Torso found in fish tank belongs to missing man

The City’s Examiner’s Office has confirmed that a torso found inside a fish tank at a SoMa home last month is that of 65-year-old Brian Egg.

Egg was reported missing by his family on Aug. 7 and on Aug. 17 investigators looking into his disappearance found what they believed to be his torso inside a fish tank in a concealed part of his home, located in the 200 block of Clara Street.

Days before the discovery, on Aug. 14, officers had responded to the South of Market neighborhood home after neighbors reported a suspicious person going into Egg’s home.

When officers entered the home, they became suspicious because of the smell and the cleaning products in use by the suspicious person, who officers detained.

Officers obtained a warrant to search the home and with help from cadaver dogs, Egg’s home was searched over a four-day period, culminating in the discovery of his body on Aug. 17.

According to police, neighbors had told them as early as July that they hadn’t seen Egg in weeks. After that, officers showed up to the home twice to conduct welfare checks, but left when no one answered the door and nothing appeared suspicious.

Police said a voicemail left on Egg’s phone indicated that he was out of town.

Investigators were able to identify two people of interest. Robert McCaffrey, 52, of San Francisco and Lance Silva, 39, also of San Francisco were initially arrested on suspicion of homicide, fraud, theft, identity theft and elder abuse.

As of last month, the pair had not been charged by the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, pending further investigation.

Silva has been in custody in Alameda County since Aug. 27 on suspicion of a grand theft, embezzlement and identity theft, according to jail records.

Police have not said exactly how Egg may have died.

Police are asking anyone with information about Egg or any businesses who may have been contacted by someone pretending to be Egg, or anyone who may have been helped with financial transactions related to Egg to call police at their anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444 or to text a tip to TIP411 with “SFPD” at the beginning of the message.