OH OH - Brian Shaffer, 27, Columbus, 1 April 2006 - #4

[Stella]

I just took another listen to the podcast. At 18min in, Hurst states that there's no way Brian died in the construction area, because someone would've noted an odor and 'we (CPD) would've been alerted'. Thus, Hurst implies that no one contacted CPD to report an odor in the building. But we know that, per previously discussed Yelp comment from around 2007, SOMEONE DID NOTE AN ODOR. Just how many people observed an odor? We don't know. But apparently no one who noted an odor contacted CPD. Unfortunate. Would have been good to have had that report of an odor investigated. Could potentially have resulted in the case being solved...

Also, in the Tiffany Renee video linked above, at 18:40 in she notes that cadaver dogs 'did hit in a couple places' in the construction area, but nothing came of it. Not sure why nothing came of it, she doesn't say. And she's very loose with facts, for example she states that concrete/floors were already in place in the construction area when we know Hurst stated that floors were not in place and there were uneven/unlevel dirt surfaces in the construction area at the time of Brian's disappearance and when cadaver dogs were run through. Far as I know, not so much as a single shovel full of dirt was ever turned by CPD in its investigation of the construction area.

Me, I still think most likely outcome is Brian died in an accident in the construction area, CPD failed to find his body, CPD did not subsequently investigate reported odor, and Brian's remains are still there.

I've read that an ongoing complaint about the Ugly Tuna Saloona was that it always reeked of urine and vomit. If it was a different odor, it might not have been reported to the police. But what about someone maybe reporting it to the Health Department, since they served food as well as liquor?

 

[itsrak]

I've read that an ongoing complaint about the Ugly Tuna Saloona was that it always reeked of urine and vomit. If it was a different odor, it might not have been reported to the police. But what about someone maybe reporting it to the Health Department, since they served food as well as liquor?

The odor I refer to was reported by a patron of the cinema. But yeah, there were also reports that the bar stunk like a college bar, serving liquor and seafood, might have been expected to!

The interesting question to me is why, despite a few supposed 'hits' by dogs, no dirt was ever moved. Also, if I understand correctly, Brian's dad felt compelled to bring dogs through after CPD had. Why would he have felt compelled to do that?

I'd bet that could CPD have somehow then known that Brian would never be seen again, that he was almost certainly then already dead, they might have done a bit of digging.

 

[Stella]

Inspection Results and Signs

It says that businesses in Columbus were color coded in 2006 (but not which month it began) on their sanitary conditions, which I believe would include foul odors. Does anyone familiar with the UTS know what color sticker they had back then? I don't know how long the smell of human decay would last but I wouldn't think for more than a few months. If it was reported to the health department, tracking down exactly when it was reported could narrow down the possibility of whether Brian ever left the building.

 

[Kaie]

The odor I refer to was reported by a patron of the cinema. But yeah, there were also reports that the bar stunk like a college bar, serving liquor and seafood, might have been expected to!

The interesting question to me is why, despite a few supposed 'hits' by dogs, no dirt was ever moved. Also, if I understand correctly, Brian's dad felt compelled to bring dogs through after CPD had. Why would he have felt compelled to do that?

I'd bet that could CPD have somehow then known that Brian would never be seen again, that he was almost certainly then already dead, they might have done a bit of digging.

I've often thought that Randy having brought in dogs himself might indicate that he himself took seriously the possibility of Brian's remains being concealed on site.

And yeah, if only they could have known just how long term, perplexing, and limited in evidence, this missing persons case was going to be.

 

[Old Mozez]

Randy and others started to look for Brian on sunday already, instead of running of around in circles and without knowing a a squat about Brian's whereabouts he got the dogs in on tuesday.

He wanted to go in immediately in the UTS and the gateway comp. but was also halted by CPD who said they wanted to go in with their dogs first. So at that time there was equal priority on the search sites. I sense that Hurst probably later convinced some people Brian's wasn't in the building so they started expanding the searches and looked elsewhere too.

