Florida
‘Pursuing all leads:’ Search for missing Fort Myers boaters continues into Monday morning
Florida attorney, nephew missing in Gulf after fishing trip
A Fort Myers attorney, Randall Spivey, 57, and his 33-year-old nephew, Brandon Billmaier, were reported missing after a fishing trip off the coast of Naples.
The search for the 57-year-old Fort Myers attorney and his 33-year-old nephew continued late Sunday after the pair was reported missing Dec. 19 after a fishing trip off the coast of Naples.
The U.S. Coast Guard reported it would continue the search overnight.
A new grid search by volunteer searchers was expected to start Monday morning, Dec. 22, 70 miles east of Naples, family members reported on Facebook.
“USCG crews and partner agencies are continuing the search through the night by air and by sea,” the Coast Guard posted on X at 8:34 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21.
The U.S. Coast Guard is leading the search along with partner agencies to find attorney Randall Spivey and his nephew Brandon Billmaier, who were reported missing at about 9 p.m. Friday. The boat they’d been using for their trip had been scheduled to return at about sunset.
The pair went out in a 42-foot Freeman boat named “Unstopp-A-Bull,” according to Luis Garcia, the supervisor on watch for the Coast Guard sector in St. Petersburg. The Coast Guard found the boat floating upright in the Gulf about 70 miles off the coast of Naples, with no signs of the missing boaters.
Now, one of the largest searches in Southwest Florida history is underway, with a large community effort behind it.
Were the missing Florida boaters from Fort Myers found? Boater’s wife provides updates
As of late Sunday, Dec. 21, Spivey and Billmaier, the Florida boaters reported missing Dec. 19 after a fishing trip off the coast of Naples, had not been found, according to Billmaier’s wife, Deborah.
Deborah and other family members of the missing men continued to ask for prayers and for volunteers to help search.
“We are asking for vessels capable of a 225-mile range to assist in a major offshore search,” Deborah Billmaier said in a Facebook post.
“Thank you to all the local heroes who are working to bring my husband Brandon and uncle Randy home,” her post said. “They have not yet been found, but we are staying positive.”
To volunteer in the offshore seach for the missing boaters:
Deborah Billmore’s Facebook post asked volunteer searchers to text to Paul at 239-634-3400:
- Departure location
- Vessel name
- Captains name and cell number
- First mate’s name and cell number
- Vessel range
She said vessels will depart from their own location (ranging from Fort Myers to Marco Island) and search grids would be assigned after updated information is received at 8 a.m. Monday, Dec. 22.
‘Still not sure exactly what occurred’
Deborah Billmaier had posted earlier Sunday:
“Updates after speaking with the U.S. Coast Guard this morning,” Deborah Billmaier wrote in a Facebook post Sunday. “The EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) was unfortunately still on the boat. They were bottom fishing when the incident occurred (still not sure exactly what occurred.)”
The post also mentioned that a couple of life jackets were not found on the boat, indicating that Spivey and Billmaier may be wearing them.
Who is involved in the Florida missing boaters search?
The U.S. Coast Guard sector in St. Petersburg posted news of the search on social media Saturday morning, Dec. 20.
According to the Facebook post, air and surface crews from the agency and partner agencies U.S. Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach, U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Miami and Lee County Sheriff’s Office are involved in the search.
“The search effort support features an 87-foot boat on water, 45-foot boat, 60-foot helicopter, 144 plane, 6130 Air Force from Patrick Air Force Base and an 144 continuing through the day (not sure if this is a boat or a plane),” Deborah Billmaier wrote in her post the following morning.
An urgent marine broadcast has also been issued to all vessels in the area to help expand the search range, said Billmaier.
Community steps in to help in missing boater search in Florida
The U.S. Coast Guard coordinated one of the largest search parties in Southwest Florida history Sunday morning, Dec. 21, starting at first light, according to Deborah Billmaier.
Florida Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman shared the post on X.
Erin Shaw Harrel of Facebook group SWFL Boaters urged people Saturday to take to the water to search for the missing boaters, providing these coordinates for the search: 25-51.67N 083-12.16W.
Brent Stokes, owner of Stokes Marine, also asked for volunteers to help search.
According to Stokes, anyone willing to help with the search could call Tricia Spivey at 239-896-4099 or the U.S. Coast Guard at 727-322-4180.
Capt. Corrie Sergent of the Coast Guard’s Sector St. Petersburg posted on X Sunday morning, Dec. 21, noting crews were “pursuing all leads and saturating the (search) area.”
“Thank you to this amazing community for their support,’ Sergent said in the tweet.
Who are Randall Spivey, Brandon Billmaier ? Florida attorney and nephew missing off Fort Myers
Attorney Randall Spivey, 57, and his 33-year-old nephew Brandon Billmaier were reported missing at about 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19.
Tricia Spivey reported her husband and nephew missing Friday night, said Luis Garcia, supervisor on watch for the Coast Guard sector in St. Petersburg. “They were going to fish about 102 miles offshore.”
Spivey is a white male, 6’1”, 245lbs, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing khaki pants and a dark in color shirt, according to Lee County Sheriff’s Office. Billmaier is a white male, 6’2”, 250lbs, with strawberry hair and brown eyes.
Where was the boat of the missing fisherman found?
