Does anybody know if there are any updates on how he died?

None that I've ever found. This is one of the only cases I've taken time to look for information online. I found some articles written by a local paper in that area but the contact info was outdated for the writer. How awful to not know what happened. Out of a lot of cases, that one kinda stayed with me. Someone knows something at that University I believe.

Your right

I think the reason it's so unforgettable is because of the macabre nature of the "crime." As a parent, I don't think I would be content to bury a foot and a shinbone. I would totally want to know what happened. It's such a strange case.

Perhaps it may have been suicide but then its hard not to think of foul play when the only peice or remians were found was a shin bone and a foot makes one think of dismemberment,, quick someone check and see if Lenonard Rizzo was in RI at the time of Bryan disappearance... we all know how good he is at chopping up bodies...

i just watched segment for the 2nd time...i wonder if any new updates have arisen...i think he may have killed himself...the gay thing might have eaten at him...i know b/c it's hard for me to be that orientation.

I watched the segment again recently as well. Honestly, it seems like they have everything backwards. I believe his mother has it nailed as far as what happened. The issue I have is the way he felt threatened. He felt threatened to the point where he wanted to get out of there. Now if it were a case of someone just threatening to out you, does this really make you want to call your dad (who you're supposedly afraid of coming out to in the first place) to come get you and take you to safety? As far as the segment showed, he felt like he was in real danger. Because of his writings and what the reporter said, I feel like maybe it was Bryan who was ready to come out and the other guy who was not comfortable with this. I feel like the police were just not interested in following up with the case. The other guy involved could have easily lied and said the threats were in jest. As far as the foot turning up, this screams of dismemberment. Who knows. The guy could have got him while he was at his spot by the bridge. The suicide argument just doesn't make sense. The segment is also distracting because the actor playing Bryan looks nothing like him.

Your right man he looked nothing at all like him,was it that hard to find a guy that looked like Bryan he was a pretty average looking guy really.

I wonder if the hate crime angle has ever been looked at in this case?

From what I've read...the local police and investigators were uncomfortable with the homosexual angle from the start...so to investigate it as a hate crime would be hard do to the fact that some of them had prejudices of their own. I'm sure the parents and any investigators that they hired would have looked into it...but not local police and law enforcement. I know I read something about this a year or so ago and it made the police look like they had no interest in getting into anything with homosexuality because their only opinion was that Bryan had committed suicide and that's it.

From what I've read...the local police and investigators were uncomfortable with the homosexual angle from the start...so to investigate it as a hate crime would be hard do to the fact that some of them had prejudices of their own. I'm sure the parents and any investigators that they hired would have looked into it...but not local police and law enforcement. I know I read something about this a year or so ago and it made the police look like they had no interest in getting into anything with homosexuality because their only opinion was that Bryan had committed suicide and that's it.

Sad, but true. :(

...I know I read something about this a year or so ago and it made the police look like they had no interest in getting into anything with homosexuality because their only opinion was that Bryan had committed suicide and that's it.

For all the years I've been watching UM, I am amazed at how many of the cases portrayed are "police think it's suicide and the parents/family say it was murder". If I made a list, it would fill a page, easily.

I'm not sure if anyone has read this article on the case but it's certainly an interesting read. http://www.bostonphoenix.com/alt1/archive/news/97/06/26/ROGER_WILLIAMS.html

Bryan's parents said that his former friend(who's named Josh Cohen) seem to control Bryan. On the other hand, the police said that Bryan wasn't even close to his former friend. Frankly, I trust Bryan's parents more so than the police regarding Josh Cohen. What kind of person calls someone around midnight to threatened them? Cohen sounds shady to me.

Is it a given that Bryan was dismembered? Or is that just the result of nature?

I find it hard to believe that college student would bother and would think to dismembering just to hide the body.

Is it a given that Bryan was dismembered? Or is that just the result of nature?

I find it hard to believe that college student would bother and would think to dismembering just to hide the body.I don't think anyone can say for sure that Nisenfeld was dismembered. Roger Williams university is located within a bay, so who knows what could have gotten a hold of his body.

About Cohen, there's no hard evidence that he killed Nisenfeld. We don't even know if Nisenfeld committed suicide. However, it seems rather strange that Nisenfeld's parents said that he seemed to have some sort of control over Bryan. Add to that, Bryan said that his former friend called him up at night, and threatened him. Although the police claim the former friend has little to do with case, I think otherwise. There has to be something, directly or indirectly.

Yes, I agree the former 'friend' had more to do with this. I mean, I suppose it is possible that Bryan either accidently fell into the bay or purposely jumped in. Obviously since the rest of his body was not found it is hard to tell for sure. However I tend to think he was murdered. Now, in terms of the homosexual angle.

Clearly Bryan's relationship, friendship, whatever you want to call it with this Josh Cohen, played a significant role in Bryan's death. There are a few questions here. Was Bryan killed because Cohen wanted to continue their relationship buy Bryan did not? Was Bryan killed because he threatened to out Cohen? It appears 'outing' was the primary motive here. I do agree with the police that Bryan's disappearance and death was related to 'outing'.

However from what I can gather, I agree with other posters in that the police had it backwards. It was not Bryan that was depressed and despondent over being outed by Josh Cohen. Rather it was Josh Cohen that was angry at Bryan because he felt Bryan would not only come out but would out Cohen too. Even if Bryan did not formally out Cohen, if Bryan were to come out, since they were such close friends, Cohen figured it would be assumed by many that he was Bryan's lover and thus gay himself.

To me, it just did not make sense that Bryan was so afraid of coming out, to such an extent that he would call his dad who he was allegedly so afraid would find out about his 'secret' and tell him to come and pick him up from school. I think Bryan while probably not thrilled about the possibility of coming out to his parents, brother and ultimately his hometown, I think he was nearing that point in his life where he was ready to do it. Cohen clearly was not at that point.

