Seven years after the grisly discovery of a man's dismembered and decomposing body inside a chemical-filled fish tank, the killer remains free in a chilling San Francisco cold case.
A Neighbourhood's Growing Alarm
Brian Egg, a 65-year-old former bartender at the iconic gay bar The Stud, was last seen at his San Francisco home in May 2018. Known locally as a 'curmudgeon' who walked his dog daily and tended neighbourhood plants, his sudden disappearance raised concerns. By summer, residents reported seeing several seemingly homeless individuals frequenting his property.
In August 2018, neighbours witnessed an unknown man inside Egg's home, mopping floors with vast amounts of soapy water that spilled under the door. The liquid emitted a powerful smell of bleach, heightening fears. The following day, a white van marked as a biohazard crime scene cleanup vehicle from 'Aftermath Services' arrived. One neighbour described the scene as 'just too surreal,' prompting a 911 call to police. They also reported a strange man waiting outside for the van.
A Gruesome Discovery Hidden in Plain Sight
Police responding to the calls made a horrific find. Egg's severely decomposed torso was discovered inside a fish tank, cleverly concealed in a small room behind a picture. An autopsy report obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle revealed the victim had been submerged in chemicals and restrained with an iron sawhorse, a carpet, and empty Drano bottles.
The report, which confirmed the identity through DNA analysis, stated the cause of death was blunt force trauma. Crucially, it noted: 'the subject was decapitated and both hands were not with the remains.' The legs were also severed, though the feet were found inside socks within the tank. Examiners noted that 'apparent biological tissue was dislodging from the bones' as the remains were removed.
Arrests, Releases, and a Brother's Anguish
In the aftermath, police arrested two men. Micheal Silva and another man were taken into custody on suspicion of homicide, fraud, theft, identity theft, and elder abuse after neighbours reported seeing them at the house. However, these specific allegations were never formally presented in court. Silva was held on a parole violation from an unrelated case until his release in April 2025.
A second man, 52-year-old Robert McCaffrey, believed to have met the cleanup crew, was also arrested in August 2018 but released shortly after. Devon Egg, the victim's brother, told the Bay Area Reporter he was not informed of Silva's release, stating, 'I am very angry about this. I got no notice.' He did, however, express forgiveness towards police for any mistakes in the case.
Devon recalled calling his brother and hearing an unfamiliar voice on an answering machine—a device his brother never used. When he called back, a man named 'Nate' answered, promising Brian would call back after walking his dog. The call never came.
To date, no one has been charged in connection with Brian Egg's murder. The San Francisco Police Department has faced criticism for not responding more swiftly to neighbours' multiple reports of suspicious activity. Officers visited the house several times in the weeks before the body was found but never entered.
The hands and head of Brian Egg remain missing, and the mystery of who killed him and why endures, leaving a family without answers and a community haunted by the brutal crime.
