SAN FRANCISCO (KGO/CNN) – While investigating reports of a missing San Francisco man, police uncovered a grisly scene inside his home: a human torso without head or hands in a large fish tank.
Neither friends nor family have heard from 65-year-old Brian Egg since June. Scott Free, who has been friends with Egg for almost three decades, says he has been fearing the worst.
"Unfortunately, he had a few not-so-nice friends from the streets that would come in and, I guess, stay with him," Free said.
In late July or early August, Free called police for a welfare check at the home, and Egg's sister filed a missing persons report. But police say no one answered the door, and they saw nothing suspicious.
A voicemail message on Egg’s home phone – in a voice that wasn't Egg's – said the 65-year-old would return Aug. 12. It was strange because Egg had never had an answering machine before.
Free says his friend didn’t return on the appointed date, but neighbors reported seeing strangers in the home.
Finally, in mid-August, "a big, white crime scene clean-up crew arrived," according to Free.
Neighbors called police again, and officers detained a person in the home.
"Officers found evidence that included cleaning products and suspicious odors inside the residence," said Cmdr. Greg McEachern with the San Francisco Police.
It was what police needed for a search warrant.
On the second day of searching Egg’s house, police found a body in a large fish tank inside a room near the stairway. The body had no head or hands.
Two suspects – 39-year-old Lance Silva and 52-year-old Robert McCaffrey – were arrested Aug. 16 on identity theft, elder abuse and homicide charges, among others. Those charges are now on hold while investigators gather evidence.
Police do not yet know whether the body found is Egg’s. They are waiting on an identification from the medical examiner.
As of now, Egg remains missing.
Free believes the stranger in Egg’s home hid evidence related to the crime by cleaning it up. He pointed out a notice from the water department that said there was increased water usage and to check for leaks.
In an Aug. 28 statement, police asked for the public’s help with the case, particularly any businesses Egg may have contacted or those who may have helped him with financial transactions.
Copyright 2018 KGO, Rachel Egg via CNN. All rights reserved.
