In a stunning development that has reignited public interest in one of Florida’s most perplexing mysteries, a staggering $5 million reward has been announced for information leading to the location of Randall “Randy” Spivey, 57, and his nephew Brandon Billmaier, 33. The two prominent attorneys vanished during a routine deep-sea fishing trip off the southwest Florida coast on December 19, 2025, leaving families, friends, and the legal community in anguish.

The pair departed from a residence in the 15000 block of Intracoastal Court in Fort Myers aboard a 42-foot Freeman boat named “Unstopp-A-Bull.” They were expected to return by sunset, but when they failed to check in, their worried wives alerted authorities around 9 p.m. The U.S. Coast Guard swiftly launched an extensive search-and-rescue operation, covering thousands of square miles in the Gulf of Mexico.

By early December 20, a Coast Guard helicopter spotted the vessel adrift approximately 70 miles west of Fort Myers – and about 70 miles off Naples in some reports – with its engines still running and in gear. A rescue swimmer boarded the boat, shut down the engines, and anchored it for safety. The craft was later towed to Fort Myers Beach for examination. Disturbingly, two life jackets were missing from the vessel, but there was no sign of the men, no distress signals, and no immediate evidence of foul play or mechanical failure.

The initial search involved Coast Guard air and sea units, private pilots, volunteer boaters, and even family appeals on social media for additional vessels capable of long-range searches. Spivey’s son Randy publicly urged boaters and pilots to join the effort, emphasizing that “every hour matters” and expressing belief that the men had flotation devices and were waiting to be found. Vigils and prayers filled the holiday season as loved ones held out hope amid the vast, unforgiving waters.

After four intense days, the Coast Guard suspended active searching at sunset on December 22, citing the exhaustive coverage of an area roughly the size of Connecticut with no new leads. The case transitioned to an investigative phase, led by the Coast Guard’s Investigative Services, with assistance from the FBI and local sheriff’s offices. Theories range from one man falling overboard and the other jumping in to save him – unaware the boat would continue circling – to possible rogue waves, medical emergencies, or other unforeseen tragedies.

Both men were experienced boaters and respected lawyers: Spivey ran his own firm in Fort Myers specializing in personal injury and wrongful death cases, while Billmaier was a trial attorney at Shiner Law Group in Boca Raton. Colleagues described them as dedicated professionals whose sudden absence left a void.

Now, with the $5 million reward – one of the largest ever offered in a missing persons case of this nature – private investigators, tip lines, and renewed public attention are surging. Authorities and family members hope this massive incentive will prompt witnesses, mariners, or anyone with information to come forward. The Gulf’s depths remain silent, but the reward has turned quiet desperation into widespread determination: Bring Randy and Brandon home.