Person Claiming To Be Missing Boy Timmothy Pitzen Is 23-Year-Old Ex-Con

The FBI has identified the individual as Brian Rini, a 23-year-old Ohio man with a criminal record involving false alarms.

April 05, 2019
Mug shot of Brian Rini [Belmont Correctional Institution]

Photo by: Mug shot of Brian Rini [Belmont Correctional Institution]

Mug shot of Brian Rini [Belmont Correctional Institution]

By: Mike McPadden

NEWPORT, KY — An individual who told police he was 14-year-old Timmothy Pitzen, a child who went missing in 2011, has turned out to a 23-year-old man. The FBI has identified the individual as Brian Michael Rini of Medina, Ohio.

Timmothy Pitzen; age-progressed image [NCMEC]

Timmothy PitzenCredit: National Center for Missing or Exploited Children

Photo by: Timmothy Pitzen; age-progressed image [NCMEC]

Timmothy Pitzen; age-progressed image [NCMEC]

Rini was discovered wandering the streets of Kentucky on Wednesday before telling authorities that he was Timmothy Pitzen. He went on to say he’d just escaped from the two kidnappers who had been holding him captive for the past seven years.

On Thursday, a DNA test proved conclusively that the individual was not Pitzen. Further investigation then revealed him to be Brian Rini.

The Newport Kentucky Chief of Police said Rini has a criminal record that includes busts for burglary, vandalism, passing bad checks, disorderly conduct, and sending false alarms to a law-enforcement agency. Rini was also reportedly just released from state prison on March 7.

Kara Jacobs, Timmothy Pitzen’s aunt, said that finding out that her nephew is still missing felt like “reliving the day” he disappeared.

In stressing that the investigation is ongoing, FBI Louisville Supervisory Special Agent Timothy Beam told the press: "To be clear, law enforcement has not and will not forget Timmothy, and we hope to one day reunite him with his family. Unfortunately, that day will not be today.”

Read more: ABC News, CBS Chicago, Kansas City Star

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