Friends and family are remembering the man who went missing shortly after Hurricane Irma and whose remains were found in a trash can the weekend after Thanksgiving.

  • Ryan McClellan, 33, reporting missing following Irma
  • Friends describe McClellan as loving, generous father of two
  • Reporting a tip? Visit Crime Stoppers of Citrus County

On Monday, Nov. 27, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office identified that man as 33-year-old Ryan McClellan, who was reported missing shortly after Hurricane Irma.

McClellan’s home was just three miles away from where he was found. People who knew him and his family tell us they are heartbroken over his death and hope officials will be able to find the person or people responsible.

His friends say he was a caring and generous man who loved his two daughters.

“He gave personally to me, he gave to his friends, he was the most generous guy, loving guy, loving father to his kids, loved his animals,” Andy Hallinan said.  

Friends tell us most of McClellan’s family lives in Michigan, and his two daughters are living with their mother.

Another friend, Tammy Murphy, was one of the first to notice something was off when McClellan’s family called her after not having heard from him in a while.

“We got a message from another family friend, who said she had heard from Ryan’s daughter that he had left with a friend and not come home," Murphy said. "I knew right then there was something wrong because Ryan did not leave his children. He knew they would be coming back to that house. He would have been there for them."

That’s when Hallinan went to check on him after Hurricane Irma, and called deputies when he saw his house was in disarray.

“He obviously would not have left his animals in that fashion, and I knew right away that something terrible had happened,” he said.

They kept in touch with the sheriff’s office throughout the investigation. Their concern increased when McClellan’s car was found a few weeks after he went missing.

When they found out McClellan had been left in a trash can for months, their hearts sank.

“The fact that this trash can was found with my buddy in it is overwhelmingly horrible. There are no words,” Hallinan said.

“I just want anyone who didn’t have the opportunity to see him to meet him, to be touched by him, to know that the world is missing out on him not being here,” Murphy added.

The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office told us they have had investigators on this case each day since Ryan was reported missing. They tell us they are continuing to follow up on leads to find who is responsible, and they encourage anyone with any information about this case to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-888-ANY-TIPS (269-8477).

We’re told an autopsy has been performed on McClellan’s body, but the results have not yet been released. The Sheriff’s Office has said that he had trauma to his upper body.