COLD CASE: Ogden man disappears from abandoned building 10 years ago, wife still searching for answers

OGDEN, Utah (ABC4) — A construction worker disappeared from an abandoned building over a decade ago. 10 years later, his wife is still searching for answers.

On Sept. 20, 2015, Adam and Danielle Brixey were staying at a Motel 6 in Riverdale. According to Danielle, around 4 a.m. that morning, Adam left to visit the site of an abandoned gym in Ogden to strip the building of copper to then resell.

Vanished into thin air

The Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification’s cold case report says Adam was likely searching for copper together with a friend. However, the friend is believed to have been in a different part of the building as Brixey.

Adam’s wife, Danielle, identified the friend as Randy Fackrell. She says she called Randy later that morning to ask where her husband went.

“He called me back and said that he couldn’t find Adam anywhere,” Danielle told ABC4.com.

Eventually the two began looking for Adam in the building but couldn’t find him anywhere. Danielle says she was able to find her husband’s hat, sunglasses, and phone near an office on the first floor of the building.

“I hollered for him, yelled for him, looked as much as I could throughout the building and couldn’t find him anywhere,” Danielle said.

Searching in the wrong place

BCI’s cold case report says Brixey was last seen inside an abandoned building at 26th Street and Adams Avenue in Ogden. However, Danielle insists her husband, and Randy, had been searching for copper in a building a few blocks away.

Danielle identified an abandoned Gold’s Gym located on 25th Street near Jefferson Avenue. While the report details that the building was demolished soon after, Brixey’s wife claims the part of the building she found her husband’s items was never torn down.

According to public records, the building identified by Danielle was repurposed as a condominium complex, with approval being signed just one day after Brixey’s disappearance.

Weber County Assessor records show the building where Danielle believes her husband went missing was repurposed to be a condominium complex, with approval being signed one day after Adam’s disappearance.

“As far as I know, they haven’t conducted any [searches],” Danielle told ABC4.com.

At the time of the disappearance, both Danielle and Adam had active warrants, making her hesitant to go to police.

Adam’s description

BCI says Brixey is about six feet two inches tall and weighs 190 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes with tattoos on his right and left shoulder along with a disfigured finger on his left hand.

He was 36 years old when he went missing. On the night of his disappearance, Brixey was reportedly wearing a hat and classes.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact Ogden City Police’s Investigations Bureau at 801-629-8228.

Moving forward

Adam’s disappearance hit Danielle hard, leading to drug use and getting arrested. Soon after, she ended up in drug court.

“I had a hard time at first in drug court because I was still in that mindset of trying to find him,” Danielle said. “They told me that I needed to basically get in my head that he wasn’t coming back.”

Adam Brixey went missing over 10 years ago from an abandoned building in Ogden. (Courtesy//Danielle Brixey)

Danielle eventually did become drug free and even graduated from drug court.

“I knew Adam would want me to be clean, and basically be the person I was meant to be instead of someone on drugs and being stupid,” she said.

Now, Danielle’s life has changed drastically. She’s now a grandma and a full-time work. However, she says she hopes one day he’ll be found.

“He’s still a piece of my heart, and hopefully doing this story will bring some type of closure,” she added. “He treated me good, and I loved him.”