In a heartbreaking development that has left families and communities reeling, authorities have officially concluded the active search and rescue operation for 57-year-old Randall Spivey and his 33-year-old nephew, Brandon Billmaier. The two Florida attorneys vanished without a trace during what was supposed to be a routine deep-sea fishing trip off the Gulf Coast near Fort Myers on December 19, 2025.

The men, both respected legal professionals—Spivey a longtime Fort Myers attorney and Billmaier a trial lawyer with a Boca Raton firm—departed from a private dock in the Iona area aboard a 42-foot Freeman boat named “Unstopp-A-Bull.” They were expected to return by sunset, but when they failed to check in, family members alerted authorities around 9 p.m. that evening.

A frantic multi-agency response ensued almost immediately. The U.S. Coast Guard, alongside local sheriff’s offices, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and volunteer vessels, launched an exhaustive operation. Search crews scoured the Gulf of Mexico by air and sea, covering an astonishing 6,700 square miles—an area roughly the size of Connecticut. Helicopters, cutters, and fixed-wing aircraft combed the waters for any sign of the men or clues to their fate.

The breakthrough came the following day when a Coast Guard helicopter located the boat adrift approximately 70 miles west of Fort Myers. Shockingly, the vessel was found upright, engines still engaged and in gear, with no one aboard. Personal items and safety gear remained on board, but there was no immediate evidence explaining the sudden disappearance. The boat was towed back to shore for forensic examination as investigators pieced together the final hours.

Despite the intense efforts spanning several days, no trace of Spivey or Billmaier was ever found. On December 22, 2025, the Coast Guard made the agonizing announcement that it would suspend active search operations at sunset, citing the exhaustive coverage of the area and the lack of new leads. Officials described it as “the hardest decision” in search and rescue protocols, emphasizing that everything possible had been done to locate the men.

The families, devastated but resolute, issued statements expressing profound gratitude to the responders while requesting that volunteer efforts also cease due to safety risks in the open Gulf. They highlighted the characters of both men—dedicated professionals known for their integrity, community service, and passion for boating safety.

With the formal search phase now closed, the case has shifted gears. The FBI has stepped in to lead an ongoing missing persons investigation, exploring all possibilities behind the eerie circumstances. Questions linger: What led to the boat continuing in gear with no occupants? Were there unseen dangers at sea that day? Or does something more unusual explain the vanishings?

A press conference is scheduled in approximately three hours, where officials are expected to provide updates on the transition to investigative mode and address lingering public questions. As the sun sets on the active hunt, hope fades for a miraculous recovery, but the quest for answers continues in the shadows of this Gulf mystery.