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WEHT the missing studly medical school student?

I'm bored and can't sleep, so I've been reading up on this.

** September 25, 2006

In the weeks following the April 1 disappearance of Ohio State University medical student, Brian Shaffer, searchers combed the brush and bike path along the Olentangy river, from Lane Avenue to Confluence Park.

The missing student's father, Randall Shaffer, told reporters, "I don't want to find my son in the water someplace. I'm not saying he's there, and I pray to God he's not."

There was no reason to look in that particular place for clues. Brian had last been seen out at a bar with friends who were celebrating the start of spring break. Never the less, the area was searched and -- like every other place they'd looked -- authorities found nothing.

Brian Shaffer is just -- gone. The 27-year-old is 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs about 170 pounds. He has hazel eyes and a tattoo of the Pearl Jam symbol on his upper right arm.

Police have no idea what could've happened. Shaffer's mother died shortly before he disappeared, and at one point, his father Randy suggested the stress of her death might have been too much for Brian. But it's now been half a year since anyone's heard from him. Family and friends are sure he didn't simply decide to take off. His car was parked at his apartment. His cell phone and credit cards have not been used.

Clint Florence is the last person to have seen Brian Shaffer. The two used to live together and were out bar-hopping till early on Saturday morning on April 1.

Florence told NBC-4 in Columbus that the men headed to the Ugly Tuna Saloon at about 9:15 PM. At about 10:30 Brian spoke with his girlfriend by phone. At 11:00 the men walked to the Short North Tavern, and at 11:40 they walked to another bar. Around 1:15 they returned to the Ugly Tuna.

Florence said while he was drinking, Brian periodically walked away to talk with some people he knew. Shaffer was last seen on surveillance cameras at about 2:00 AM.

"Brian got up with them. I am assuming he got up with them, walked out with them to talk with them on the foyer before going on the escalator . . . I called him that night and it went straight to voicemail. It was about 2 a.m. and -- no answer," Florence said.

At closing time, after looking for his friend, Clint Florence left the bar. "Of course, I regret now leaving, but I didn't think anything of it. I didn't think Brian -- that anything happened to him because he is known to walk away," Florence said.

Nobody wants to believe Brian met with foul play or had a fatal accident -- but he was certainly not known to stay away. Brian Shaffer's total disappearance has now become an agonizing mystery.

Randy Shaffer said vanishing is just not like his son and described him as an exceptional student, noting, "His idea of a bad grade is to get an 83. The last time my wife was here, he was in the top 10 of his class. I don't know where he's at now but not that far behind. He's such a smart kid."

Brian was supposed to leave that Monday morning for a spring break trip with his girlfriend, Alexis Waggoner. She immediately knew something strange had happened.

"I was kind of starting to worry Saturday night. And by Sunday morning when I hadn't heard anything, I was really thinking there was something wrong," said Waggoner, who then contacted his family and called police.

**

The above article was posted on some conspiro theorist's website with a bunch of other missing young men.

I can understand why his brother wants to cling to the hope that he's alive - both their parents are dead and there are no other siblings.

But how could he possibly have the means to disappear without a trace? Where would he go? How would he support himself?

I *think* this is a photo of the best friend and former roommate, Clint Florence, whom everyone thinks knows more than he's said. Some message boards say Clint is gay.

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Reinaldo Massengill

Update: 2024-05-05