Death of Brian Egg

Brian Egg, 65, lived on Clara Street in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood, where neighbors described him as quiet and friendly, often seen walking his dog. He was last seen in late May 2018. In the weeks that followed, he had little contact with family, and neighbors began discussing his absence on the community platform Nextdoor starting August 2, 2018. One neighbor requested a welfare check, and police visited the home but did not find anything suspicious, apparently accepting an account from a man at the residence who claimed Egg was on vacation. Unable to reach him, Egg's sister filed a missing-person report on August 7, 2018.

On August 14, 2018, a neighbor noticed a person lingering near Egg's home along with a cleaning truck parked nearby and alerted police. Officers detained someone at the scene and entered the residence, where they noted a strong odor and cleaning materials but did not immediately locate Egg. Over the next several days, investigators used cadaver dogs to search the property thoroughly. On August 17, 2018, they discovered a human torso—without a head or hands—concealed in a fish tank inside the home. DNA testing later confirmed the remains were Egg's. The San Francisco Medical Examiner's Office conducted an autopsy and determined the cause of death to be blunt-force trauma, and the case was classified as a homicide.

Following the discovery, the San Francisco Police Department opened a homicide investigation. Two men who knew Egg, Robert McCaffrey, 52, and Lance Silva, 39, both San Francisco residents, were arrested at a hotel after neighbors had reported suspicious activity at Egg's home. Investigators found evidence suggesting the two men had been living in Egg's residence and using his financial accounts, including using his credit card to purchase a BMW. They were initially booked on suspicion of homicide, identity theft, fraud, and elder abuse.

The San Francisco District Attorney's Office later dropped the charges as the investigation continued. McCaffrey was released, while Silva remained in custody on an unrelated probation violation. Neither man has been convicted in connection with Egg's death.

The case drew extensive media coverage, including attention from true-crime programs, due to the unusual manner in which the body was concealed. Despite this attention, the case remained unsolved a year after the discovery, with friends and neighbors expressing disappointment that no one had been held responsible. As of the most recent reporting, no suspect has been convicted in connection with Brian Egg's death.