Hard to know then what we know now though.

CPD should however have gone back and made it 100% clear he wasn't in the construction area. Probably that site was changing in shape so maybe it wasn't possible like it had been the first days. It's sad , is what it is.

 

[Stella]

I always thought Brian headed back into the UTS with those girls. This video shows he was heading in the direction of that yellow door. If so, that was probably the way he left. Was that the door to the construction area or the hallway? I had the layout envisioned in another way and now I'm somewhat confused. Back to sleuthing...

 

[Kaie]

I always thought Brian headed back into the UTS with those girls. This video shows he was heading in the direction of that yellow door. If so, that was probably the way he left. Was that the door to the construction area or the hallway? I had the layout envisioned in another way and now I'm somewhat confused. Back to sleuthing...

Brian couldn't have headed back into the bar with the girls, they are seen leaving... and he is not. The girls left exactly the way they had entered, via the escalator. Brian is seen basically turning his back on the escalator and heading away from it (whether that means back into the bar, or towards a door, we don't know exactly).

 

[Old Mozez]

If so, that was probably the way he left.

yep, Det. Edwards said in 2014 they are 100% sure he never left by the escalators.
The UTS claimed no one left through the emergency exit in the UTS so only exit left if he didn’t have super powers was that yellow door.
Actually we have refered to it as the “beige” door here previously.

 

[Kaie]

yep, Det. Edwards said in 2014 they are 100% sure he never left by the escalators.
The UTS claimed no one left through the emergency exit in the UTS so only exit left if he didn’t have super powers was that yellow door.
Actually we have refered to it as the “beige” door here previously.

Was the emergency exit ruled out with certainty? I think I recall that there may have been technical issues with the monitoring of that exit. Something about how opening that door is supposed to trigger a camera, but perhaps it didn't? (someone may have to help me out here, I'm a bit vague on that detail now)

 

[Old Mozez]

Was the emergency exit ruled out with certainty? I think I recall that there may have been technical issues with the monitoring of that exit. Something about how opening that door is supposed to trigger a camera, but perhaps it didn't? (someone may have to help me out here, I'm a bit vague on that detail now)

Hi
Yes I’m actually going to give a lengthier answer, the zoom function outside was overridden so the UTS claim they had stationed someone to monitor that exit, CPD doesn’t seem to distrust this statement at all which up until a month ago I found a little odd.

Just to take someone words for it, especially with Brightan saying that door was known to regulars as an open door because except the zoom outside, if opened upstairs an alarm should have gone off, but didn’t . So this was probably part of the same overridden circuit system.

I know the same Det Edwards , (remember when it comes to footage he is the guy in the investigation) said (nbc6) -“ there just No way for him to have left that way.“

So actually turns out that there was a camera opposite of the gateway entrance too. I don’t think they’ve mentioned this camera and have certainly never released footage. Someone posted on A forum connected to findbrianshaffer.com started by Lori , that she knew there was a camera opposite site of the entrance and if CPD had checked it. Lori actually knew this because she replied that Randy told her that CPD let him go over that footage multiple times.

That sort of settles it for me because the exit is adjacent to the gateway entrance, in other words, had Brian exited the emergency exit downstairs , zoom or no zoom he would have been spotted.

(This is also off course partly why Hurst believe he got exited through one of the construction doors, because there’s no other possible way out. He actually said “most likely” got exited, not because they believe he’s in the building though. So the other options left is if he was carried out?)

 

[Tman2004]

I know there is almost 0 chance of this being anything but I I immediately saw some resemblance to the pic of Shaffer with the beard and glasses. The longer I looked the less similaritiesI saw. But I was excited for a minute just thinking what if.

Do you know this man? Amador County officials need help IDing him

 

[neesaki]

I know there is almost 0 chance of this being anything but I I immediately saw some resemblance to the pic of Shaffer with the beard and glasses. The longer I looked the less similaritiesI saw. But I was excited for a minute just thinking what if.

Do you know this man? Amador County officials need help IDing him

Identified already, that was fast.

