The Unsolved Mystery of Randall Spivey and Brandon Billmaier's Disappearance: An Empty Boat in the Gulf of Mexico
On December 19, 2025, what began as a promising deep-sea fishing trip for two accomplished Florida attorneys turned into one of the most baffling missing persons cases in recent memory. Randall “Randy” Spivey, a 57-year-old prominent personal injury lawyer from Fort Myers, and his 33-year-old nephew Brandon Billmaier, an associate attorney based in Boca Raton, departed early from Spivey's waterfront home in Iona aboard a luxurious 42-foot Freeman catamaran named “Unstopp-A-Bull.” The uncle-nephew duo, bound by family ties and a shared passion for fishing, planned to target bottom fish about 100 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, expecting to return by evening.
Randall Spivey was no novice on the water. With decades of boating experience, he was known among friends and family as meticulous about safety. Described as 6'1″ tall, around 245 pounds, with brown hair and eyes, he was last seen in khaki pants and a dark shirt. Brandon Billmaier, whom family members said idolized his uncle as a father figure, stood 6'2″, weighed about 250 pounds, and had strawberry blond hair and brown eyes. The two had shared countless milestones—graduations, weddings, and now, this fateful outing that would become their last known activity together.
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As night fell without any contact, alarm bells rang. By 9 p.m., Tricia Spivey, Randall's wife, contacted the U.S. Coast Guard to report the men overdue. “We've gotta find them,” she told local media in emotional pleas. Brandon's wife, Deborah Billmaier, posted heartfelt updates on social media, describing the family's devastation and offering a reward for information leading to their safe return. The community rallied quickly, with friends emphasizing the men's character: Randall as a dedicated community member and Brandon as a bright, kind-hearted professional who had recently joined the Shiner Law Group.
The turning point came just after midnight on December 20 when a Coast Guard helicopter spotted the “Unstopp-A-Bull” drifting approximately 70 miles west of Fort Myers Beach. The vessel was upright, engines still running in gear, but completely abandoned. A rescue swimmer boarded, shut down the engines, and anchored it. Fishing lines were deployed, and some catches remained onboard, indicating the men had been actively fishing that day. Crucially, two life jackets were missing—fueling hope that Spivey and Billmaier had time to don them before whatever catastrophe struck.
This discovery launched one of the largest search efforts in Southwest Florida history. The Coast Guard deployed aircraft, cutters, and boats, scouring vast areas under relatively calm conditions—winds at 10 mph and 3-foot seas. Volunteers poured in, with over 100 private boats joining at peak times. Coordinators like longtime friend Paul Rocuant helped organize the armada, while families shared coordinates and updates online. The search covered nearly 6,700 square miles, comparable to the size of Connecticut.
Despite the monumental effort, no debris, personal items, or signs of the men surfaced. No distress signal was ever activated from the boat's emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB), which remained onboard and unused. Theories abounded: a sudden medical emergency causing one to fall overboard, prompting the other to attempt a rescue; an accidental slip; or an undetected mechanical failure. The intact boat evoked eerie comparisons to maritime “ghost ships”—vessels found adrift with no explanation.
On December 23, as the holiday season loomed, the Coast Guard suspended active search operations at sunset. Capt. Corrie Sergent called it “the hardest decision,” praising volunteers while expressing condolences. The case shifted to the FBI for a federal missing persons investigation, with the boat towed for forensic examination. Deborah Billmaier respectfully asked volunteers to stand down, citing safety risks, while holding onto hope for a Christmas miracle.
The Gulf of Mexico, a paradise for anglers, hides perilous realities. Currents, sudden weather shifts, and vast distances claim lives annually. Similar cases—abandoned vessels with missing crews—dot maritime records, often ending without resolution. Here, the absence of foul play indicators (no damage, no struggle signs) deepened the enigma.
As of December 26, 2025, Randall Spivey and Brandon Billmaier remain missing. Families face an agonizing holiday, with Tricia Spivey yearning for her husband's return and Deborah cherishing memories of Brandon's love for fishing and family. The Shiner Law Group mourned Brandon as an “exceptional attorney and remarkable human being.”
No publicly available videos capture dramatic moments from the search beyond standard Coast Guard footage and family interviews. News reports feature aerial views of volunteer fleets, emotional press conferences, and pleas for information. Authorities urge anyone with tips to contact the Lee County Sheriff's Office or the FBI.
This case underscores critical boating safety lessons: always wear life jackets, activate EPIRBs in emergencies, file detailed float plans, and never underestimate the ocean's unpredictability. For the Spivey and Billmaier families, the wait for answers continues amid profound grief. The empty “Unstopp-A-Bull” serves as a haunting reminder of how quickly normalcy can vanish at sea, leaving loved ones searching for closure in endless blue horizons.
The community honors two respected professionals whose legacies extend beyond the courtroom—into family bonds and shared adventures now eternally interrupted. As investigations proceed, hope persists, however faint, that the Gulf might yet yield its secrets.