In a heartbreaking incident that has gripped Southwest Florida, two experienced boaters – 33-year-old attorney Brandon Billmaier and his 57-year-old uncle Randall “Randy” Spivey – remain missing after their high-end fishing vessel was discovered empty and adrift approximately 70 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.

The pair, both passionate fishermen and respected lawyers, set out early on the morning of December 19, 2025, from a private dock in Fort Myers aboard a 42-foot Freeman catamaran named “Unstopp-A-Bull.” They planned a day of deep-sea bottom fishing, expecting to return by sunset. Brandon, a trial attorney with the Shiner Law Group in Boca Raton, had recently moved to Florida to follow in his uncle’s footsteps. Randy, a prominent personal injury lawyer and founder of the Spivey Law Firm in Fort Myers, was known for his dedication to family and community.

Tragedy struck when the men failed to return as scheduled. Family members grew alarmed that evening, prompting Brandon’s wife, Deborah Billmaier, to alert authorities. The U.S. Coast Guard launched an immediate search, deploying helicopters and vessels. Around midnight on December 20, a Coast Guard crew located the boat – still running, in gear, and upright – but eerily empty, with no trace of the two men onboard.

Deborah has shared the agonizing details of that fateful morning. Overwhelmed by a terrifying gut feeling the night before, she sobbed and begged Brandon not to go on the trip, pleading with him to stay home. He even agreed initially. But everything changed around 7:37 a.m. when a mysterious phone call came in. After the brief conversation – from which Deborah overheard only ominous snippets – Brandon suddenly reversed his decision and headed out to sea with his uncle.

The Coast Guard’s leading theory suggests a sudden emergency at sea: one man likely fell overboard, and the other jumped in to rescue him. In the panic, they failed to shift the powerful catamaran out of gear, causing it to drift away faster than they could swim back. Two life jackets were reported missing from the boat, offering a slim hope that the men were able to don them.

A massive search effort ensued, covering over 6,700 square miles – an area roughly the size of Connecticut. The Coast Guard coordinated with local agencies, volunteer boaters from across the Southeast, and private pilots. Hundreds rallied to help, forming what some called the largest volunteer armada in Florida’s recent history. Despite the exhaustive efforts, no signs of Brandon or Randy were found.

On December 22, as conditions worsened and the search area drifted farther west, the Coast Guard made the difficult decision to suspend active operations at sunset. Family members, including Deborah, supported the call, emphasizing that the missing men would never want others risking their lives.

The case has since transitioned into an FBI missing persons investigation, exploring all possibilities in this baffling disappearance. Families continue to hold onto hope, finding solace in the men’s shared passion for the ocean and their unbreakable bond. As of late December 2025, Brandon and Randy remain lost at sea, leaving behind devastated loved ones searching for answers in one of the Gulf’s most mysterious vanishing acts.