5 key details about Brian Shookman's mysterious disappearance

Brian Shookman's vanishing in 2012 is still one of Idaho's enigmas, garnering attention through investigations and media coverage. The 32-year-old Great Falls, Montana, native visited Kellogg, Idaho, for a family reunion on July 28, 2012. As per the website Missing People in America, he departed his cousin's residence for his aunt's house at approximately 3:00 p.m. aboard a maroon 1998 Ford Escort.

Shookman never showed up, and his vehicle was discovered abandoned weeks afterward on a back road in Dobson Pass in Wallace. There was no indication of a struggle, but things such as the driver's seat having been adjusted sparked suspicion. Shookman had recovered from drug addiction and was establishing a stable existence.

The suspicious case, with suspected connections to local drug activity, was part of Oxygen's Cold Justice season 5, episode 21, Mystery on the Mountain. Former prosecutor Kelly Siegler and investigator Abbey Abbondandolo assisted Shoshone County authorities in examining evidence and interviewing witnesses in the episode.

The episode reaired on Oxygen on September 6, 2025. It can be streamed on Peacock and the Oxygen app.

---

Five details regarding the mysterious disappearance of Brian Shookman

1) Brian Shookman's background and life before his disappearance

Brian Shookman's car was found abandoned (Image via Unsplash/ @ Hiroshi Kimura)

Brian Shookman resided in Great Falls, Montana. According to the online missing persons database, Charley Project, he was a blond/brown-haired, blue-eyed Caucasian male. He also had a scar on his upper lip and tattoos, including "Beaver" on his left shoulder, which was his nickname, and others on his left arm.

Occasionally, he used the name Brian Edward Shook or simply Shook. He had a history of drug addiction, but had been clean for some years before 2012. His family characterized him as close and dependable; hence, not disappearing without communicating was out of character for him.

This settled lifestyle distinguished his case when he disappeared while attending a family reunion, as per an article by Oxygen.

---

2) The events leading to his last known sighting

Cold Justice season 5, episode 21 (Image via Unsplash/ @ Tom Hills)

Brian Shookman was at a family reunion in Kellogg, Idaho, on July 28, 2012. He spent the night at his cousin's house and departed around 3:00 p.m. to travel to his aunt's house in the Sunny Slopes neighborhood near Osburn, about six miles away. On this short journey, he intended to pick up his other cousin, Justin Smith. This was the last time anyone had sighted him, according to Missing People in America (MPIA).

He was dressed in a t-shirt and blue jeans and was driving his maroon 1998 Ford Escort. When he failed to arrive at his aunt's place, there was worry among the family. He was reported missing on August 1, 2012, as per Shoshon News-Press. The proximity and his family-oriented itinerary made the disappearance appear abrupt and inexplicable.

---

3) Discovery of the abandoned vehicle

Brian Shookman was going for a family reunion (Image via Unsplash/ @ Scott Rodgerson)

About three weeks after Brian Shookman vanished, his car was found on September 2, 2012, on a dirt mountain road in the Dodson Pass area near Wallace, Idaho. The vehicle showed no damage or signs of a fight. Two energy drink cans were inside the car, and subsequent tests revealed only Shookman's DNA on them, as per Oxygen.

The driver's seat was set in a position that did not fit his height, hinting that someone else might have driven it last. The location was remote and forested, with hot summer weather that could affect any traces. This finding shifted the case to suspicious circumstances, as it did not explain where Shookman went. According to Oxygen's report, authorities immediately checked the area but found no other clues.

---

4) Investigations and key evidence examined

Investigation found no solid evidence(Image via Unsplash/ @ Volodymyr Hryshchenko)

The Shoshone County Sheriff's Office led the investigation, with help from the Idaho State Police. In 2019, they searched the car site again with the Idaho Department of Lands, but found nothing new.

The 2020 Cold Justice episode brought in experts who recreated the car setup and tested the seat position. They interviewed people linked to Justin Smith, including drug dealers who gave DNA samples. Smith's girlfriend's story about the reunion did not match the photos, according to Shoshon News.

---

5) Theories, suspects, and ongoing status

Brian Shookman's remains are still missing (Image via Unsplash/ @ Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona)

Foul play was suspected, possibly linked to drugs. Shookman might have met Justin Smith, who was involved in methamphetamine and had a criminal past, including theft, as per the Oxygen report. Smith acted oddly after mentioning a "dead body," and was later in prison for other reasons.

Other ideas include an overdose or getting lost in the woods, but no remains were found despite searches.

---

Watch Cold Justice season 5, episode 21, available on Oxygen.