Now, I am not saying that Cohen for sure killed Bryan. However he certainly had a strong motive to do so. It appears Cohen was still in denial at times about who he was and certainly did not want his 'dirty little secret' coming out. That appears to be what de-railed their relationship was that Bryan I think was ready to be open about it and Cohen was not. When Cohen realized Bryan was seriously considering coming out and was nearing that point, Cohen started threatening him, trying to intimidate him into silence.

My personal opinion is that Cohen murdered Bryan or at least knows more than he is telling. I am not sure that Cohen necessarily pre-meditated the crime. It could be that it was a crime of passion. I do not know. It could be they met up by the bridge or whatever and Cohen 'lost it' and ended up pushing Bryan into the water. However I tend to think Bryan was killed elsewhere and then thrown into the water. If he had drowned, I think his body would have surfaced. So that tells me he was probably dead before he was in the water.

As his dad said, his dorm room, the way it looked, was just like he had stepped out for a brief period and would soon return. Like it looked like he stepped out to go down to the vending machine for a soda or went to the dining hall for dinner or something. So his room looked like he had just stepped out and was not planning on being away for a lengthy period of time.

I have no doubt that Bryan was probably depressed and homesick. When at home he had been a bit of a homebody, someone that never really strayed far from home or family. The first year of college is difficult for most people because of that very issue. However I think the cops overplayed that angle in trying to make him look like he would off himself. I get that suicide is a problem and is serious but I think that the cops tend to believe folks kill themselves way more than they actually do.

Finally, it was obvious the cops had a bit of a problem in investigating this case due to the homosexual angle, they were obviously uncomfortable with it and did not understand it. It sort of reminds me of when the cops in Milwaukee in 1991 were called to Jeff Dahmer's apartment complex because a naked teenage boy was running around in handcuffs and appeared to be seriously confused. Dahmer came out onto the street all calm and told the cops that the boy was his 19 year old lover (the boy was actually 13 or 14) and that his boyfriend had just had too much to drink and had overreacted while they were playing a sex game. Incredibly the cops who did not like gays and really did not want to deal with the issue gave Dahmer the benefit of the doubt and released the boy into Dahmer's custody. Dahmer killed him later that night. The cops were later fired because in addition to what they did they were overheard on the radio and in conversations joking about the 'drunken *******'. The cops appealed their firing and eventually were re-instated with full back pay and benefits. One of those cops is now the leader of the Milwaukee Police Officers union, the other is now retired with a full pension paid for by taxpayers.

I thought it was odd the cops just took the suspects word for it that the death threat was all just said in jest.:crazy:

How come they never released the guys name during the show.

How come they never released the guys name during the show.
1. Most likely he requested his name not be released. Which is well within his right.
2. It may be info held back so that they can screen tipsters.
3. Keep in mind that he is only a person of interest he is not a suspect.

Maybe its time for Law Enforcement agenceys to have Gay, Bisexual, and Lesbian police officers to pursue cases like this one.

They already have.

Washington DC has run a gay, lesbian task community task force for years.

They were one of the first departments to have an openly gay officer in a command posution.

The police department has been ahead of the military for years on this.

New York, Baltimore, Chicago and even Atlanta have such task forces.
There jobs are to specifically answer inquiries and attacks on gay population. They also have liason to internal affairs should it be found out that an officer had refused to help someone or investigate due to sexual preference.

They can even take over a murder case if they feel the lead detective is being biased.

delete

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mastermind
They already have.

Washington DC has run a gay, lesbian task community task force for years.

They were one of the first departments to have an openly gay officer in a command posution.

The police department has been ahead of the military for years on this.

New York, Baltimore, Chicago and even Atlanta have such task forces.
There jobs are to specifically answer inquiries and attacks on gay population. They also have liason to internal affairs should it be found out that an officer had refused to help someone or investigate due to sexual preference.

They can even take over a murder case if they feel the lead detective is being biased.

I see, but I have never heard of these task force in New York City being talked about on the news or on crime shows

1. Granted, Dick Wolf hasn;t created a Law & Order: GLBT Squad show yet.
Give it some time and I'm sure Dick Wolf will spin one off.:lol:

Maybe CSI: San Francisco will come out someday. :lol:

Cant's be worse than any of the other CSI shows (including the original) :rolleyes:

2. Such squads are usually liason squads that assist in complains and work with the community. They don;t take the lead in major crimes like a homicide.
If a gay man is murdered in DC, it;s still handled by the homicide dept., with the GBLT squad assisting in interviews and canvassing.

3. It should be considered that there are Asian liason squads and other ethnic liason squads in some police departments. These squads don;t get a lot of press either.

They can even take over a murder case if they feel the lead detective is being biased.

Just realized I wrote this.

Technically the above could happen...but I doubt it ever has happened in real life.

They can even take over a murder case if they feel the lead detective is being biased.

Just realized I wrote this.

Technically the above could happen...but I doubt it ever has happened in real life.

Bump. This case has always fascinated me, so I'd like to explore possibilities.

1. The article I posted in the previous page mentioned that Bryan's friend (Josh Cohen) had a lot of control over him; or so said Bryan's parents. Just a thought but could Josh Cohen have controlled Bryan since Bryan might have been infatuated with him? Josh might have seen Bryan as simply a friend, yet wanted to take advantage of Bryan's infatuation. When he didn't care for Bryan anymore, he shunned him, which in turn resulted in Bryan's possible suicide.

2. The combination of homesickness and self examination drove Bryan to kill himself. Being on one's own could have pushed Bryan to the edge. He may have come to the realization that he was gay. For some people, they can accept it. Others, sadly, might feel ashamed of themselves. Added with homesickness, perhaps Bryan couldn't take it and killed himself.

3. Like others have said, maybe Bryan might have wanted to out Josh Cohen as gay. Cohen, not wanting to be seen as gay, killed Bryan in a fit of rage.

