519 sixteen one hundred and seventy pounds. He has brown hair 114 00:06:29.519 --> 00:06:33.560 and hazel eyes. His left iris has a distinctive black 115 00:06:33.639 --> 00:06:36.319 dot on it. He has a tattoo on his upper 116 00:06:36.399 --> 00:06:39.399 right bicep is of the stickman logo that was on 117 00:06:39.439 --> 00:06:43.079 the cover art of Pearl Jam's single alive. He was 118 00:06:43.160 --> 00:06:45.839 last seen wearing an olive colored short sleeve shirt with 119 00:06:45.879 --> 00:06:49.800 a white long sleeved shirt underneath. He was wearing blue jeans, 120 00:06:49.959 --> 00:06:55.600 a yellow Cancer Wareness bracelet, and Adidas tennis shoes. Brian 121 00:06:55.639 --> 00:06:58.279 had a dream of someday becoming a rock star, as 122 00:06:58.319 --> 00:07:02.000 evidenced by his stickman tattoo. Brian greatly admired the band 123 00:07:02.040 --> 00:07:06.759 Pearl Jam. When Brian vanished, news spread quickly across the 124 00:07:06.759 --> 00:07:10.199 band's fan message boards, with a thread being created titled 125 00:07:10.439 --> 00:07:15.399 Columbus Area Pearl Jam Fan Gone Missing. The community rallied 126 00:07:15.399 --> 00:07:18.560 around the family, as did the band themselves, with Pearl 127 00:07:18.600 --> 00:07:22.639 Jam frontman Eddie Vedder speaking multiple times about Brian's disappearance. 128 00:07:24.319 --> 00:07:27.360 On June twenty fourth, two thousand and six, during concert 129 00:07:27.399 --> 00:07:30.519 in Cincinnati, Eddie took a moment to ask for any 130 00:07:30.519 --> 00:07:34.439 information about Brian, declaring that Brian is one of us 131 00:07:34.680 --> 00:07:37.519 and we miss him here tonight. Hopefully we can have 132 00:07:37.560 --> 00:07:41.839 a happy ending to this. Eddie then stated we're going 133 00:07:41.879 --> 00:07:45.439 to play this one for Brian before heading into wish list, 134 00:07:46.199 --> 00:07:50.079 altering the lyrics and places begging Brian to come on home. 135 00:07:50.879 --> 00:07:55.360 There is love waiting at home. Brian's story has not 136 00:07:55.439 --> 00:07:59.040 been forgotten by the band over the years. In twenty ten, 137 00:07:59.199 --> 00:08:03.199 Eddie reminded the Outing Columbus about Brian's disappearance before dedicating 138 00:08:03.240 --> 00:08:08.639 the song Come Back to Brian. Since his disappearance, there 139 00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:11.439 have been glimmers of hope, albeit just a few and 140 00:08:11.519 --> 00:08:15.319 only briefly. For example, Brian's apartment was broken into a 141 00:08:15.319 --> 00:08:18.160 few weeks after his disappearance. This could have been a 142 00:08:18.160 --> 00:08:20.600 major step forward in the case, but police determined it 143 00:08:20.600 --> 00:08:24.319 was simply a random crime and nothing more. A few 144 00:08:24.319 --> 00:08:27.519 months later, Alexis called Brian's phone, just as she had 145 00:08:27.519 --> 00:08:31.160 done every night since she last heard his voice. Day 146 00:08:31.199 --> 00:08:34.480 after day of only getting his voicemail. In September, his 147 00:08:34.600 --> 00:08:38.679 phone finally rang. No one answered, but they were able 148 00:08:38.679 --> 00:08:42.480 to ping the phone's location to Hillyhard, Ohio. This, according 149 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:45.000 to the cell phone company, was nothing more than a glitch. 150 00:08:46.120 --> 00:08:49.039 Brian's phone was never turned on again, and his credit 151 00:08:49.039 --> 00:08:53.720 cards whenever used. Theories have abounded as to what happened 152 00:08:53.720 --> 00:08:56.799 to Brian that night. Perhaps he was too overwhelmed with 153 00:08:56.799 --> 00:08:59.799 the state of his life and simply left. Maybe he 154 00:08:59.919 --> 00:09:03.960 was attacked on his walk home. He was inebriated after all, 155 00:09:04.000 --> 00:09:06.080 and that location of town was known for its crime. 