Georgia : Brian Samples
East Dublin, Georgia, is a city located in Laurens County. It is situated to the east of the city of Dublin, and both are part of the same county. Like many communities in the region, East Dublin has historical ties to agriculture, mainly cotton and lumber. Over the years, the local economy has diversified to include various industries. East Dublin is known for its community-oriented atmosphere. Residents often engage in local events, and the area may have its own community organizations and initiatives. The town has just under 2500 residents. East Dublin is rated a 34 out of 100 on Neighborhood Scout 100 is the safest, so I will take a 34. We barely make double digits these days, so a 34 is a safe place compared to others we have researched.
Brian Lorenzo Samples was born on July 17, 1976, to Parents Alvin and Patsy Samples. The family was a blended one with nine kids in total, so it was a loud house with lots of laughter. Brian was described as an outgoing person who loved to make others laugh, always the life of the party. He was not without life struggles, though. He had drug dependency issues that he was up against for a large portion of his life. As Brian grew into adulthood, he had three children whom he adored. He was a master carpenter and a devout Christian. His family would say that he could build anything. One of his many sisters asked him to build her a deck, and she really wanted this specific type she saw a neighbor have, so she took Brian over there, and without missing a beat, he said he could build it, it wouldn't be until after his passing that she learned this type of deck was not just a regular type of deck, but it was intricate and took many extra skills that a normal deck wouldn't need but he never even mentioned it to her. Just went to work on what his sister wanted. His family has millions of these stories. Stories of Brian making them laugh, of Brian singing songs because, yes, he was a musician too. They would say he turns the most mundane words into a beautiful melody that makes everyone feel all the feels.
Photo: 11Alive.com
Brian spent some time in and out of jail for drugs or probation violations and, in 2019, ended up in a mandated drug rehabilitation program in the East Dublin area. I forgot to mention that Brian was from Buford, Georgia, which was about a three-hour drive from the Dublin area. I read various reports that stated Brian completed the treatment plan and then moved into a local motel, but then a few said he ended up relapsing and leaving the program. Either way, Brian stayed in the Dubin area and resided in a Red Carpet Inn motel. He was doing some carpentry work and ministering to a local nursing home. Brian would speak with his family daily, especially his mother. His sister would even say they would text all day, sending pictures of their grandkids back and forth. Brian had one grandson who was seriously the light of his life. He always said he wanted to get clean for his grandson. He didnt want to be the way he was when his children were growing up.
His family last had contact with him on July 6th, 2019; everything was pretty much normal. His family has made some vague statements about Brian, saying he met some shady characters. Brian’s mother was worried right away when he didn't call or text on the 7th while the rest of the family tried to keep it cool. They knew it was weird that Brian hadn't messaged, but he was a 43-year-old man, so they tried not to freak out. but as the days went on without any contact, they knew something was wrong. And when I tell you this family rallied together and searched for their loved one, they were all hands on deck. They reported him missing to local authorities, started a Facebook page, and started regular search parties.
It turns out Brian never checked out of the Red Carpet Inn, and the motel manager assumed he skipped out on his bill, so they packed up his belongings and put them in storage. His vehicle was left in the parking of the motel as well. His family was adamant something terrible had happened to him, mainly because Brian had mentioned the shady people he met. He had just received a few thousand dollars in an insurance check. The family never publically said anything negative against the police just from previous experiences; police don't always search for people with substance dependency issues. I don't know if this was the case for Brian or not, but in October of 2019, three months after Brian went missing, remains were found about a quarter of a mile behind the Red Carpet Inn. This was a heavily wooded area. It would take a month for the remains to be identified positively as Brian Samples. This crushed his large extended family. They also believed without a doubt that this was a homicide. However, police would state it is a questionable death but have never ruled it a homicide. The autopsy has never been released, so we do not know the cause or manner of death. So, unfortunately, that is where this case stands. I know this is frustrating, but imagine how the family feels. This was a case sent to us by a listener, and after researching and finding out how loved Brian was, I couldn’t not tell his story.
If you have any information about what happened to Brian Samples in East Dublin, Georgia, in July of 2019, please contact the Lauren County Sheriff's office at 478-272-1522. There is a $5000 reward leading to the arrest of the suspect responsible for Brian’s death.
