In a dramatic twist that has reignited hope for desperate families, authorities have announced the reopening of the search for prominent Fort Myers attorney Randall “Randy” Spivey, 57, and his nephew, Brandon Billmaier, 33. The two men vanished without a trace during a routine fishing trip off the southwest Florida coast on December 19, 2025, sparking one of the most intense maritime hunts in recent memory.

Spivey, a well-known personal injury lawyer, and Billmaier, a trial attorney with the Shiner Law Group in Boca Raton, set out early that Friday morning aboard Spivey’s 42-foot Freeman boat, named “Unstopp-A-Bull.” Experienced boaters familiar with Gulf waters, they planned a day trip and were expected home by evening. When neither man returned or made contact, family members—led by Billmaier’s wife Deborah—alerted the U.S. Coast Guard around 9 p.m.

A massive response ensued. The Coast Guard, supported by local sheriffs, volunteers, aircraft, and vessels, scoured over 6,700 square miles—an area roughly the size of Connecticut. On December 20, a helicopter spotted the boat adrift about 70 miles west of Fort Myers, engine still running and in gear, but eerily empty. Two life jackets were missing, fueling theories that one man may have fallen overboard and the other jumped in to help, only for the unmanned vessel to drift away.

After four grueling days, the Coast Guard suspended active search operations at sunset on December 22, describing it as a “difficult decision” pending new leads. The case quickly transferred to the FBI, which launched a full missing persons investigation amid speculation of foul play, given the “unusual circumstances” and the men’s professional backgrounds in law.

Now, months later, police have revealed fresh developments: investigators have narrowed a suspected range based on new evidence and analysis. This has prompted the reopening of targeted search efforts, raising cautious optimism that closure—or even a miracle recovery—could be possible. Family members have never given up, with relatives vowing to continue private searches and pleading for public tips.

The disappearance has left the tight-knit legal and boating communities in shock. Spivey, known for his tenacity in the courtroom, and Billmaier, a dedicated family man who enjoyed fishing and pickleball, remain unaccounted for. Authorities urge anyone with information—particularly boaters or those in the Gulf area—to come forward immediately.

As the renewed hunt unfolds, questions linger: What really happened on that calm December day? Was it a tragic accident, or something more sinister? For now, every new lead brings the families one step closer to answers in this haunting mystery.