Brian James Snyder [Missing in Hannibal, Missouri]

Update 2/23/2026

I made a public promise that on Monday, I would release some more information regarding this case. I am making this update at the request of Brian’s family. We would like you to know the following, and we have the proof to back it.

On June 25, 2024, Jodi Rabich went to the police department in Hannibal and requested the police reports in Brian’s case. That request was granted. She paid the fee and sent those records to me.

When those records were released the Hannibal Police Department failed to redact the personal information of more than one person. That personal information includes date of birth, Social Security number, address, and phone numbers. Below is a screenshot of the witness statement of the person that originally filed the missing person’s report. I have redacted it enough to protect that person’s personal information from further exposure but left enough to prove to the public that this did occur.

Now, I’m no lawyer, but I do know that FOIA doesn’t require agencies to release deeply sensitive information like Social Security numbers. If they release sensitive information like Social Security numbers, they must have written permission. There are privacy laws in place for a reason — to protect people from identity theft.

UPDATED, I have now spoken to the person who originally filed Brian’s missing persons report. I spoke to her at 9:00 pm (2/23/2026). She confirmed over a Facebook messenger conversation that she DID NOT give written consent to the Hannibal Police Department to release her personal information. I can also say that Brian’s daughter’s didn’t sign a written release form either.

Now, please allow me to direct your attention to the following. When Brian went missing one of the things we chose to monitor were public court records just in case he got in trouble with the law. While we were monitoring for signs of life, we couldn’t help but notice something concerning.

Below you’ll see a screenshot of a petition Kevin Gollaher and Brian James Snyder filed against Jimmy Shinn. The address below Respondent is the mailing address for Jimmy Shinn, Marion County Sheriff. Please, don’t take my word for it. Feel free to look it up and verify it for yourselves.

UPDATE: The sheriff reached out to me today (2/25/2026) by email to clarify the aforementioned legal issue. I have been informed that Brian was a witness against the sheriff and was NOT the one suing the sheriff. The sheriff also passed along the nature of this lawsuit, but I won’t be offering my opinion on it. I prefer to deal with facts. The sheriff also pointed out that he was out of town when Brian’s remains were located but his detectives were on scene.

I have passed this information along to the family of Brian James Snyder. They still have the following question: WHY was the Marion County Sheriff’s Office allowed to assist with this investigation in ANY capacity given that Brian was a witness? You will find multiple articles online where they assisted Hannibal Police Department on many occasions.

Update 2/20/2026

It is with the permission of his family and a heavy heart that I make this update. On February 15, 2026 the remains of Brian James Snyder were found a couple hundred yards behind the winery on Cave Hollow Road. Those remains were positively identified through dental records.

I have a ton of exclusive details regarding this case, and I will be passing those along to the public in the coming months. While I can not release all of those details yet, I will give you as much information as I can at this time. It is important for you to know that these details are all based on facts not speculation. I will include screenshots along the way.

On May 21, 2022, a missing persons report was filed with law enforcement regarding the disappearance of Brian James Snyder. Law enforcement interviewed the person that filed the missing persons report and patrolled the area. Over the next couple months, law enforcement interviewed several people including the owner of Mark Twain Cave and Brian’s parole officer. They were unable to locate Brian.

On August 26, 2022, the investigation into the disappearance of Brian James Snyder was administratively closed. Wait? WHAT?!

On December 12, 2022, Jodi Rabich called the police department regarding Brian’s case. She insisted they investigate his disappearance.

On January 16, 2023, a detective was FINALLY assigned!

As per the police reports, on March 30, 2023 a detective took the person who initially filed Brian’s missing persons report out to an area on Cave Hollow Road behind the winery. Detectives went into the woods and located flat slate rocks that had words carved into them. Most importantly, a very significant date 5/22/22. These rocks were placed in a manner that resembled headstones. These rocks were collected by law enforcement citing evidentiary value. The gps coordinates of those rocks were marked. See the screenshots below.

The aforementioned information led investigators to a suspect that has been questioned multiple times in this case. Each time, this suspect has changed their story. In fact, I have lost track of how many times their story has changed but in one account the suspect admitted to having nightmares about the situation.

In addition to a significant portion of the police reports, I have in my possession screenshots of conversations and recordings that add to the suspicion that there is more here than what meets the eye.

On May 5, 2025, an anonymous source reached out to me regarding Brian’s disappearance. I passed screenshots along to the family. They gave those screenshots to law enforcement. In response to the detective’s statement in the screenshot below, “I was unable to look into this information further”. Sure you could have.

No one EVER bothered to follow up with me regarding those screenshots. Not one phone call. Not one message. No attempt whatsoever to follow up on this lead.

I could have reached out to the anonymous source and asked if they would be willing to speak to law enforcement as long as it was kept confidential. It would have been prudent to do so given that this information points us in the same direction as information provided by another source.

BEFORE YOU READ ANY FURTHER, PLEASE KNOW THIS NEXT SECTION IS DISTURBING BUT THE FAMILY WANTS THE PUBLIC TO KNOW HOW AWFUL THIS INVESTIGATION WAS.

On February 19, 2026, Brian’s daughters and his ex wife were taken out to the location where his remains were found. While they were there they stepped on some of Brian’s remains that were left behind by law enforcement. The family recorded this and took photos so there is plenty of proof of this.

Now, I’m no investigator (at least not yet) but how can you claim that no foul play is suspected in a case when your investigation is so poorly handled that you leave parts of the body behind?

I am appalled at how this case has been handled and my opinion of law enforcement is forever changed.