Is it a given that Bryan was dismembered? Or is that just the result of nature?

I find it hard to believe that college student would bother and would think to dismembering just to hide the body.

I think he killed Brian. It was probably a crime of passion, which explains the dismembered leg.

1. The article I posted in the previous page mentioned that Bryan's friend (Josh Cohen) had a lot of control over him; or so said Bryan's parents. Just a thought but could Josh Cohen have controlled Bryan since Bryan might have been infatuated with him? Josh might have seen Bryan as simply a friend, yet wanted to take advantage of Bryan's infatuation. When he didn't care for Bryan anymore, he shunned him, which in turn resulted in Bryan's possible suicide.



"Control" was the parents' word for "love." I found the UM clip excruciating for that reason; they could not make themselves admit unbidden that another man loved their son or that their son might have had relations with another man.

3. Like others have said, maybe Bryan might have wanted to out Josh Cohen as gay. Cohen, not wanting to be seen as gay, killed Bryan in a fit of rage.

Unless the segment omitted information – I've also read a lot of the reporting –* it's hard to believe this college kid killed Nisenfeld. No evidence points in that direction. I mean: Nisenfeld and Cohen argued, and one or the other was "controlling"? This isn't evidence: it's the stuff of everyday romantic drama. This is another example of UM blowing up what looks like the saddest, most banal kind of end.

Someone told me that this case parallels that of the recent Tyler Clemente case. Tyler killed himself because he didn't want to be exposed as gay after being spied on by his insecure roommate. Perhaps the same is that of Bryan, or, it's possible his friend didn't want to know about their relationship and then harassed and killed Bryan in a fit of rage. I wonder if anything ever came from that phone call that Bryan's mother received sometime after his death, the one where it was told that a school administrator and 2 faculty members were withholding information about Bryan's disappearance and subsequent death.

Clementi was out to lots of people, including his mom and (of course) roommate.

I watched this segment for the first time the other day and found it really interesting and underrated.

I think it's highly plausible he could have committed suicide, however...the severed foot seems to say otherwise...or does it??

Is there any possible way a person can commit suicide (presumably by jumping off a bridge?) and have their foot end up severed from their body?

That darn foot seems to be the key to this case, maybe....if the shoe fits....

From what I've read in other cases decay and fish will wear down the connection of limbs to torso.

I watched this segment for the first time the other day and found it really interesting and underrated.

I think it's highly plausible he could have committed suicide, however...the severed foot seems to say otherwise...or does it??

Is there any possible way a person can commit suicide (presumably by jumping off a bridge?) and have their foot end up severed from their body?

That darn foot seems to be the key to this case, maybe....if the shoe fits....

There was no evidence that he jumped or was dismembered by someone, but I did hear that if he ended up in the cold waters, that his body would've bloated and decomposed over time enough for something like his own foot to become detached from his body. That or sharks or some marine animal devoured him.

"Control" was the parents' word for "love." I found the UM clip excruciating for that reason; they could not make themselves admit unbidden that another man loved their son or that their son might have had relations with another man.



Unless the segment omitted information – I've also read a lot of the reporting –* it's hard to believe this college kid killed Nisenfeld. No evidence points in that direction. I mean: Nisenfeld and Cohen argued, and one or the other was "controlling"? This isn't evidence: it's the stuff of everyday romantic drama. This is another example of UM blowing up what looks like the saddest, most banal kind of end.
I do not blame the parents considering Cohen supposedly made late night threats to Bryan and claimed "it was a joke." Unless he had a screwed up sense of humor, it does come off as suspicious. So, their attitude towards Cohen is unsurprising.

What is strange about this case is that Roger Williams college is small. I am surprised that there were no sightings of Bryan during the time he disappeared.

Someone told me that this case parallels that of the recent Tyler Clemente case. Tyler killed himself because he didn't want to be exposed as gay after being spied on by his insecure roommate. Perhaps the same is that of Bryan, or, it's possible his friend didn't want to know about their relationship and then harassed and killed Bryan in a fit of rage. I wonder if anything ever came from that phone call that Bryan's mother received sometime after his death, the one where it was told that a school administrator and 2 faculty members were withholding information about Bryan's disappearance and subsequent death.

Tyler came out to his mother shortly before leaving for college and he was already out to some friends. I think his suicide can mainly be pointed to his humiliation over having his personal life recorded and broadcast on the internet. Though more information seems to come out from this saga every month that makes it hard to pinpoint exactly what was going on in Tyler's head.

If Brian was gay, he wasn't out to anyone as none of his friends and family members were told. But like Tyler, Brian was quiet and had few close friends. Brian liked to go to the water's edge under the Mt. Hope Bridge often to read or listen to music. I think it was simply a matter of him being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or maybe his killer or killers might have been familiar was Brian's routine of hanging out in this area and struck when they could.

This never felt like a suicide to me.

Tyler came out to his mother shortly before leaving for college and he was already out to some friends. I think his suicide can mainly be pointed to his humiliation over having his personal life recorded and broadcast on the internet. Though more information seems to come out from this saga every month that makes it hard to pinpoint exactly what was going on in Tyler's head.

If Brian was gay, he wasn't out to anyone as none of his friends and family members were told. But like Tyler, Brian was quiet and had few close friends. Brian liked to go to the water's edge under the Mt. Hope Bridge often to read or listen to music. I think it was simply a matter of him being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or maybe his killer or killers might have been familiar was Brian's routine of hanging out in this area and struck when they could.

This never felt like a suicide to me.

I never knew that Tyler was out. You make alot of good points about Bryan's case though. In the segment, Bryan's mom was surprised at the possibility that he was gay, so I don't think she knew if he indeed was gay. What's the latest on his case? Have they questioned anyone else they think might've known something or been involved in?

This case is a toughie, but I've always been more inclined to believe that his death was an accident or a suicide.

