Brian's mother had been battling with a rare form of cancer. Brian and his mother were very close and it was hard for Brian to handle her death.

Classes at the Ohio State University conclude for spring break. Brian has big plans for spring break, including a dinner with his father that evening, and a vacation with his girlfriend the following week.

The Ohio State University

Brian and his father celebrate the beginning of spring break by sharing a nice meal together at a local Outback Steakhouse. Randy notes that Brian seems exhausted from the full week of midterms.

Outback Steakhouse

During this call, Brian confirms their plans to travel to Miami for a vacation the following week. Alexis has stated that the conversation was normal, and that Brian ends the call saying that he loves her.

After dinner with his father, Brian contacts and makes plans to meet up with his close friend, Clint. From here, the pair plan to bar-hop around Columbus near the Ohio State University campus.

Ugly Tuna Saloona

Clint states that each of them had one shot of hard liquor at each bar.

Ugly Tuna Saloona

Meredith gives Brian and Clint a ride back to the Ugly Tuna Saloona and joins them for their final round of drinks.

The Short North Bar

The trio is seen riding an escalator up the the Ugly Tuna Saloon bar at 1:15am.

Ugly Tuna Saloona

Brian is seen on security footage outside of the bar talking to two unknown women before saying goodbye. After this, Brian seems to move as if he was going back into the bar on an escalator.

Ugly Tuna Saloona

The three agree that they are ready to leave and Brian tells Clint that he is going to go up to the stage area. After this, Brian gets separated from the group. Clint and Meredith are unable to reach him via phone call at this point.

Ugly Tuna Saloona

Clint and Meredith exit the bar with the rest of the crowd and wait outside for Brian to exit. Brian is not seen on CCTV footage leaving the bar, and no one who had been at the bar that night reported seeing Brian exit the bar. There were only two entry/exit points at the bar, the front, main entrance, and a back, service door, which is only used for bar employees. After waiting, the two assume that Brian had walked home.

Ugly Tuna Saloona

Both Clint and Meredith make several attempts to call Brian after leaving the bar and throughout the weekend. Brian does not answer any of these calls.

Brian is not at his apartment and his car is in the parking lot. Alexis stays at Brian's apartment over the weekend in case he comes home. Nothing had been disturbed in his home.

Brian's Apartment (Approx. Location)

Randy, Brian's father informs his son Derek about Brian's disappearance. Randy asks Derek to visit Brian's apartment to see if Brian is home.

Brian and his girlfriend, Alexis, had planned to spend their spring break in Miami, however, he never arrives at the airport for their flight.

After no one is able to get in contact with Brian over the weekend, Randy calls the Columbus Police Department and reports his son as a missing person. From here, the police investigation officially begins.

In the days following Brian's disappearance, Crime Stoppers offers a $2,000 reward along with an additional $5,000 reward being offered by Ohio State University's College of Medicine and Public Health.

Five days after Brian was last seen, a vigil is held to remember him, and to spread awareness for his disappearance.

The Ohio State University

Investigators receive a tip after their search for Brian begins, which claims that the tipster had seen Brian at a local Columbus convenience store. After reviewing surveillance footage from the convenience store, investigators determine that the individual who had been seen is not Brian.

Alexis is called by police to visit the apartment and see if anything was missing. Nothing is missing from the apartment other than some DVDs. Police determine that there is no connection between the robbery and Brian's disappearance.

Brian's Apartment (Approx. Location)

Nearly a month after Brian's disappearance, the Rally For Hope is held in Columbus to remember and raise awareness for Brian and other adults that are missing in Ohio.

The Ohio State University

Brian's phone rings for the first time since his disappearance. Brian's phone had been on the Cingular Network. The provider explains that his phone may have rung because of two reasons: a glitch, and the possibility his phone might have been powered on at that time. The call originated from Hilliard, OH.

Brian's Cell Phone Pinged In Sept, 2006

The search for Brian continues, with search parties consisting of Brian's family members, friends, and members of the community.

Olentangy River

As the two-year anniversary of Brian's disappearance approaches, a vigil is held outside of the Ugly Tuna Saloona to raise awareness and remember Brian.

Ugly Tuna Saloona

Randy Shaffer is struck by a falling tree during a severe storm and is killed. Friends and neighbors of Randy believe that he had been trying to clean up debris from the storm when he was killed by the falling tree.

The message states: "Dad, I love you. Love, Brian. - US Virgin Islands". Police look into the IP address of the message and conclude that the message is a hoax. It is determined that the post had not been made from the US Virgin Islands, but instead from a "public-access" computer in Franklin County, Ohio. Investigators clarified that the location where the computer had been used to send the message did not require users to log in before use, so the chances of investigators locating the individual responsible is very low.

Five years after Brian's disappearance, a blood drive is held in his honor in Columbus. During the event, organizers state that they're going to continue the relentless search for Brian that Randy, tragically, could not continue after his death.

Blood Drive to Honor Brian

Around the 12th anniversary of Brian's disappearance, the first 'Brian Shaffer March For The Missing' is held in Columbus. The event, which later becomes an annual event, aims at raising awareness for missing people from the area. The march begins at the Ohio State University College of Medicine, and ends at the Ugly Tuna Saloona bar where Brian was last seen 12 years earlier. During the march, attendees distribute various missing persons fliers and listen to various speakers.

After 14 years of operation, the Ugly Tuna Saloona closes its doors for the final time.

Ugly Tuna Saloona

The second annual 'Brian Shaffer March For The Missing' is held in Columbus in April of 2019, just after the 13th anniversary of Brian's disappearance.

In 2020, an image of a homeless man seen in Mexico who resembles Brian is sent to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Analysis completed by the FBI concludes that the individual in the photograph is not Brian.

The release of this age-progressed image comes nearly 15 years after the disappearance of Brian Shaffer. The image shows what Brian may look like at age 42.