Jess Willard Gilbert, 33 years old at the time, went missing on January 26, 1985, from St. Pete Beach, Florida. On that day, Jess and his companion, Vernon Nash, set out on a 24-foot fishing vessel with plans to go shark fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. The men were supposed to return by January 29, but neither they nor their boat were ever seen again. Extensive searches were conducted, but no trace of the vessel or the two men was found, leading authorities to believe that they were lost at sea.
Jess was described as standing 5'10" tall and weighing about 175 pounds, with black hair and a scar on his forehead. Despite investigations and efforts by law enforcement, the case remains unsolved. Jess and Vernon are both presumed to have perished during their fishing expedition, but the exact circumstances surrounding their disappearance remain unknown.
Last Seen: Jan 26, 1985