Let's look at what we know for certain: Bryan was an 18-year-old from New Jersey who "rarely ventured outside the safe confines of his family circle" before relocating to Rhode Island to attend Roger Williams University. We know that he struggled academically in his first semester and seemed to miss his family terribly. We know that he liked to get away from campus and visit nearby Mount Hope Bay. We also know he had a friendship that ended badly and resulted in harassment.

Almost everything else fueling the murder argument seems to be pure speculation. We're not sure of the exact nature of Bryan's friendship or what led to the falling-out, and the police eliminated the friend as a suspect. In the absence of more compelling evidence, I think it's a stretch to determine that the harassment of Bryan--heinous as it may have been--escalated to murder. I think it's much more likely, based on what we know, that Bryan was simply a troubled soul who wasn't adjusting well to the academic and social landscape of college life, and felt alone and adrift. He used Mount Hope Bay as an escape from his pain, and perhaps he eventually became so distraught that he decided to take his own life at that site. It's also quite possible that he accidentally fell to his death, particularly if he had taken to drowning his sorrows in alcohol.

I have always felt badly for Bryan's parents, as I don't think they understood the true depth of their son's struggles at Roger Williams. Hindsight being 20/20, he probably would have been better off withdrawing from the university following his difficult first semester and enrolling at an institution closer to his family.

The evidence shown in the segment and the material I've read suggests that Nisenfeld's parents were totally flummoxed by his homosexuality; like many well-meaning parents this revelation about a heretofore unknown aspect of his life didn't fit their ideas of what their son may or may not have done. Therefore it makes sense that they'd think a kid with whom Nisenfeld had had problems might be a suspect.

As for me, I'm a graduate of the College of Occam's Razor. The police immediately cleared the kid that the parents suspected, and I see no reason why they might have done it suspiciously.

Bumping this thread after watching the clip again and rolling my eyes at Nisenfeld's mom suggesting Someone Out There knows what happened. She wants to believe Cohen is responsible, and because Cohen did not consent to be interviewed she's allowed to air her ungrounded suspicions.

I don't think I've ever seen this case. It seems bizarre based off of what I've read on the UM wiki.

I don't think I've ever seen this case. It seems bizarre based off of what I've read on the UM wiki.

It was one of the first segments aired when the show returned to TV with all new stories AND Robert Stack in 2001. (Sadly, Stack would only last a year and a half before passing away.)

It was one of the first segments aired when the show returned to TV with all new stories AND Robert Stack in 2001. (Sadly, Stack would only last a year and a half before passing away.)

Ok, maybe I did see this one. Wasn't there a scene where the actor was walking towards water (on rocks I think) and there was a hint that perhaps he was hit by a wave and pulled into the water and drowned?

Ok, maybe I did see this one. Wasn't there a scene where the actor was walking towards water (on rocks I think) and there was a hint that perhaps he was hit by a wave and pulled into the water and drowned?

I don't remember that theory being presented but I could be wrong. I would check if I could but Cosgrove and Muer Productions believes the segments being on the forbidden site would mark the end of the world, as you know.

I don't remember that theory being presented but I could be wrong. I would check if I could but Cosgrove and Muer Productions believes the segments being on the forbidden site would mark the end of the world, as you know.

Good point.

I always thought this was a suicide or an accident.

The slipped grades and sensation of being academically overwhelmed, the reported homesickness (his parents even chose Roger Williams FOR him because they felt it offered him security), the fact that he seemed to have been isolated at school with few friends, and one of those few friendships going sour are all stressors. If Bryan had subpar coping strategies--and it would seem that he did--he might have chosen to commit suicide and follow through on it. Additionally, suicide is statistically a more frequent occurrence here than homicide is--twice as many people in the U.S. kill themselves than are killed by other people.

I also think it is possible he slipped and fell into the water, which is generally more turbulent in the winter. His connective tissue would have decomposed enough for the separation of the tibia and foot to occur by that point.

I too am one of those that think Bryan's parents probably didn't understand the depth and breadth of their son's struggles. (Then again--and this is just my own cent-and-a-half--I guess I don't feel like choosing your adult child's college for him is necessarily giving him the tools to do well for himself, either.) I do sympathize with them and do think RWU did a piss-poor job of managing Bryan's disappearance. Not only did the school approach it with a completely lackadaisical attitude, but they seemed to treat it as some kind of stink they didn't want on their hands. I'm mad FOR the Nisenfelds on that one.

At the end of the day, I feel like he probably took his own life, unfortunately.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/missing-bryan/

I also think it is possible he slipped and fell into the water, which is generally more turbulent in the winter. His connective tissue would have decomposed enough for the separation of the tibia and foot to occur by that point.

If this is the segment I'm thinking of, this was exactly what I thought happened when I first saw it. Didn't the segment (if anyone remembers) say Bryan liked to go to the water to think/study? I don't think finding the foot is indicative of foul play, but it is very strange that his mother would be the one to find it.

If this is the segment I'm thinking of, this was exactly what I thought happened when I first saw it. Didn't the segment (if anyone remembers) say Bryan liked to go to the water to think/study? I don't think finding the foot is indicative of foul play, but it is very strange that his mother would be the one to find it.

Yes, it was mentioned that Bryan liked to go to the water for those kind of reasons, and that was how the accident theory was realized.

I thought it was an unrelated woman walking on the beach with someone else that discovered the foot. I remember something about her saying to her companion that it looked like "someone ran out of their boot" or something like that.

Yes, it was mentioned that Bryan liked to go to the water for those kind of reasons, and that was how the accident theory was realized.

I thought it was an unrelated woman walking on the beach with someone else that discovered the foot. I remember something about her saying to her companion that it looked like "someone ran out of their boot" or something like that.

You're right, I read the UM wiki wrong.

Bryan's picture doesn't ring familiar with me, but I do vaguely remember this segment during UM's final run with Stack.

