Coast Guard ends search for missing boaters; Boca Raton attorney among those lost

The U.S. Coast Guard has announced the suspension of its search for two boaters, Randall Spivey and Brandon Billmaier, who have been missing since Friday. Brandon Billmaier is an attorney at the Boca Raton law firm Shiner Law Group. (USCG | Deborah Billmaier)

FORT MYERS, Fla. (CBS12) — The U.S. Coast Guard has announced the suspension of its search for an uncle and a nephew, 57-year-old Randall Spivey and 33-year-old Brandon Billmaier, who have been missing since their fishing trip off the Fort Myers coast on Friday.

Capt. Corrie Sergent, commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, expressed the difficulty of the decision to suspend active search efforts, stating, “There is no harder decision than suspending a search. I am incredibly grateful for the crews, partners, and volunteers who participated in this massive search with dedication and compassion. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of Mr. Spivey and Mr. Billmaier during this extremely challenging time.”

The Coast Guard said that the men were reported overdue on Friday night around 9 p.m., after they went on a fishing trip about 100 miles offshore and were expected to return by sunset.

Coast Guard watchstanders coordinated a response, launching rescue crews to their last known position.

A helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater located their vessel adrift around midnight on Saturday, approximately 70 miles west of Fort Myers. It was reported that a rescue swimmer boarded the boat, secured it, and it was later brought back to Station Fort Myers Beach for further investigation.

The Coast Guard said that, along with partner agencies, it has thoroughly searched a vast area of approximately 6,700 square miles, roughly the size of Connecticut. Conditions during the search included winds of about 10 mph and 3-foot seas.

The decision to halt the search took effect at sunset on Monday, pending any new information.

“Our crews worked tirelessly with pilots, boats, and cutters, alongside many partners,” stated Lt. Amy Harrison, a search and rescue mission coordinator for Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg. “We covered an extensive search area but, unfortunately, we were unable to locate the two missing men.”

Billmaier is an attorney at Shiner Law Group in Boca Raton. His disappearance has sent shockwaves throughout the Palm Beach County community. David Shiner, who works with Billmaier, released a statement saying, “On behalf of everyone at Shiner Law Group, we are deeply saddened by the disappearance of Brandon and his uncle, Randy. Brandon is a valued member of our firm and someone we care about tremendously, both as a colleague and as our friend. Brandon is an exceptional person and a great lawyer, and we are heartbroken.”

Various rescue agencies joined efforts to find the boaters, including the Coast Guard Air Stations in Clearwater, Miami, and Elizabeth City, as well as the Coast Guard Cutter Crocodile, the Florida State Guard, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, among others. Additional support came from volunteers who participated using private boats and aircraft.

Anyone with information regarding the missing boaters is urged to contact the Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg command center at 866-881-1392.