The pair went out in a 42-foot Freeman boat named “Unstopp-A-Bull,” Garcia said. The Coast Guard later found the boat floating upright in the Gulf about 70 miles off the coast of Naples, but no signs of the missing boaters.
Tricia Spivey says GPS coordinates from the boat’s spot tracker led them to that location near Marco Island and Flamingo. That’s where the search has been concentrated.
Where to call with information, help with search for missing Florida boaters
The Coast Coast asked anyone with pertinent information to contact the agency’s St. Petersburg sector at 866-881-1392.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office also requested the public’s help in locating Spivey and Billmaier.
If anyone knows about the pair’s whereabouts, they can call 911, if applicable, or call the sheriff’s office at 477-1000. To remain anonymous, you can also call SWFL Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS.
Contributing: Cindy McCurry-Ross
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — A former Florida juvenile probation officer is facing more than 100 felony charges after investigators said she leaked confidential court and law enforcement information to people tied to a drug trafficking investigation.
Crystal Gaynell Ann Lawson was booked into the Orange County Jail on Thursday, according to Orange County Corrections records.
Investigators said Lawson improperly accessed the Comprehensive Case Information System, or CCIS, more than 100 times and shared information from active criminal cases with members of a drug trafficking organization.
FOX 35 Orlando reported Lawson was arrested on 113 felony counts of computer crimes for unauthorized access. Investigators said she allegedly accessed the database 106 times between January and May.
Lawson is accused of using the database to search for active criminal cases tied to members of the organization. Authorities said some of the information that was leaked included arrest warrants and documents connected to an active investigation.
Lawson was hired by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice in February 2022. As part of that job, she was given access to the CCIS database. Authorities said she was fired later that year after an arrest, but her database access was not terminated.
See also: ‘Elf,’ ‘Couples Retreat’ actor jailed with no bond after Florida arrest
Investigators said the leaks resulted in lost evidence, unrecovered assets and at least one person fleeing to avoid arrest before later being taken into custody.
Lawson previously worked for the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, where she had access to the court information system as part of her job. Authorities said she was later fired, but her database access was not terminated.
Orange County Corrections records list Lawson’s case status as “presentenced” and show multiple entries for “offense against computer users.”
The records list the arresting agency as the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and show bond amounts of $10,000 on several listed case sequences. The jail record also notes an “ICJIS Affidavit.”
ORLANDO, Fla. – Strong thunderstorms continue to push across Central Florida Thursday evening, with a few storms capable of producing gusty winds, frequent lightning, torrential rainfall and isolated damage before activity gradually winds down later tonight.
The strongest storms are expected through about 10 p.m., with most of the activity weakening and moving offshore by around 11 p.m. Storms are being fueled by sea breeze collisions and abundant moisture across the state. In addition to strong wind gusts, torrential downpours could lead to ponding of water on roads and minor flooding in low-lying and poor-drainage areas.
While storms remain the immediate concern this evening, another round of impactful weather is expected Friday.
The News 6 Weather Team has designated Friday as a Weather Aware Day due to the combination of dangerous heat and the threat for strong to severe thunderstorms.
Before storms develop, temperatures will climb into the low to mid-90s Friday afternoon. Combined with high humidity, it will feel more like 102 to 107 degrees across much of Central Florida. Some locations could once again approach or exceed Heat Advisory criteria.
Scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop during the afternoon and evening hours. The atmosphere will be loaded with tropical moisture, allowing storms to produce frequent lightning, damaging wind gusts, and torrential rainfall.
The Storm Prediction Center has placed all of Central Florida under a Level 1 out of 5 risk for severe weather Friday. While widespread severe weather is not expected, a few storms could become strong enough to produce damaging winds.
In addition, the Weather Prediction Center has highlighted portions of Central Florida for a Level 1 out of 4 risk of excessive rainfall. Any storm will be capable of producing very heavy rain in a short amount of time, which could lead to localized flooding.
The unsettled pattern continues into the weekend. Storm coverage is expected to increase Saturday, and some locations could see multiple rounds of heavy rain. While a few stronger storms remain possible, the flooding threat may become a greater concern by Saturday afternoon and evening.
Looking ahead to next week, rain chances are expected to gradually decrease, but the heat is not going anywhere. High temperatures will remain in the low to mid-90s, with heat index values frequently climbing above 100 degrees. Forecast guidance suggests a higher heat risk could develop once again across Central Florida as we head deeper into next week.
At the beaches, a moderate risk of rip currents continues. Make sure you swim near a lifeguard if you’re heading to the beach.
Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA)— A Florida mental health counselor walked into a surprising number of bats inside her office last week.
“We had about 50 bats. In the toilet, in the sink. All over,” Shaltala Boss, a licensed mental health counselor, said.
Boss has since moved her office due to maternity season, when it is illegal to exclude or remove bats from April 16 to August 14, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
“Any form of eviction during this time period will result in baby bats being trapped along with adult bats that may not have emerged. Trapped bats will attempt to escape and may end up in the living space of buildings,” FWC said.
Video provided by Boss showed a bat lying on the ground.
“You definitely didn’t want to come to counseling that day,” Boss said.
Boss has since moved to another location and said it is bat-free.
“Most bats will avoid humans at all costs and use natural roosting structures for shelter during the day. However, bats sometimes find their way into our homes and structures, which can present a health hazard,” FWC said.
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