You're right, I read the UM wiki wrong.

Bryan's picture doesn't ring familiar with me, but I do vaguely remember this segment during UM's final run with Stack.

I have it somewhere in the depths of storage. Haven't seen it in a very long time. I remember this one being on the OLD old UM site, along with then-unidentified Jasper Wadkins and Judy Smith.

I never got a foul play vibe from it, even with the "threatening phone calls" thing.

Your right man he looked nothing at all like him,was it that hard to find a guy that looked like Bryan he was a pretty average looking guy really.

I always thought that the actor who portrayed Bryan looked a lot like the late and great actor Brandon Lee!:eek:

Bryan's father said it looked as though he had just stepped out of his dorm room and that pretty much nothing was missing. Even though there are some shady things in this case (tight-lipped admins, the harassment from the old friend), I've come to believe this is probably an accident or suicide. It could have been as simple as him going to his favorite spot over the water and falling off, or voluntarily jumping. There's really no evidence to indicate foul play here. It sounds like Bryan was under a huge deal of stress and turmoil at this time. Perhaps he jumped or he wasn't being careful enough due to being distracted and fell.

It's a very sad situation in any case.

I had forgotten that this case is on the 'Bizarre Murders' batch of DVDs so I went back and watched it, then looked up some links online for some interesting info.

1. Bryan's struggles at college during his first semester had much to do with the architecture program he was a part of. Apparently, it was the university's most rigorous study and he would sometimes be working in the lab until 5 in the morning just to keep up.

2. Around Christmas, Bryan tried to convince his parents to let him move back to Audubon. They resisted and told him to tough it out one more semester and see how he would feel then. Bryan changed his major to English for the second semester, which ended up being perfect for him because he already loved writing poetry. With a new major that was less stressful and something he actually enjoyed, by all accounts, the stress and complaints about the scholastic part of school were now over up until the day he disappeared.

3. Bryan liked to go to the water's edge under the Mt. Hope Bridge often to write his poetry or listen to music. He disappeared in February. I could be wrong but I kind of doubt he would continue going to that spot throughout winter. I have lived in the Midwest my whole life and everyone I know avoids being outside during winter at all costs, especially during January and February when winter is at it's coldest and most miserable. We simply complain and complain and complain until spring comes. Then we're happy to go outside again. Historical weather online says it was 28 degrees in Bristol on Feb. 6, 1997. Maybe Bryan might have long stopped his visits to this spot because of the time of year. Just something to think about.

4. Bryan was last seen leaving his Literature class. The condition of his dorm showed that he probably went back there. When his dorm was eventually investigated, the door was left unlocked, the stereo was left on. Bryan's keys, gloves, glasses and Walkman were left on the dresser. Most puzzling of all, there were piles of sand found in his bed. The condition of the rest of the room would make it seem like he had left temporarily. But I can't come up with a single reason as to why there would be sand in his bed.

5. I know many in this thread have tossed aside the idea of Josh Cohen having any involvement in the disappearance but I'm really bothered by Bryan's last phone call to his father. He was scared, he was frantic, he said, "You need to come up here and get me." But when campus security questioned him the next day, he did a complete 180 and he wasn't willing to talk anymore. Did Cohen have something to do with this change of attitude? I don't like the idea that he could really strike THAT much fear in Bryan's heart in the first place. That doesn't sit well with with me.

When Cohen was first questioned by police about the several threats he made toward Bryan, he denied making them. When questioned a second time by investigators, he changed his tune and said he did make some threats but he tried to write it off as something he and Bryan joked about to each other all the time, not like it was anything serious. I'm not saying Cohen is a killer but something about him just doesn't feel right. Bryan may have initially had problems with school work and homesickness, but this drama with Josh Cohen seemed to be the most intense and stressful part of his life during that last month before he went missing.

6. I guess I can't rule out suicide. But my gut always steers me away from that theory simply because of how close Bryan was with his family. To go right from wanting to come home to then jumping off a bridge seems so extreme. I would be willing to accept his death being an accident over suicide. Again, just a gut feeling.

3. Bryan liked to go to the water's edge under the Mt. Hope Bridge often to write his poetry or listen to music. He disappeared in February. I could be wrong but I kind of doubt he would continue going to that spot throughout winter. I have lived in the Midwest my whole life and everyone I know avoids being outside during winter at all costs, especially during January and February when winter is at it's coldest and most miserable. We simply complain and complain and complain until spring comes. Then we're happy to go outside again. Historical weather online for Bristol says it was 28 degrees in Bristol on Feb. 6, 1997. Maybe Bryan might have long stopped his visits to this spot because of the time of year. Just something to think about.


Sorry, I think your midwest is showing. :) Angsty artistic coastal kids often go to the water/beach in the winter and at night. There's a beauty in the cold air and the open ocean. There's a peace found in watching the moonlight dance on the waves.

-signed, former angsty artistic coastal kid

I should tell posters that I work for a public university in the student affairs division. A lot has changed since 1997. In fact, part of what went wrong in the Nisenfeld case has to do with the by our standards criminal negligence of Roger Williams. It did little to investigate the case and didn't tell Nisenfeld's parents about their boy's disappearance for days. In 2014 this ineptness would be unheard of.

The other part of this case which looks weird to people is Nisenfeld's behavior. It's not unusual for 18- or 19-year-old students away from home for the first time to act in ways which most of us would consider melodramatic. What sounds frantic to Nisenfeld's dad would be on the professional side all in a day's work. Many first-year students confess to problems with roommates, classes, friends, and loneliness. Nisenfeld's sexuality was an additional complication: it's in this febrile mix that he learned about himself, and that's the most heartbreaking irony for me. Many students admit to suicidal thoughts or admit to thoughts that teeter on the verge of suicidal, but few have reasons to think a friend or possible lover would want to kill them. Mrs. Nisenfeld's insistence that this Cohen character must have had 'something to do' with Bryan's death offends me for this reason. I'm sorry, but statistically it's too remote a chance that Cohen murdered Nisenfeld. That's Tennessee Williams "Suddenly Last Summer" twaddle. And I'm gay!

