(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — The Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Columbus Division of Police today released an age-progression image of Brian Shaffer, a missing central Ohio man, and are seeking the public’s assistance with the case.
“Take a close look at this image: a single tip can reignite a cold case and bring a family closer to reunification with a loved one,” Attorney General Dave Yost said. “Hope doesn’t have an expiration date – every missing person counts.”
Shaffer has been missing since April 1, 2006. He was last seen at approximately 2 a.m. at a bar near the Ohio State University Campus in the vicinity of N. High Street in Columbus.
Shaffer was 27 years old when he went missing and would now be 42. BCI’s forensic criminal artist constructed an age-progressed image of what Brian may look like now. Investigators hope that the new image may prompt the public to submit tips to law enforcement.
“We would like to thank BCI and their forensic artists who worked tirelessly on the age-progression image of Brian Shaffer,” Interim Columbus Police Chief Michael Woods said. “We would like to find every person from our missing persons cases and believe this is another step in hopes that we can find Mr. Shaffer.”
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Columbus Division of Police at 614-645-2358.
Shaffer was last seen wearing jeans, a blue or green striped shirt and tennis shoes. A white male, Brian is 6’2” tall, weighed 170 pounds and has brown hair and hazel eyes.
Click here to view a public bulletin regarding the case. The age-progression image is also available on the attorney general’s Twitter page.
In addition to age-progression images, BCI's forensic artist is available to assist local law enforcement with the creation of forensic facial reconstruction models and post-mortem images to help identify remains and locate missing persons.
BCI also offers the Ohio LINK (Linking Individuals Not Known) Program, a free service to police, coroners and families of missing individuals. The LINK Program was established through the Ohio Attorney General's Office in 1999 to help match DNA taken from family members of missing individuals to DNA from unidentified remains. Samples of DNA submitted by family members as part of the LINK Program are compared only to DNA samples of unidentified remains submitted through similar programs nationwide.
Analysts with BCI's Criminal Intelligence Unit can also provide case review, investigative assistance, link charts and mapping. Law enforcement officials and family members of missing persons interested in learning more about the services that BCI's Missing Persons Unit provides should call 855-BCI-OHIO (855-224-6446).
MEDIA CONTACT:
Steve Irwin: 614-728-5417
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