A decade since his disappearance, we ask: What happened to Kyle Fleischmann?

Nov. 9 is the 10-year anniversary of the disappearance of 24-year-old Kyle Fleischmann in Uptown Charlotte. To this day, his family and his friends search for answers. This is how the story goes.

A night out with friends

On Nov. 9, 2007, Kyle went out with friends to see a Dane Cook show at the Bobcats Arena, now Spectrum Center. His best friend, Daniel Scagnelli, remembers it well.

“It was a good time and everyone was in high spirits that night…we all had a lot to celebrate and look forward to,” Scagnelli said.

They were celebrating the birthdays of a close friend and Scagnelli’s wife, as well as Scagnelli recently passing a professional certification. They were also celebrating the new condo Kyle, a healthcare recruiter for Maxim, was moving into.

When the show ended, the group walked over to Buckhead Saloon, now Fitzgerald’s.

An altercation at the bar

At Buckhead, the friends stuck around for some time. Between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m., the friends headed out. Last call was approaching, but Kyle opted to chase the night a little longer.

It wasn’t unusual behavior.

“Kyle was just a nice, nice guy and a good person,” Scagnelli said. “He got along with everyone he met.”

There was a twist to that night, though. Surveillance footage at Buckhead later showed Kyle in a verbal altercation with two men. He had danced with one of their girlfriends that night.

The altercation appeared to end quickly, however. Kyle walked out of the bar, unscathed, after last call. The confrontation seemed to have been forgotten.

Phone calls and Fuel

He left the bar without his wallet, jacket or credit card, which was left with an open tab. It was about 30 degrees outside.

Nearby Fuel Pizza was the next stop. He was able to pay for two slices. An employee recalls seeing him at the restaurant around 2:30 a.m.

Then he called his father’s office phone line. Oddly, Kyle would have already known this line was off during those hours of the night. Still, he called three times. Later records show his phone being used near Bank of America tower.

Walking into the shadows

A local cab driver saw a man who looked like Kyle wandering outbound along North Davidson Street around 3:25 a.m.

The driver explained that he appeared disoriented, but that he did not stop to help him.

Records show Kyle using his phone near the 1100 block of North Davidson Street around the same time.

Scagnelli was asleep when he missed a phone call around 3:30 a.m. from Kyle. As with the other calls placed during that time, no voicemail was left.

The last call traced to his phone was to his roommate and his best friend. Shortly after 4. a.m., Kyle’s phone died.

Moving forward

Scagnelli woke up in the morning and noticed the calls he had missed. He tried to get in touch with Fleischmann, but the phone was dead.

Kyle was missing, and the search began.

Scagnelli launched the Help Find Kyle Fleischmann group on Facebook. CMPD was on the case. A private investigator got involved.

But Kyle never turned up.

Some question whether or not that altercation at Buckhead had actually run its course by last call. Others question Kyle’s reasons for walking up North Davidson Street on a cold November night with no jacket.

Some think he chose to disappear.

Scagnelli and the Fleischmann family are still looking for answers that could bring them closure. Today, Kyle would be 34 years old.

In a 2011 interview with WBTV, Kyle’s father called this case a “local issue,” as one of our own members of the community remains missing. Speaking up and speaking out about any accounts of that night is the least that can be done to help.

Do you have information on Kyle’s disappearance?

CMPD advises people to contact Detective J. L. Tuttle at (704) 336-3949 or Crime Stoppers at 704-334.1600. They can also reach out to members of the Facebook group, as the administrators and primary members are family and friends. 

Do you know what happened to Kyle Fleischmann?

Photo: Charlotte Observer files

This story was originally published November 9, 2017 at 12:00 AM with the headline "A decade since his disappearance, we ask: What happened to Kyle Fleischmann?."