This case, sadly, is the perfect example of an antiquated way of dealing with student stress. University officials were slow or unable to respond, the parents had no idea how to deal with it, and the young man was left to his own devices.

Mrs. Nisenfeld's insistence that this Cohen character must have had 'something to do' with Bryan's death offends me for this reason. I'm sorry, but statistically it's too remote a chance that Cohen murdered Nisenfeld. That's Tennessee Williams "Suddenly Last Summer" twaddle. And I'm gay!

The last time she or her ex-husband talked to Bryan, he was afraid of threats from Cohen. Then a week later, their son disappears forever. I think most parents would have at least raised an eyebrow in that situation and connected those two dots. So I don't find that reaction out of the ordinary, especially for that time frame. Again, it doesn't prove or disprove Cohen being involved, but you have to expect most parents might come to the same conclusion.

I'm gay also but the 'Suddenly Last Summer,' reference swooshed straight over my head. I guess I would have had to seen it (or heard of it) to make the connection. Would you like to enlighten me?

I don't know about y'all, but I can tell you the song "Suddenly Last Summer" is now stuck in my head after reading these last few posts.

I don't know about y'all, but I can tell you the song "Suddenly Last Summer" is now stuck in my head after reading these last few posts.

ONE SUMMER NEVER ENDS

I'm gay also but the 'Suddenly Last Summer,' reference swooshed straight over my head. I guess I would have had to seen it (or heard of it) to make the connection. Would you like to enlighten me?

a Tennessee Williams play in which the gay psychiatrist is eaten by local cannibals whom he'd hit on.

ONE SUMMER NEVER ENDS

ONE SUMMER NEVER BEGAN

Sorry, I think your midwest is showing. :) Angsty artistic coastal kids often go to the water/beach in the winter and at night. There's a beauty in the cold air and the open ocean. There's a peace found in watching the moonlight dance on the waves.

-signed, former angsty artistic coastal kid
On the East Coast? You're strong! (You can tell by my location why I am impressed ;), even as a fellow former angsty artistic coastal kid).

Dynoguy, you make a good point that he could have stayed away from his favorite spot due to cold weather, but perhaps walking along the shore gave him enough solace to tough out the cold and go. This MIGHT account for the sand on his bed. If he sat on the beach, laid back momentarily and relaxed, his clothing could have sand residue on it. I may be reaching, but I'm very familiar with sand and its peskiness after beach time. Unless it was a disturbingly large amount of sand. That would be just weird. It's too bad he didn't have closer friends, as he was pretty reclusive, who could say where Bryan said he went during this time period.

The sand on the bed reminds me of the McFall case and the beer cans around the car: a detail that sounds portentous in context but not really important.

I know this thread is old but I want to revive it.

This case has long intrigued me---both fascinating yet so sad.
Personally, I am leaning a bit more to the suicide/accident theories. There is just so little evidence to really say what happened, other than confirmation of Bryan's death.
He was under a great deal of stress and perhaps he felt he could no longer deal with it. Unfortunately, suicide in college is not uncommon and a common factor is often severe stress and personal problems of various kinds. Take into consideration Bryan's academic worries, homesickness, the apparent inability to move back home at his fathers insistence and the likely fact he was at least discovering his own homosexuality. He had few close friends and was at a place he may not had liked much--he felt as though he was not fitting in well there at Roger Williams. That's a lot to handle for one going out on his own for the first time.

Now, this "friend" of Bryan's, his name was Cohen, who dropped out after the fall semester yet stayed around the university. I wonder what has become of him since that time?

While the actual nature of their relationship is unclear, there are some things about Cohen that I find interesting at least. Bryans mother had met Cohen at least once and initially thought him to be a regular, "nice guy"--yet later on she had reservations about him and how he seemed to have a certain strong influence over Bryan. If Mr. Cohen's friendship was truly close with Bryan, why does he seem to distance himself after the disappearance? He eventually went home to Georgia, though exactly when I have not found out.
I think the threats to Bryan were real at any rate and that Bryan was indeed scared.
But there is just no real evidence, even circumstancial, to really say Bryan was killed. With so little of Bryan's body recovered, little could be said other than confirmermstion of his death.
Does anyone know what later happened to this Cohen friend of his? The last 19 years of his life might be telling in a way...

Welcome to the boards, Austin! :wave:

This case is a sentimental one for me, too. I used to be a Resident Advisor and we were trained to try to detect the students who were struggling with college life. Based on what I know of his case, Bryan would have been the type of student we would have tried to assist.

I go back and forth on this one all day long. I really don't know what happened to him, other than I believe he ended up in the water. I'm not sure what is new with his friend...

I work at a huge public university, and our students affairs division oversees housing. I know that this case exposed how awful the emergency contact system was in the late '90s.

Let's keep in mind that it's Nisenfeld's mom who used the word "influence." Lots of college students away from home, straight and gay, form friendships that parents may not like. Most parents are incapable of assigning culpability to their children, therefore are more apt to say so-and-so had an "influence."

According to all I've read, Nisenfeld looked like a young nascent gay man who may or may not have had a crush or a relationship with this Cohen. I don't think this matters much. From what I've read of Cohen the idea of his murdering Nisenfeld in a moment of gay panic or something stretches culpability. The truth is sadder: the college lacked the resources to identify Nisenfeld as a troubled kid, and Nisenfeld died -- whether he jumped or met his death accidentally we don't know.

Suicide or accidental death is hard -- devastating for parents. Yet, as I've said in other posts on this thread, we should take with a grain of salt the mom's responses. I dislike how UM let her impugn Cohen without even pointing out, as responsible journalists would, that he would not or could not comment.

