A stunning breakthrough in the disappearance of Florida attorneys Randall “Randy” Spivey and his nephew Brandon Billmaier has emerged from CCTV footage, shedding light on their final moments before vanishing into the Gulf of Mexico. Captured on December 19, 2025, at Fort Myers Beach marina, the video shows Randy, 57, activating a distress flare just 36 seconds before their 42-foot Freeman catamaran “Unstopp-A-Bull” slipped out of view. This chilling detail, released by investigators on Christmas Day, contradicts earlier assumptions of a silent mishap and reignites hope for answers in a case that has gripped the nation.
Randy, founder of Spivey Law Firm and a boating veteran with over three decades on the water, and Brandon, 33, a dedicated trial attorney at Boca Raton’s Shiner Law Group, launched before dawn for a routine bottom-fishing trip. Equipped with state-of-the-art gear—including radios, EPIRBs, and life jackets—they were expected back by afternoon. When they didn’t return, wives Tricia Spivey and Deborah Billmaier alerted the Coast Guard, sparking a massive search. The vessel was found adrift 70 miles offshore the next day, engines running, in gear, but unmanned and intact, with two life jackets mysteriously missing.
The newly analyzed CCTV, from marina security cameras, captures the duo preparing to depart. At 5:42 a.m., Randy is seen waving cheerfully to a dockhand. Then, at 5:47:24 a.m., his demeanor shifts—he fumbles with a handheld device, firing a bright orange flare skyward, a universal SOS signal. Exactly 36 seconds later, at 5:48:00 a.m., the boat motors out of frame, heading westward into the predawn haze. No audio accompanies the footage, leaving experts puzzled: Was it a test gone wrong, a premonition of trouble, or a genuine cry for help? The flare’s brief arc suggests it wasn’t spotted by anyone onshore, and no corresponding alerts reached authorities until hours later.
Investigators, now including the FBI in a federal probe, are baffled. Initial theories pointed to an overboard accident—perhaps Randy fell during the return, prompting Brandon’s rescue dive, only for a rogue wave to separate them from the drifting boat. But the early distress signal hints at onboard issues from the start: mechanical failure, sudden illness, or external threat? The Gulf that day was calm, with no storms reported, yet underwater currents or hidden hazards remain suspects. The NTSB is scrutinizing the vessel’s black box-like data recorder for anomalies.
Families, enduring a heartbreaking Christmas on December 25, 2025, find solace in this clue. Deborah, in a tearful statement, said, “Brandon was so alive that morning—this video shows they fought.” Tricia added, “Randy knew the sea; this signal means something urgent.” Private searches with drones and sonar continue, funded by community donations for marine safety. Vigils across Florida beaches draw crowds, honoring the men’s legacies in personal injury law and family devotion.
This revelation transforms the narrative from accidental vanishing to potential preventable tragedy. As probes deepen, the 36-second window becomes a focal point: What peril loomed in those fleeting moments? The Gulf’s vastness holds the key, but for now, the CCTV offers a haunting glimpse into the unknown.
