The last time anyone had seen Brian Vargo was in March 1976. At the time, he was a student at the University of Texas at Austin, majoring in architectural engineering.
But on March 9, during his second year, he withdrew from college without telling his family. He then drove to Colorado, where his car broke down.
He left it with a mechanic and traveled back to his parents’ house in Houston, Texas, to pick up the vehicle’s title, as he planned to sell the car.
His mother dropped him off at a bus station in Katy, Texas, so he could head back to Colorado. After that, no one ever saw or heard from him again.
Brian Vargo was described as a quiet and introverted person. He liked to run and play basketball, although he was never officially on any school sports teams.
He worked as a night stocker at a supermarket from 1973 to 1974 and used the money to buy a used white 1972 Mazda RX2 sedan. He also worked on and off at his family’s restaurant.
He started college in the fall of 1974 and was on the dean’s list at the engineering college by the spring of 1975. In the fall of 1975, Brian and his first-year roommate moved into an apartment with another roommate.
His grades slipped, and he stopped going to most of his classes. He told his friends and family that he was feeling unfocused and just needed to clear his head.
On March 9, 1976, his application to withdraw from the school was approved. His roommates don’t remember seeing him after this date, as he didn’t return to his classes.
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They recalled Brian telling them that he wanted to do a self-guided tour of Colorado and work at a dude ranch.
Additionally, the mechanic called Brian’s parents to inform them that he had not returned to pick up the car. The car had also been broken into.
His family checked his apartment in Austin and found his wallet and other belongings, which meant he had made it back there sometime after Colorado.
In 1977, Brian’s mother reached out to the Salvation Army (SA) missing persons department. The SA asked the Social Security Administration to forward a letter to Brian to try to get his address.
They had his family write a friendly letter expressing their concern over not hearing from him. The SA did not find Brian, and his case was closed in 1980.
Brian’s family was advised against filing a missing persons report. They believed he would come back on his own, but he never did. As a result, he was not reported missing until February 2, 2021, which was 45 years after he was last seen.
Austin police are currently investigating Brian’s disappearance. His case remains unsolved. If anyone has any information about Brian’s case, contact (512) 974-4123.
By Emily Chan
Emily Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in... More about Emily Chan
