Case overview
Brian Shaffer, a 27-year-old medical student at Ohio State University, entered the Ugly Tuna Saloona bar in Columbus on April 1, 2006, and was never seen again. Security footage captured him going in but never showed him coming out, despite cameras covering the main exits. Nearly two decades later, no trace of Shaffer has been found, and investigators have never definitively explained how he left the building or what happened after his last confirmed sighting.
The hours before he vanished
On March 31, 2006, Brian Shaffer spent the evening with his father, Randy, visiting his mother’s grave. Renee Shaffer had died from myelodysplasia less than a month earlier, on March 3. Brian, who was preparing for spring break in Miami with his girlfriend Alexis Waggoner, had been managing the loss while keeping up with his second-year medical school schedule.
The following night, April 1, Shaffer met his friend William “Clint” Florence around 9 p.m. to celebrate the start of spring break. The two visited several bars near Ohio State’s campus before arriving at the Ugly Tuna Saloona, a bar on the second floor of a building at 1546 North High Street, shortly before midnight.
Security cameras at the entrance recorded Shaffer entering at 1:15 a.m. on April 2. He was wearing a white baseball cap, a light-colored shirt, and jeans. Inside, he spoke briefly with friends, including Florence and another acquaintance, Meredith Reed. Witnesses later reported seeing him talking to two women near the bar.
The last confirmed sighting
The final verified image of Brian Shaffer came from surveillance footage recorded at 1:55 a.m. The camera, positioned to monitor the entrance to the Ugly Tuna Saloona, showed him standing near the bar’s doorway, talking to the two women. Shortly afterward, he appeared to re-enter the bar. That was the last time he was captured on camera.
At approximately 2 a.m., Florence tried to find Shaffer to tell him he was leaving. Unable to locate him, Florence assumed Shaffer had left on his own or would catch up later. Florence and Reed left the bar together. Shaffer did not.
When the bar closed, Shaffer was not among the patrons seen exiting on camera. The building had a main entrance monitored by security footage, a service elevator accessible only to staff, and a rear construction exit that opened to a fenced area. No footage from any exit showed Shaffer leaving.
The search begins
Shaffer’s girlfriend, Alexis Waggoner, reported him missing when he failed to board their flight to Miami on April 3. She had last spoken to him by phone around 10 p.m. on April 1, before he went out with Florence. Shaffer had also called his father earlier that evening to discuss dinner plans for the following week.
Columbus police launched an investigation immediately. Officers reviewed security footage from the Ugly Tuna Saloona and the surrounding area. They interviewed bar staff, patrons, and Shaffer’s friends. Search dogs were brought to the scene. Divers searched the Olentangy River. None of these efforts produced evidence of where Shaffer went after 1:55 a.m.
Investigators confirmed that Shaffer’s bank accounts, cell phone, and credit cards showed no activity after the night he disappeared. His car remained parked near his apartment. There was no indication he had packed for the trip to Miami or made any preparation to leave voluntarily.
The building and its exits
The layout of the Ugly Tuna Saloona became central to the investigation. The bar occupied the second floor of a multi-use building. The main public entrance, covered by security cameras, was the primary way in and out. A service entrance used by employees led to a back hallway and a construction area, but it was not monitored by cameras.
Some investigators theorized that Shaffer could have exited through the construction area, possibly by mistake or intentionally. The rear of the building faced a small courtyard and alley, which would have allowed access to the street without being captured on the main camera. However, no witnesses reported seeing him in that area, and no evidence has been found to confirm he used that route.
Another possibility considered by investigators was that Shaffer never left the building at all. Police conducted searches of the premises, including areas under renovation, but found nothing.
Key individuals and lingering questions
Clint Florence, the last known person to see Shaffer, cooperated with investigators and took a polygraph test, which he passed. Alexis Waggoner also spoke with police and was not considered a suspect. Both were ruled out as being involved in Shaffer’s disappearance.
In 2008, Detective Andre Edwards, one of the lead investigators, stated publicly that he believed Shaffer was alive and had chosen to disappear voluntarily. Edwards cited the timing of Shaffer’s mother’s death and the pressures of medical school as potential motivators. However, Shaffer’s family and friends disputed this theory, noting that he was close to his father and girlfriend and had shown no indication of wanting to leave his life behind.
Randy Shaffer hired a private investigator and maintained a website dedicated to finding his son. He rejected the theory that Brian left willingly, emphasizing that his son had no history of mental health crises or erratic behavior. Randy Shaffer died in 2008 without learning what happened to his son.
Reported sightings and unverified leads
Over the years, there have been multiple reported sightings of Brian Shaffer, none of which have been confirmed. In 2008, a person claiming to be a psychic contacted authorities and said Shaffer’s body was in a specific location near Columbus. A search of the area yielded no evidence.
In 2020, podcasters and online investigators revisited the case, generating renewed public interest. Some have speculated about connections to other missing persons cases or possible foul play inside the bar. No evidence has substantiated these theories.
Columbus police have stated that the case remains open and that they continue to follow up on credible leads. However, no major developments have been made public in recent years.
The status of the investigation
As of 2024, the Brian Shaffer disappearance remains unsolved. He is still listed as a missing person by the Columbus Division of Police and the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. His case is classified as endangered missing.
In 2021, investigators confirmed that they had used new technology to re-examine evidence and review digital records, but no breakthroughs were announced. The bar where Shaffer was last seen, the Ugly Tuna Saloona, closed in 2021, nearly 15 years after his disappearance.
Shaffer would be 45 years old today. He has a tattoo on his upper right arm depicting a cartoon devil with a pitchfork and the words “Rock on.” He was six feet tall and weighed approximately 165 pounds at the time of his disappearance.
Anyone with information about the Brian Shaffer disappearance is asked to contact the Columbus Division of Police at 614-645-4545 or the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
Where to look next
- Documentary: “Disappeared: Party’s Over” (Investigation Discovery)
- Podcast: “Trace Evidence” (Steven Pacheco)
- Podcast: “Unexplained” (Richard MacLean Smith)
