In the early hours of April 1, 2006, Brian Shaffer, a 27-year-old medical student at Ohio State University, vanished from outside the Ugly Tuna Saloona bar in Columbus, Ohio. He was there celebrating the beginning of spring break with friends, but at some point became separated from them and was never seen again.
Brian was known as a friendly, outgoing person with an engaging personality and no known enemies. By all accounts, he was excited about the future, enjoying medical school and his burgeoning relationship with fellow student Alexis Waggoner. His sudden disappearance shocked those close to him.
An extensive search and investigation found no trace of Brian. Cadaver dogs scoured the bar area and dive teams searched nearby bodies of water but uncovered nothing. Surveillance footage captured him briefly, entering a bar around 2 AM, but did not record him leaving. It was as if he had vanished into thin air.
In the years since, the puzzle of what happened to Brian remains unsolved, leaving his family without answers. The bizarre circumstances – a young man disappearing from a busy area without a trace – have fueled intense speculation and amateur sleuthing. But despite tantalizing leads and theories, Brian’s fate after he separated from friends that April night continues to be a haunting mystery defying resolution.
Background on Brian Shaffer
Brian Shaffer grew up in the Columbus suburb of Pickerington, Ohio. He came from a close-knit family that included his younger brother Derek. After graduating high school in 1997, Brian attended Ohio State University where he completed a bachelor’s degree in microbiology and molecular genetics.
Driven to pursue a career as a doctor, Brian was accepted into OSU’s College of Medicine in 2004. During this time, he began dating fellow med student Alexis Waggoner. The two grew serious quickly, making future plans for marriage and a life together.
Those who knew Brian describe him as kind, outgoing and friendly. He enjoyed spending time with friends and family, particularly his mother Renee. Tragically, in March of 2006, Renee passed away after battling myelodysplastic syndrome, a rare blood cancer.
Brian was devastated by the loss of his mother, who had always encouraged him to follow his dreams of becoming a doctor. According to friends, her death hit him hard. He began asking existential questions about life and death. The grief no doubt cast a shadow over what should have been an exciting and hopeful time in Brian’s life.
Just a week after his mother’s passing, Brian embarked on a fateful night out that ended in his mysterious disappearance. In hindsight, it’s evident he was still reeling from the enormity of this loss. But what exactly happened after entering the Ugly Tuna remains an impenetrable mystery.
The Night of the Disappearance
The night of March 31, 2006, began as a festive spring break celebration for Brian Shaffer and his friend William “Clint” Florence. The two spent the evening bar-hopping along High Street in Columbus, Ohio, an area dense with shops, restaurants and nightlife catering to OSU students.
Around 10 pm, they met up with Clint’s friend Meredith Reed at the Short North Tavern before visiting other bars including Brother’s, Out-R-Inn and finally the Ugly Tuna Saloona. Brian seemed to be in good spirits throughout the night, buying drinks for bar patrons and chatting up various people.
According to Clint, at some point, tension arose between the two friends and they argued outside the Ugly Tuna around 1:15 a.m. The reason for the dispute remains unclear. Clint later told police he left Brian to cool off and returned to the bar.
Meredith departed first, leaving Clint and Brian behind as the bar prepared to close at 2 a.m. Clint lost track of Brian inside and assumed he had left alone to walk home without telling him. Both headed in the same direction toward Brian’s apartment just six blocks away.
When Clint couldn’t reach Brian on his phone after the last call, he grew concerned. Neither his girlfriend Alexis nor his family had heard from him. Two days later, he was reported missing when all attempts to make contact failed.
Law enforcement descended on the Ugly Tuna and surrounding Short North area but found no traces of Brian. Video surveillance offered few clues – only capturing Brian for certain entering the upstairs dance club at 1:55 am, but no footage exists of him exiting the building. It was as if he had disappeared into thin air that night without a trace.