Welcome to the boards, Austin! :wave:

This case is a sentimental one for me, too. I used to be a Resident Advisor and we were trained to try to detect the students who were struggling with college life. Based on what I know of his case, Bryan would have been the type of student we would have tried to assist.

I go back and forth on this one all day long. I really don't know what happened to him, other than I believe he ended up in the water. I'm not sure what is new with his friend...

Thanks very much! I had been reading and following several threads on here and I decided to finally join in.

This case sticks in my mind well because I was only a couple of years away from starting university myself when this happened and I grew up about an hour from Roger Williams, a bit over the boarder in Massachusetts. This case was covered a good amount in the local news around Providence and Boston in 1997-98.

Colleges and universities have improved their emergency contact/family communication policies and practices since the late 90s. Fortunately, there is also more resources available now for coming out/questioning LGBTQ students. Back then, group meetings and on-campus clubs were still the prevailing means of support for gay students, whereas now they tend to have more options and in general, there is a bit more acceptance than twenty years ago.

There are a few good sources I found lately on this case:

http://www.bostonphoenix.com/alt1/archive/news/97/06/26/ROGER_WILLIAMS.html

http://www.providencephoenix.com/archive/features/00/03/16/BRYAN.html

http://www.rbtaylor.net/bryan.htm


There are more but these three articles from 1997-98 seem to have the most information.

Bryan Nisenfeld's father Steven eventually filed suit against the University, which was dismissed and he also was instrumental in trying to get a bill passed at the Federal level that would require schools to inform family sooner and initiate a search for a missing student within 24 hours.

I don't think Bryan's parents were really ever able to accept the fact their son likely either died by his own hand or accidentally fell into the water somehow. They also seemed to ignore his apparent homosexuality and all of the stress he was under, some of it undoubtedly due to his growing realization of his sexuality. It's such a sad case.

It's been awhile since I watched this case.

Some thoughts:

It's interesting that Josh Cohen (Bryan's suspect friend) had been contacting Bryan, even though Cohen was no longer enrolled in the school. Steve Nisenfeld had said that Bryan had told him that he was intimidated by Cohen via the phone (He could attack me, etc.)

Cohen had stated that it was normal for him to threaten Bryan on the phone as a joke (Kinda dubious if you ask me).

Since there's all sorts of sexuality speculations, I kinda wonder if Cohen liked Bryan, but Bryan did not reciprocate the feelings. They were both in college (kids try all sorts of things in college), and perhaps they experimented with each other sexually. Perhaps Cohen wanted a more intimate relationship with Bryan, but Bryan turned him down.

This could explain the threatening phone-calls, and ultimately, Bryan's death.

It's been awhile since I watched this case.

Some thoughts:

It's interesting that Josh Cohen (Bryan's suspect friend) had been contacting Bryan, even though Cohen was no longer enrolled in the school. Steve Nisenfeld had said that Bryan had told him that he was intimidated by Cohen via the phone (He could attack me, etc.)

Cohen had stated that it was normal for him to threaten Bryan on the phone as a joke (Kinda dubious if you ask me).

Since there's all sorts of sexuality speculations, I kinda wonder if Cohen liked Bryan, but Bryan did not reciprocate the feelings. They were both in college (kids try all sorts of things in college), and perhaps they experimented with each other sexually. Perhaps Cohen wanted a more intimate relationship with Bryan, but Bryan turned him down.

This could explain the threatening phone-calls, and ultimately, Bryan's death.

This is the likeliest possibility, but it didn't lead to murder. This scenario has played out ten thousand times for two centuries of college life. It coincides with some of the hoariest stereotypes of thwarted murderous homosexuals.

This is the likeliest possibility, but it didn't lead to murder. This scenario has played out ten thousand times for two centuries of college life. It coincides with some of the hoariest stereotypes of thwarted murderous homosexuals.The one thing that bugs me about the case is Josh Cohen's behavior. Bryan Nisenfeld called his dad, and said he felt unsafe due to Cohen's threatening behavior. It's just strange to me that Nisenfeld feared for his life, yet days later, just decides to kill himself?

It's also strange to me that Nisenfeld was also attending classes on the day he disappeared. So, he's living a regular life, and then, out of the blue, commits suicide.

It'd be interesting to see if it's true that Roger Williams University officials were withholding important information on the case.

I think it's very possible that Josh Cohen was stalking Bryan Nisenfeld, which ended in murder. IMO, there needs to be a closer examination of Cohen's behavior.

The one thing that bugs me about the case is Josh Cohen's behavior. Bryan Nisenfeld called his dad, and said he felt unsafe due to Cohen's threatening behavior. It's just strange to me that Nisenfeld feared for his life, yet days later, just decides to kill himself? It's not strange. Suicides are often unplanned. Both things could've been true: Cohen's behavior threatened him, and Nisenfeld killed himself. It's quite possible Cohen's behavior may have provoked Nisenfeld into killing himself, which, of course, isn't the same as murder.

It's also strange to me that Nisenfeld was also attending classes on the day he disappeared. So, he's living a regular life, and then, out of the blue, commits suicide.Again, most suicides happen in this manner.

It'd be interesting to see if it's true that Roger Williams University officials were withholding important information on the case. Unfortunately, this behavior was common until the last 15 years. I've worked at public universities since the late '90s; we've come a long way toward responding to incidents on campus, thanks to cases like Nisenfeld's.

It's not strange. Suicides are often unplanned. Both things could've been true: Cohen's behavior threatened him, and Nisenfeld killed himself. It's quite possible Cohen's behavior may have provoked Nisenfeld into killing himself, which, of course, isn't the same as murder.

Again, most suicides happen in this manner.

