The Vanishing Act of Brian Schaefer: Did He Slip Through Time or Just Disappear?

On a cool April night in 2006, Brian Schaefer, a bright young medical student, stepped into a crowded bar in Columbus, Ohio.

His plan was simple: unwind after a long week of studying, enjoy a few drinks, and spend time with friends.

But as the night wore on, something truly bizarre happened—Brian Schaefer walked into that bar, but he never walked out.

No one saw him leave, and the security cameras tell an even more chilling story: they never captured him exiting.

So, what happened to Brian Schaefer that night? How does a person simply vanish into thin air in a room full of people?

 

 

Brian Schaefer was born on February 25, 1979, and grew up in a suburban home in Columbus, Ohio, alongside his brother Derek and their parents, Renee and Randy.

He attended Ohio State University, where he graduated with a degree in microbiology after six years.

Known for his friendly demeanor, Brian was well-liked by his peers.

In 2004, he enrolled at OSU’s College of Medicine, aspiring to become a doctor.

However, he jokingly mentioned on his MySpace account that being a doctor was merely a temporary job until he could form a band and release a record.

Just before his disappearance, on March 6, 2006, Brian’s mother passed away after a long battle with myelodysplasia, a type of cancer affecting the bone marrow.

Brian took his mother’s death hard but remained optimistic and continued his studies.

He had a girlfriend, Alexis Wagner, a second-year medical student, and they were planning a trip to Miami to relax after spring exams.

Rumors circulated that Brian might propose during this trip, although Alexis’s father later suggested they weren’t quite at that point in their relationship.

Nonetheless, Brian focused on his finals in the days leading up to the break, and he arranged a steak dinner with his father and brother at the Outback Steakhouse on March 31, 2006.

Unbeknownst to him, this would be his last dinner with family.

On that Friday evening, Brian walked into the steakhouse, where he was soon joined by his father, Randy.

His brother Derek declined the invitation, opting instead to attend a comedy show with his wife.

Witnesses noted an argument between Brian and Randy during dinner, but it seemed minor, and Randy left without any indication that anything was wrong.

After dinner, Brian returned to his apartment and waited for his friend Clint Florence to arrive before heading out for the night.

Around 9:00 p.m., Clint arrived, and by 9:30, the two friends were seen entering the Ugly Tuna Saloona, a popular local bar.

At 9:50 p.m., Brian received a call from his girlfriend, Alexis, and they spoke briefly.

Later, around 11:00 p.m., Brian and Clint decided to check out another bar, the Short North Tavern, about a 20-minute walk away.

After some time there, they returned to the Ugly Tuna Saloona, where they continued drinking.

At 1:15 a.m., Brian, Clint, and a friend named Meredith Reed were captured on CCTV entering the bar again.

However, by 1:55 a.m., Brian was seen outside the bar chatting with two women, Amber Ruick and Brighton Zatco, before seemingly vanishing from view.

 

 

After that night, Brian did not call or text his friends or family.

Worried, Alexis and Randy reported him missing nearly 60 hours after his disappearance.

Brian Schaefer, a 27-year-old standing 6’2″ and weighing 170 lbs, was officially reported missing.

The Columbus Division of Police began their search at the Ugly Tuna, where Brian was last seen.

Given the bar’s location in a high-crime area, the police reviewed the security footage extensively.

They confirmed Brian, Clint, and Meredith arrived at the bar around 1:15 a.m.

The footage showed Brian speaking with the two women before disappearing from view.

The police considered several scenarios, including the possibility that Brian changed his appearance or exited through a nearby service exit that wasn’t for public use.

However, the service exit led to a construction area, and many doubted Brian could navigate it while intoxicated.

The police also speculated that Brian might have slipped out while the camera was panned away, but no evidence supported this theory.

With no leads from the bar’s cameras, the police expanded their search to neighboring establishments, but they found nothing.

Officers combed the streets for evidence, going door-to-door and sending bike patrols with search dogs.

Everyone was involved in the search: police, friends, family, and the local community.

Flyers featuring Brian’s photo were distributed, highlighting a distinctive tattoo of a stick figure from Pearl Jam’s single “Alive.”

Despite the extensive search efforts, Brian’s disappearance remained a mystery.

His girlfriend, Alexis, was particularly active in the search, posting flyers around town and contacting local shelters and hospitals.

