Joe Pichler: Child Star Who Vanished Unsolved Now?

Joe Pichler: Child Star Who Vanished Unsolved Now?

Joe Pichler was once a familiar face to movie-going audiences. Born February 14, 1987 , in Bremerton, Washington , he began acting as a child, appearing in commercials and TV roles before landing film parts in The Fan (1996), Varsity Blues (1999) and as Brennan Newton in the Beethoven franchise sequels ( Beethoven’s 3rd and Beethoven’s 4th ).  His last credited screen role was in the 2002 indie drama Children on Their Birthdays . Despite a promising start in Hollywood, Pichler’s acting career slowed as he got older.  In 2003 his family moved him back to his hometown of Bremerton so he could finish high school, something his mother said was intended to give him a more “normal” life outside show business.  He graduated in 2005 and reportedly planned to return to Los Angeles to pursue acting again once his braces were removed. The night he vanished On January 5, 2006 , Joe Pichler—then 18 —was last seen alive in his hometown.  Friends reported talking with him earlier in the morning; some accounts say…