Original Post Below

Imagine enduring years without the sound of a loved one’s voice, all the while grappling with the fear of the worst possible outcome. Seasons change, holidays come and go, major life events occur, yet there is still silence—no messages, no phone calls, no letters, not even a postcard. For the family and friends of Brian James Snyder this has been their reality for the better part of 2 1/2 years.

Disclaimer: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means if you click on one of the product or service links and make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission. I only recommend products and services that I personally believe in. For more information, click here.

It’s time for Brian’s family and friends to get the answers they so desperately seek. In this post, I will share with you all the information I can about Brian as well as the suspicious circumstances surrounding his disappearance.

Please share a link to this blog post everywhere you possibly can! Increasing visibility on this case will enhance the likelihood of bringing Brian James Snyder home. I have created a revised missing persons flyer for Brian. A FREE download is available at the bottom of this post, allowing you to print multiple copies as needed. Your assistance in distributing these flyers within your community and displaying them during your travels would be greatly appreciated.

Physical Description of Brian James Snyder

Brian James Snyder stands 6′ 6″ tall and has blue eyes. At the time of his disappearance, he weighed approximately 250 pounds. A lot can happen in the span of 2 1/2 years so he could easily weigh more or less than that now.

Brian is bald by choice. Should he allow his hair to grow, it would be a mix of blonde, strawberry blonde, and grey. See the color of his mustache in the image below for a more accurate depiction.

Brian does not wear glasses or contacts, and he has some teeth missing on his mandible (lower jaw).

Scars

Brian has noticeable scars on his neck and back. When he was 12 years old, he suffered a broken collar bone that had to be surgically repaired. He has a metal plate and pins from that injury. He also has a very noticeable scar on his left arm from being cut to the bone.

Piercings & Tattoos

Brian has his tongue pierced as well as both ears. Additionally, he has numerous tattoos, and I will describe as many as I can in as much detail as possible.

He has a variety of skulls on the underneath of his forearms as can be seen in the image below. Also take note of the pentacle on the underneath of his left forearm.

Additionally, the names of his daughters are tattooed on the underneath of his wrists in cursive writing. The image above clearly displays the name Cheyenne inscribed on his right wrist and Brianna on his left wrist.

Brian also has a variety of skull tattoos on the top of his forearms as can be seen in the image below.

His last name “SNYDER” is tattooed across his shoulder blades in deer antler form. While I don’t have a picture of this tattoo, it’s unmistakable.

Brian has a few other tattoos one of which is on his left leg. It spans from his knee to his ankle and is a dummy dressed in blue jeans and a jacket. I am currently waiting on an image of this exact tattoo, and I will update this as soon as I have that image in my possession.

While I am unsure of the exact placement, Brian also has a gas mask tattoo with a swastika in the middle. This tattoo is on the left or right of his upper body when he is facing you. He also has a spiderweb tattoo on his left elbow.

A little about Brian James Snyder

Brian also known as “Honky” was born February 28, 1976. He was raised in Mount Sterling, Illinois but lived in Hannibal, Missouri at the time of his disappearance. He has ties to both Louisiana, Missouri and Springfield, Illinois.

Brian loves his family and always stays in contact regardless the situation. It’s definitely not like him to be incommunicado for 2 1/2 years.

Brian has a love for the great outdoors and enjoys fishing, camping, hiking, etcetera. He especially enjoys spending time at the Sodalis Nature Preserve.

Disappearance of Brian James Snyder

To say the disappearance of Brian James Snyder is suspicious is an understatement. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of a packet of documents that will reveal more details surrounding this mystery. As soon as I have those documents in my possession and have a chance to review them, I will share with you all the details I possibly can. AND there are many more details — I promise.

At this time, I will share with you the facts I already know. On May 7, 2022, Brian communicated with his family via phone. It was undoubtedly him, and they are certain that he was alive and well on that date. Beyond that lies uncertainty.

Sometime between May 9, 2022, and May 16, 2022 (working on getting a more precise date), Brian was supposedly at a job site on Cave Hollow Road. The map below will give you a rough idea of that location.

At the time of his disappearance, Brian lacked any means of transportation, including a bicycle. He was last seen walking while dressed in a black shirt, black pants, and black boots.

NOTE: I will announce all updates regarding this case on the Amy’s Thrifty Travels Facebook page so click that follow button! I will also send out email updates to all my subscribers.

Links to additional information

Here is a link to a live video by Jodi Rabich concerning the disappearance of Brian James Snyder, and the ongoing search efforts.

Here is a link to a Facebook post by the Hannibal Police Department.

Who to contact with information

Frequently, we encounter events or information that seem trivial at the time, only to recognize their significance later. I encourage you to reflect on May 2022. Did you have any interactions with Brian James Snyder during that month or in the subsequent months? Were there any suspicious observations or conversations that you recall?

Additionally, have you been hiking and come across any articles of clothing or weathered boots? Anything that seems out of place? If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Brian James Snyder, please reach out! I will list some possible ways to do that below.

Call the Hannibal Police Department at 1-573-221-0987.

Contact Jodi Rabich by private messaging her on Facebook. Here’s a link to her live video (same as above) where she shares how you can contact her or Brian’s daughters.

If you have information regarding this case that you would like to share with me, don’t hesitate to reach out! You can send a message to Amy’s Thrifty Travels on Facebook, or you can send an email by clicking the email address under contact at the bottom of my sidebar. I will also put it here in parenthesis! ([email protected])

I want to thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I hope you’ll share it. Wishing you many blessings and as always, Safe Travels!