Details on the Bar and Investigation
The Ugly Tuna Saloona, located in Columbus, Ohio’s artsy Short North district, was a popular bar amongst Ohio State students in 2006. The two-story establishment featured a dimly lit downstairs bar and a brighter upstairs dance club.
After Brian Shaffer’s disappearance, the Ugly Tuna became a focal point in the investigation. Law enforcement thoroughly searched the premises, including restrooms, storage areas, and rooftops. Searches involved multiple agencies such as the Columbus Police Department, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI.
Cadaver dogs scoured the interior and exterior of the building and dive teams searched nearby bodies of water. Despite the exhaustive sweep utilizing sophisticated resources, no traces of Brian came to light.
Security camera footage proved another fruitless avenue. Cameras captured Brian briefly outside the bar around 1:55 am talking to two women before entering the upstairs club. But frustratingly, no footage exists of him exiting before the 2 a.m. closing time.
One intriguing clue did arise – a rear emergency exit door was found unlocked when police arrived to search the bar. This door was not caught on camera and would have allowed someone to leave undetected. However, it’s unclear if the door was left unlocked accidentally or if it figured into Brian’s disappearance.
In the end, the extensive searches and video analysis failed to uncover concrete evidence illuminating what transpired at the Ugly Tuna Saloona on that April night. Brian Shaffer’s vanishing act after entering the lively upstairs club remains entirely unexplained.
Theories on What Happened
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect is the lack of physical evidence or eyewitness accounts indicating what happened to Brian Shaffer. Despite exhaustive searches and scrutiny of surveillance, no tangible clues have been found. This void has led to endless speculation over the years.
He Left Voluntarily
One theory holds that Brian intentionally disappeared to start a new life away from his grief. But his loved ones find this unlikely, given his close ties and bright future. Also, no paper trail points to Brian voluntarily leaving. Still, some believe he escaped his struggles and slipped into anonymity.
Met with Foul Play
More ominous is the theory Brian met with foul play inside the bar or out on the dimly lit streets. Perhaps an altercation turned violent or a robbery went awry. The unlocked back exit door raises questions. However, no forensic evidence of an attack was found. Some still suspect a cover-up by someone with Brian that night.
Accident or Medical Emergency
It’s also feasible that Brian suffered an accident or medical crisis outside the bar, collapsed suddenly, and was hidden or disposed of by a passerby. But extensive searches uncovered no remains or personal effects, confounding investigators.
An Enduring Mystery
In the end, none of the theories sufficiently explain why a young man entering a crowded bar was never seen exiting. Until evidence emerges, Brian’s fateful walk into the Ugly Tuna remains one of the most perplexing and haunting disappearance cases in recent memory.
Ongoing Investigation
In the 15+ years since Brian’s disappearance, various leads have surfaced that offered hope but ultimately led nowhere:
- In 2020, a viral photo of a homeless man in Mexico resembling Brian was debunked by FBI facial recognition analysis.
- In 2006, Brian’s cell phone mysteriously pinged a Columbus tower months after he vanished, suggesting it was still in use. But further tracking wasn’t possible.
- Other leads like a strange online message alluding to Brian being in the Virgin Islands have led nowhere.
Brian’s loved ones persist in their quest for answers. Law enforcement has kept the case open, re-interviewing key figures in recent years. His mother and father passed away without knowing his fate. But his girlfriend Alexis, brother Derek and friends continue to carry the torch, hoping one day the enduring mystery of what happened to Brian Shaffer is finally solved.
Brian Shaffer’s baffling disappearance outside an Ohio bar remains an unsolved enigma over 15 years later. But the enduring public fascination and dedication from loved ones to find the truth keep hope alive that closure may yet be attained in this haunting case. Perhaps one day a critical new clue will emerge and unravel this colossal mystery that has stumped professional and amateur investigators for over a decade. For now, the fate of Brian Shaffer on that April night continues to be one of the most perplexing unsolved disappearances in modern times.
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