156 00:09:07.279 --> 00:09:10.240 Maybe his body is still within the building somewhere, or 157 00:09:10.279 --> 00:09:13.159 maybe it was in the construction area later covered with concrete. 158 00:09:14.320 --> 00:09:17.559 Some have suggested that Clinton knows exactly what happened, as 159 00:09:17.559 --> 00:09:21.039 he refused to undergo a polygraph test, and according to 160 00:09:21.039 --> 00:09:24.480 Brian's younger brother Derek, the two didn't always get a law. 161 00:09:25.639 --> 00:09:28.519 Clint had stated he told the police all he knew. Therefore, 162 00:09:28.559 --> 00:09:31.559 he claimed there was no need to undergo any sort 163 00:09:31.559 --> 00:09:34.759 of light detective test. Police have not been able to 164 00:09:34.799 --> 00:09:37.200 rule out much of anything with such a lack of evidence. 165 00:09:37.240 --> 00:09:41.879 In this case, Brian's father, Randy, and his girlfriend Alexis 166 00:09:42.200 --> 00:09:44.600 did everything they could to keep Brian's name and image 167 00:09:44.600 --> 00:09:48.080 in the media. Randy exhausted all means of searching, including 168 00:09:48.120 --> 00:09:51.159 scouring the Old Tangy River at the suggestion of a psychic. 169 00:09:52.879 --> 00:09:55.240 Brandy dedicated the remainder of his life to finding his 170 00:09:55.320 --> 00:09:59.399 son and helping other families who were missing loved ones. Randy, 171 00:09:59.519 --> 00:10:02.240 unfortunate died when instruck by a falling limb during a 172 00:10:02.279 --> 00:10:05.200 storm in two thousand and eight. He never found any 173 00:10:05.240 --> 00:10:09.679 successful leads on the whereabouts of Zelda's son. The sole 174 00:10:09.720 --> 00:10:13.039 remaining immediate family member of Brian's is his younger brother Derek. 175 00:10:13.799 --> 00:10:17.639 Alexis has begun a new life Clinton Florence has moved 176 00:10:17.639 --> 00:10:20.919 out of state. Lori Davis, a friend of the families 177 00:10:20.919 --> 00:10:24.200 who took up particular interest in Brian's case, has dedicated 178 00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:26.759 countless hours of her life to finding not only Brian 179 00:10:27.000 --> 00:10:32.279 but also every other missing person in Ohio. Life moves on, 180 00:10:33.039 --> 00:10:38.279 but Brian, of course, will never be forgotten. Unfortunately, despite 181 00:10:38.279 --> 00:10:41.159 tips still being sent in fairly regularly throughout the years, 182 00:10:41.639 --> 00:10:44.960 we are no closer to answering the question what happened 183 00:10:45.000 --> 00:10:50.120 to Brian Shaeffer. If you, or anyone you know has 184 00:10:50.200 --> 00:10:54.720 any information about the disappearance of Brian Schaeffer born February eleventh, 185 00:10:54.840 --> 00:10:58.840 nineteen seventy nine, please call one eight seven seven six 186 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:02.440 four five tips or eight seven seven six four five 187 00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:05.440 eight four seven seven. You can remain anonymous if you 188 00:11:05.480 --> 00:11:10.519 wish well. Friends, thank you for tuning in to episode 189 00:11:10.519 --> 00:11:14.120 three of our Land of the Lost series. Please remember 190 00:11:14.159 --> 00:11:16.840 that we're asking everyone who watches this video to please 191 00:11:16.919 --> 00:11:19.279 share it on social media and with friends and family. 192 00:11:20.200 --> 00:11:23.360 Brian is still missing and you just might know the 193 00:11:23.399 --> 00:11:26.919 person who holds the key to solving this case. Until 194 00:11:26.919 --> 00:11:29.720 we meet again, take care of yourselves and each other. 195 00:11:30.240 --> 00:11:32.840 I'm Steve Stockton and i'll talk to you next time.