This documentary is a non-linear investigation into Sandy's disappearance between July 4th and July 11th, 1986, plus present-day reflections from those who lived it.

Our Friend Sandy opens in present-day Cincinnati, Ohio, across from the river from where this story began. Louie (director/producer) and his father, David Meisner, are working together to understand what really happened to Sandy Cohen. Sandy was David's best friend, a two-term Covington city commissioner, a Jewish man, and a local business owner who hired David's brother during summers. If Sandy were still alive, he would be in his 80's and an active part of the Meisners' lives. On July 4th, 1986, Sandy disappeared, and his close friends mobilized to look for him. They spoke to police, and canvassed gay bars. It was at this time-at a gathering to put up MISSING posters- that Sandy's family learned about his sexuality. This information would later be weaponized in court and exploited by the media. The friends also sought out unconventional ways to find Sandy, visiting renowned psychic Patricia Mishell. She saw tall grass, railroad tracks, and water. Following these clues, David and another friend found Sandy's body on July 10th near the Amtrak station underneath a discarded couch-in an area police had already searched. Two young men, 21 and 22, were on trial for the aggravated robbery and murder of 43 year old Sandy Cohen. Sandy allegedly picked up JD Messmer and Gregory Moore for sex, and things got out of hand when they robbed him. They took his money and fathers watch, a family heirloom still missing today. In court, the defense team echoed the Gay Panic rhetoric used in local media: Sandy is dead because Sandy is gay. The men were found guilty, but the accusations about Sandy's character were immortalized in print, casting a shadow over his community service.

Everything shared so far is what David Meisner has known. However, during our current investigation, including interviews with activists and forensic psychologists, has revealed new details. Our Friend Sandy is an opportunity to give Sandy's friends who are still alive the closure they didn't know they needed and the vindication they deserve. By revisiting these events with modern perspective, we aim to strip away the "Gay Panic" defense and honor the actual life of a dedicated public servant. This journey is reclamation of truth, ensuring Sandy Cohen is remembered not for how he died, but for the vibrant, generous life he lived.