 

[Looking4Brian]

Hello everyone! I’m sorry I haven’t posted in so long. We have been working on getting Brian a 6 part investigative documentary with a media company that works with pretty much every major network. In order for them to do it they needed new unreleased information so I put the podcast on hold in order to get Brian a bigger audience. Sadly I don’t think it’s going to happen. I was told male disappearances do not get as many viewers as female disappearances. Seriously!?! Even though I haven’t been told no yet, my gut tells me this isn’t going to happen. When and if that happens I will revive the podcast. In the mean time all the episodes to Brian Shaffer Dead or Alive and Missing in Ohio are on YouTube. I have been eat, sleep, and breathing this case like never before in the past 2 months and have found some interesting things. For instance I had no clue when they broke ground for the Gateway Building, that they found tunnels and old tracks. I know there are tunnels all over campus and Columbus, but I didn’t know they were under the building itself. It may not mean anything, but everything is worth looking into at this point. Honestly, I’m a little overwhelmed with everything right now. I have mentioned it before, but I’m going to put together a group of people that would like to help. If anyone is interested let me know. It’s been almost 14 years! It time to get answers for Brian and The Shaffer Family.

 

[Looking4Brian]

It sounds like it would have been easier to get into the construction area from the service area than to exit the construction area via the padlocked doors on the south side of the complex. At 12:00 in Hurst states that 'it would be easy to get into that area (the 'construction area') because 'there was no barrier from the service entrance'. At 15:45 Hurst talks about slipping out of construction area through the temporary doors along the south side of the construction area: Brian Shaffer Dead or Alive
He says the building was searched extremely well, but it seems clear they moved no dirt in the 'completely dug up' construction area, even though cadaver dogs reportedly 'hit' a few times...

Actually they did move the dirt piles and searched with the cadaver dogs, but the dogs didn’t hit inside the building.

 

[Looking4Brian]

Still waiting on the next episode of dead or alive. I would like to know what the pi received that was supposed to be breaking new info. If it was a complete sham then just tell people.

I have no confirmation on what Don received, but we are all under the impression it is a hoax. People are cruel to play jokes like this!

 

[Looking4Brian]

Have you, in your investigative efforts, ever encountered anyone who told you that they themselves smelled the stench in the Gateway complex?

I have not. I have seen 2 reviews about the stench of UTS and 1 about the theatre.

 

[Looking4Brian]

There is this FB group called Comeback, but no activity since last year, 2018.
Comeback

I guess I’m confused, is the podcast called DEAD OR ALIVE or COMEBACK ?

Comeback is the podcast that me and Nick did together. Brian Shaffer Dead or Alive is the latest.

 

[Looking4Brian]

That one is apparently no longer, or I have the wrong title?
But the Brian Shaffer March For The Missing FB is still active. Are we not allowed to link to that one? Is it because Looking4Brian isn’t a verified insider? I’m not a Facebooker so not that familiar with the rules.

All of the social media pages for Brian Shaffer Dead or Alive, Missing in Ohio, and The Brian Shaffer March for the Missing are still active.

 

[Looking4Brian]

I have identified at least one of the people that Brian is pictured with in the Puerto Rico pic but I have not contacted her and most likely won't. I'm guessing that CPD has already talked to her.

IMO Puerto Rico needs a another look. I am very curious about his time there.

 

[Looking4Brian]

What landfill? Not every dumpster's contents would end up in the same landfill. For private businesses, it would depend on what refuse company had the contract. Some large (construction, medical waste) dumpsters are hauled away full rather than being emptied into a truck.
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But Brain could have been stuffed in a trunk and then dumped into a ravine, crammed into a septic tank, or buried in a shallow grave.
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The murder angle is harmless speculation, but I still think that Brian is most likely entombed in some unsuspected crevice in the Gateway building.[/QUOTE

Actually all the dumpsters and trash inside the city of Columbus go to the Franklin County landfill. Everything outside of the city gets hauled to a sorting facility in Tennessee.