Unfortunately, this behavior was common until the last 15 years. I've worked at public universities since the late '90s; we've come a long way toward responding to incidents on campus, thanks to cases like Nisenfeld's.
I disagree, IMO, it's still strange in my mind. Nisenfeld's call to his father was a plea for help since he was intimidated by Josh Cohen. He did value his life enough at the time to reach out to his dad. I cannot state for a fact that it was murder, but there's no absolute proof that it was suicide either.

At the time of Nisenfeld's disappearance, Josh Cohen wasn't even enrolled in the school (His family lived in Georgia). It's possible he stalked Bryan, and even went further than that. That would explain the threatening behavior.

One another thing I found weird about Cohen, he stated in an article that it was "normal" for he and Bryan to threaten each other in jest. Again, Steve Nisenfeld had said that Bryan acted frightened of Cohen when he spoke to Bryan on the phone. What Cohen had said reeks of BS.

I tend to lean toward the simplest explanations because they're often true. As a gay man who's been harassed before, I find it hard to believe that a college student murdered a friend over spurned advances.

I also found it journalistic malpractice for the episode to float the possibility of violence between the two young men without attempting to contact Cohen or at least mention that he declined requests for interviews.

I tend to lean toward the simplest explanations because they're often true. As a gay man who's been harassed before, I find it hard to believe that a college student murdered a friend over spurned advances.

I also found it journalistic malpractice for the episode to float the possibility of violence between the two young men without attempting to contact Cohen or at least mention that he declined requests for interviews.Obviously I don't know Cohen personally, but I do understand Bryan Nisenfeld's parents weariness of him. Their son disappeared days after Josh Cohen had threatened Bryan on the phone. If I had a son who was threatened with violence by an ex-friend, I'd be on edge.

I could easily see Cohen killing Bryan, especially if Cohen had any controlling, or obsessive tendencies. There are a lot of people in the world who can show ugly behavior if they don't get what they want from others. It's also worth noting that both, Josh and Bryan, were young teens at the time. Teenagers go through extreme ups, and downs.

I'm not really convinced of suicide (not that I'm ruling it out). It's also possible that Bryan accidentally fell in, and drowned as well.

I tend to lean toward the simplest explanations because they're often true. As a gay man who's been harassed before, I find it hard to believe that a college student murdered a friend over spurned advances.

I also found it journalistic malpractice for the episode to float the possibility of violence between the two young men without attempting to contact Cohen or at least mention that he declined requests for interviews.

I don't see it as hard to believe personally. It happens enough that there's a ridiculous legal defense for it.

College students are not bright people. This student, who, as far we know, didn't show evidence of sociopathic behavior other than the terrible accusation of (allegedly!) dismissing advances, we have to believe, got away with throwing another into the sea AND kept it quiet! I just don't buy it. It's his parents' word against a guy whom we don't see on camera and, I'll repeat, UM didn't say they reached out to.

We like sensation, so I understand the attraction to this case. But it's as likely that Nisenfeld slipped and fell into the sea.

I'm going to jump in here to add that it's also been my experience that suicides can run the gamut. I've seen police reports where suicides were very well-thought out and planned,with every last detail taken care of. In my experience, those are the minority cases. I've seen other cases where someone has a tremendously bad day, has or somehow gets possession (usually) of a firearm and decides, "Eff it." The majority are somewhere in the middle.

I would really like to see Bryan's case get some closure. But even now, after all these years, I'm 33/33/33 on accident/foul play/suicide.

College students are not bright people. This student, who, as far we know, didn't show evidence of sociopathic behavior other than the terrible accusation of (allegedly!) dismissing advances, we have to believe, got away with throwing another into the sea AND kept it quiet! I just don't buy it. It's his parents' word against a guy whom we don't see on camera and, I'll repeat, UM didn't say they reached out to.

We like sensation, so I understand the attraction to this case. But it's as likely that Nisenfeld slipped and fell into the sea.It's true that it's Nisenfelds' word against Josh Cohen's word, but I'm more inclined to believe the Nisenfelds.

Steven Nisenfeld stated that Bryan Nisenfeld was frightened of Cohen due to threats via the phone. And Cohen admitted threatening Nisenfeld, but covered his butt by saying, "it was a joke."

Here's a quote from an article on the case:
Cohen says that he and Nisenfeld "used to mess around a lot" and say goofy things on each other's voice mail. "I think what [the police] got was an old message on the machine," he says, although the authorities have not mentioned anything about a message from Cohen. "We used to threaten each other. You know, `Hey, Bryan. I'm going to get you.' "

I just don't see Cohen as some sort of non-threat. He acted like a very suspicious character.

In regard to murder, it's worth noting that Bryan Nisenfeld often needed a place of solitude for his writing. He also used a Sony Walkman to listen to music. Let's say, for instance, he's caught up in writing, or listening to music. I could see Cohen surprising him from behind, and knocking him out cold. From there, he just needs to throw him into the ocean. This scenario could easily play out in the twilight hours, or night when few people are around. We don't know the exact hour of Nisenfeld's disappearance.

I'm still on the fence in regard to the case, but I definitely think Cohen should be viewed with suspicion.

I wonder what ever happened to this Josh Cohen?

This segment would never get made today, IMO. It's fairly obvious that this was either a suicide or accident, and it amazes me at how much the segment played into the foul play theory. Granted, they did have a "suspect" to point the finger at, but the police interviewed explicitly stated that that he was ruled at as being responsible for Bryan's death.

Like I've written, to air the parents' accusations without proof offended me even if it'd been legal.

This segment would never get made today, IMO.


cough, JoAnn Matouk Romain, cough

Okay, y'all. More time has gone by, which has given me more time to consider this case.

I'm now 50/50 accident/suicide. I understand the trauma and grief Bryan's parents are going through, but it doesn't add up for me anymore.

Here is a writeup I did on Bryan's case.

www.facebook.com/groups/631752367223887/permalink/1315972312135219/

cough, JoAnn Matouk Romain, cough

I thought the same thing.