FL 2 Boaters missing: Randall Spivey 57 & Brandon Billmaier 33, Fort Myers FL. Missing 12/19/25 Boat found 12/20/25

[swanniee11]

Abandoned boat found in search for missing Florida men

The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for two men missing since a Friday morning.

www.wftv.com

The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for two men missing since a fishing trip near Fort Myers, Fla. Randall Spivey, 57, and Brandon Billmaier, 33, were last seen leaving early Friday morning

2 men vanish after going fishing off the coast of Florida’s Lee County

Two men vanished while fishing on Friday off the coast of Florida’s Lee County, and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter found their empty boat on Saturday morning.

www.local10.com

Two Florida men missing after fishing trip; Coast Guard search underway

The men departed from a residence in the 15000 block of Intracoastal Court in Fort Myers.

www.nbcmiami.com

Florida attorney, nephew, missing while fishing in Gulf: What we know

Attorney Randall Spivey, 57, and his nephew Brandon Billmaier, 33, were reported missing after their boat was floating upright and empty in the Gulf.

www.naplesnews.com

Florida attorney, nephew, missing while fishing in Gulf​

Randall's FB Log into Facebook
Brandon's FB Facebook

 

[GraceG]

This article stated their intent was to fish 102 miles off shore (probably the reason for a boat with four outboard motors, I'm thinking). NOTE: the article can be read once for free, but if you exit and go back it will try and get you to subscribe to the media source. https://www.news-press.com/story/ne...v11xx63d--xx--b--xx--&gca-ft=203&gca-ds=sophi

I wonder if they can tell from what's on board whether they were still on their way out when they went overboard, or on their way back IN. (might make a difference in the search area).

I lost an uncle that fell overboard (river, not ocean) after a likely cardiac issue. They just found his boat (and eventially him). It can happen, and i'm thinking if one went over, the other might have gone in to save him, but if they weren't physicallyconnected to a kill switch, the boat may have continued on without them. Just one possible scenario of many that could have happened.

 

[Spectrix]

I wonder if they can tell from what's on board whether they were still on their way out when they went overboard, or on their way back IN. (might make a difference in the search area).

In the picture in this article, the boat appears to be anchored when it's found. Doesn't tell us much but it's curious that the distance doesn't match their destination. I wonder why they anchored in that particular spot?

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[GraceG]

In the picture in this article, the boat appears to be anchored when it's found. Doesn't tell us much but it's curious that the distance doesn't match their destination. I wonder why they anchored in that particular spot?

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The missing men didn't anchor the boat - a Coast Guard swimmer deployed the vessel's anchor when it was located, running.

Riley Perkofski, a public affairs specialist for the US Coast Guard Southeast District, confirmed to Fox News Digital that the boat was still running when it was located.

“The boat was in gear,” Perkofski said. “We deployed a swimmer, and then the swimmer deployed the vessel’s anchor so that it wouldn’t keep moving.”
From the New York Post:

Desperate search for 2 men underway after fishing boat found empty off Florida coast

The search for two missing fishermen identified as 57-year-old Randall Spivey and 33-year-old Brandon Billmaier is underway after their boat was found without them on board.

nypost.com

 

[Pharmasgirl]

The missing men didn't anchor the boat - a Coast Guard swimmer deployed the vessel's anchor when it was located, running.

Riley Perkofski, a public affairs specialist for the US Coast Guard Southeast District, confirmed to Fox News Digital that the boat was still running when it was located.

“The boat was in gear,” Perkofski said. “We deployed a swimmer, and then the swimmer deployed the vessel’s anchor so that it wouldn’t keep moving.”
From the New York Post:

Desperate search for 2 men underway after fishing boat found empty off Florida coast

The search for two missing fishermen identified as 57-year-old Randall Spivey and 33-year-old Brandon Billmaier is underway after their boat was found without them on board.

nypost.com

Any other similar 'situations' in the area or historical info available?