Frank Doherty Jr., aged 44, was last seen on December 20, 1987, in Brevard County, Florida, when he set off from Port Canaveral for a fishing expedition. He was aboard a 21-foot Chris Craft boat alongside Captain John DeGoes, James Meulemans, and James's 12-year-old son, Jamie. The group planned to return by nightfall after a day at sea, but the boat never came back. Despite the relatively calm weather that day, the vessel encountered trouble, and the captain's body was later recovered about twelve miles off the coast of Daytona Beach on December 26, 1987. James Meulemans's body washed ashore in January 1988, but no trace of Jamie or Frank was ever found, nor was any debris from the boat located.
Despite extensive searches, the circumstances surrounding their disappearance remain unclear. Captain DeGoes was known to be an experienced fisherman, and the boat was equipped with a radio, though no distress signal was ever sent. Both Frank Doherty and young Jamie Meulemans are presumed to have been lost at sea. The case remains unsolved, and no further evidence has surfaced to explain the tragedy. The lack of information about how the boat got into trouble continues to puzzle investigators and keeps the case open.
Last Seen: Dec 20, 1987
