LOST AT SEA
Disturbing item discovered missing from boat two fishermen vanished from in ‘unusual circumstances’
A VITAL item was found to be missing in the boat of two fishermen who vanished under “unusual circumstances.”
Randall Spivey, 57, and his nephew Brandon Billmaier, 33, have been missing for one month after embarking on a fishing trip.
Randall Spivey and Brandon Billmaier went missing on December 19Credit: Instagram/deborah_sb_
The men’s boat was found with the engine runningCredit: WPBF
The two men were not foundCredit: Instagram/deborah_sb_
The uncle-nephew duo was first reported missing at 9 pm on December 19, sparking a massive rescue search that came to a stop just a few days later.
On December 22, the Coast Guard suspended its rescue operations, leading the case to be deemed a missing persons case.
The FBI joined the investigation to help find the missing men.
“It is standard practice for the FBI to assist our law enforcement partners if we have a tool, tactic, or technique that could benefit their investigations,” Andrea Aprea, spokesperson for the FBI, told the Fort Myers News-Press.
“We assisted the US Coast Guard and Lee County Sheriff’s Office in the search for the missing boaters and will be ready again to lend our assistance if information develops to suggest a violation of federal law.”
Two days before the FBI joined the investigation, detectives found the men’s boat, named Unstopp-A-Bull, floating upright in the Gulf about 70 miles off the coast of Naples.
The engine was still running, but investigators discovered that two of the life jackets on the boat were missing.
The two men were nowhere to be found, but the missing life jackets could indicate they were forced to abandon their boat and take the floatation devices with them.
This means the men could have survived for hours on the water, but investigators have not given any updates since the search was called off.
The discovery expanded the search radius to 6,700 square miles of open water, an area equal to the size of Connecticut, according to a December 22 press release by the Coast Guard.
“The Coast Guard diligently searched with our pilots, boat forces, cutter crews, and numerous partners,” Lieutenant Amy Harrison, a search and rescue mission coordinator for Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, said in a statement.
“We saturated an incredibly large search area but, unfortunately, were unable to locate the two missing men.”
The Coast Guard thanked all volunteers who helped with the rescue mission as they finally called off the search.
“There is no harder decision than suspending a search,” Capt. Corrie Sergent, commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, said.
Family statement
Paul Rocuant, a close friend of one of the missing men, issued this statement to volunteers:
Since [December 19], when this tragic event occurred, the United States Coast Guard—together with agencies from Collier County, Lee County, the Florida Guard, the military, and many other organizations—have combined forces using the most advanced technology and equipment available. The search effort has covered an area larger than the entire state of Connecticut.
In a private briefing with Coast Guard leadership, the family was informed that, given the enormous amount of time, resources, and strategic effort focused on the most logical search areas, there is the highest degree of confidence that if Randy and Brandon were on the surface of the water, they would have been found. With that understanding, the Coast Guard has advised the family that as of sundown today, the active search must be suspended. While this is heartbreaking, the family is certain this is the correct decision and holds the deepest respect, gratitude, and acceptance for it.
Randy was an attorney helping those who were injured, for over 30 years. Likewise, following in his uncle’s footsteps, Brandon was also an attorney advocating for those who were injured as well. Few people were more concerned about the safety of innocent people than Randy and Brandon. We know—without question—that they would reach the same conclusion as the experts: that everything possible has been done. They would ask that this decision be respected and that the bravery and heroism of those who searched—those in the air and on the water doing the real, dangerous work—be honored.
This is incredibly difficult for the family and for everyone hoping for a different outcome. We respectfully ask that the decision to suspend the search be honored, both from a professional agency standpoint and from a volunteer standpoint. The search area, which is now more than 100 miles offshore, continues to move west and farther from shore, creating increasing risk, and it is no longer safe to ask volunteers to put themselves in serious danger. For those who know Randy and Brandon, there is no doubt this is exactly how they would feel.
The family asks for your compassion, understanding, and support during this unimaginably difficult time. We love you all.
Source: WINK News
“I am incredibly grateful for the crews, partners, and volunteers across this community who executed this massive search with the utmost professionalism, persistence, and compassion.
“We offer our sincere condolences to the families and friends of Mr. Spivey and Mr. Billmaier during this extremely difficult time.”
The two men were first reported missing by their families after they promised to be home by sunset but never returned.
Billmaier’s law firm, the Shiner Law Group, described Brandon as an “exceptional attorney” whose “kindness, integrity, and character left a lasting mark on our Firm.”
“Brandon will always be part of the Shiner Law Group family,” wrote the firm in a statement.
“We will continue to honor his memory, his friendship, and the positive impact he had on all of us.”
