Shocking theories behind man who 'never left bar on CCTV' and is still missing 18 years later

Over 18 years ago, a man ‘never left a bar’ according to CCTV footage, yet is still missing.

In a heartbreaking story ripe for a Netflix true crime series, Brian Shaffer hasn’t been seen since the early hours of 1 April 2006.

It’s a case that’s baffled detectives for years.

The night before, the second-year medical student headed out to a bar called the Ugly Tuna Saloona in Columbus’ University District with his mate William ‘Clint’ Florence.

The pair were out celebrating after completing their exams and bar hopped around when they met up with Clint’s friend, Meredith Reed.

She drove them back to the Ugly Tuna and CCTV footage showed them re-entering at 1.15am.

Brian Shaffer. (Facebook)

Earlier in the night, at 10pm, Shaffer had called his girlfriend, Alexis Waggoner to confirm their upcoming Miami trip and told her he loved her as she was going away to visit her parents beforehand.

It was thought by both her and by the medical student’s parents that he was going to propose to her on the trip. But that holiday never happened.

At 2am, Shaffer could be seen chatting with two women outside the bar. CCTV footage seemed to show he walked back in and yet, he was never seen again.

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Florence and Reed tried to call him but had no answer and they went home when the bar closed, assuming their friend had left.

His dad also tried to call him over the weekend with no success and Shaffer was officially missing after he didn’t show for his flight to Miami.

CCTV wouldn’t have shown if he used another exit from the bar onto a construction site, and this led to many coming up with the theory he vanished on purpose.

It was believed he would be proposing to his girlfriend in the next few days. (Facebook)

There was a huge search for Shaffer and some believe he intended to disappear, with theories he even changed his clothes before exiting the bar.

However, his family insist there was no motive for the young man to do so.

New theories and rumours seem to regularly pop up and five years ago, a bloke was photographed in Tijuana, Mexico. People believed he shared some resemblance to Shaffer.

But the FBI concluded this wasn’t the missing American.

To this day, the case is still ‘periodically’ reviewed by Columbus police.