The police even secured access to the Columbus sewer system to search for signs of him, but to no avail.

Brian’s car remained parked outside his apartment, and his living space was untouched.

In desperation, Brian’s father, Randy, consulted a psychic, who suggested searching the Tangi River, located 10 to 15 minutes from the bar.

Although skeptical, Sergeant John Hurst followed up on the psychic’s lead and sent a dive team to check the river, but they found nothing.

 

 

As the investigation progressed, police interviewed everyone who had interacted with Brian that night.

They subjected many individuals to polygraph tests, with most passing, including Randy and Meredith.

However, Clint Florence, Brian’s close friend, declined to take the test, raising suspicion.

Clint claimed he had already provided all the useful information to the police, but when pressed further, he insisted on having an attorney present.

This refusal to cooperate led to Clint becoming a prime suspect in the case.

Friends and family believed Clint was Brian’s closest ally, and if anyone knew where Brian was, it would be him.

The argument between Brian and Clint earlier that night also raised questions.

Meredith, who had been present during the argument, later recounted her timeline of events, noting that she and Clint had picked him up, and they had all gone to the bar together.

However, after Brian’s disappearance, Clint seemed to distance himself from the investigation, ultimately refusing to answer questions posed by a grand jury.

This behavior only fueled the speculation surrounding his involvement.

As the weeks passed, calls to Brian’s phone went unanswered, leading his friends and family to fear the worst.

Interestingly, while his phone remained silent, it continued to ping off cell towers in the early weeks of April.

When the Columbus Police traced these pings, they found no new leads, and eventually, the pings ceased altogether.

Then, six months later, the phone began ringing again when Alexis called, a moment that brought her hope.

However, the police later explained that the ringing was likely due to “call looping,” a phenomenon caused by overloaded towers.

Over the years, many theories have emerged regarding Brian Schaefer’s case, leaving investigators baffled.

One popular theory is the “smiley face murder” theory, which suggests a group of serial killers is responsible for the deaths of young men across the United States.

These cases often involve victims found drowned in bodies of water, with smiley face graffiti discovered nearby.

However, after an extensive search of the Olentangy River and surrounding areas, police concluded that this theory did not apply to Brian’s disappearance.

 

 

Another theory posits that Brian may have been killed and disposed of in a nearby construction site accessible from the bar’s back exit.

Witnesses noted that the construction area contained a hole where someone could have hidden a body.

However, investigators thoroughly searched the site and found no evidence supporting this theory.

Moreover, the sergeant in charge of the case stated that the hole was shallow and that all dumpsters in the area had been checked without finding any clues.

Some speculate that Brian, known for being somewhat of a flirt, may have been lured away by the two women he was last seen with.

Brighton later revealed that Brian had kissed her neck, which raised eyebrows about the nature of their interaction.

Despite the speculation, both women cooperated with the police and were cleared of any involvement in Brian’s disappearance.

This led investigators back to Clint, whose alibi became increasingly suspect as time went on.

The significant amount of unaccounted time for Clint, coupled with his refusal to take a polygraph test, left many questions unanswered.

When Clint was brought before a grand jury, he declined to answer any questions, further complicating the investigation.

As the investigation dragged on, the Schaefer family faced additional tragedies.

In September of that year, Randy Schaefer was killed in an accident when a tree fell on him while he was working at home.

Strangely, a letter allegedly from Brian arrived after Randy’s death, but it was later revealed to be a hoax.

Three years after Brian’s disappearance, Alexis was able to move on with her life, eventually becoming an obstetrician-gynecologist in Toledo.

Derek, however, struggled with the loss of his mother, brother, and father, wearing a missing person’s bracelet as a constant reminder.

The case of Brian Schaefer remains one of the most perplexing mysteries in Columbus, with no clear answers or resolution.

Despite extensive investigations and numerous theories, the question of what happened to Brian Schaefer on that fateful night continues to linger.

As the years pass, the hope for closure remains, but the truth may forever remain elusive.

 

 

If you have any information regarding Brian Schaefer’s disappearance, please contact the authorities.

His family and friends still seek answers, hoping for a resolution to this heart-wrenching mystery.

Brian Schaefer’s story serves as a reminder of the fragility of life and the mysteries that can sometimes slip through the cracks of time.