John "Judd" Van Vliet Miller, a 21-year-old from Tenants Harbor, Maine, went missing on May 1, 1975, under mysterious circumstances while aboard his recently purchased lobster boat. Miller and his business partner, Michael Pearcy, were last seen in the waters off the coast of Tenants Harbor, returning from Stockton Springs. The following day, their lobster boat was discovered anchored near Isle Au Haut, with the hatch cover removed—suggesting the vessel may have overheated.
Additionally, their skiff was found overturned the next day, floating near Belfast, but there was no sign of either man.
Despite clear weather and calm seas on the day of their disappearance, the water temperature was dangerously cold, around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Authorities, including the Coast Guard, presumed that both men drowned, possibly due to hypothermia or an accident while trying to reach shore. It was speculated that one man may have fallen overboard and the other followed in an attempt to rescue him, or that they both took the skiff and encountered trouble in the frigid waters.
Though the official conclusion was that Miller and Pearcy were lost at sea, Miller's family held out hope, suggesting that he might have survived with amnesia after a head injury. Over the years, there were reported sightings of Miller, but none were confirmed. No bodies were ever recovered, and the case remains unsolved, leaving lingering questions about what really happened on that fateful day.Last Seen: May 1, 1975
