Gary R. Mayo was 44 years old when he was last known to be in Newport, Delaware, on November 22, 2007. NamUs lists him as a Black/African American male with black hair and brown eyes, approximately 5 feet 11 inches to 6 feet tall and 150 to 155 pounds. He had a scar on his right leg. At the time he went missing, he was reportedly wearing a blue sweatshirt, blue jeans, a blue cap with “Captain” in white lettering, glasses, and white sneakers.
The circumstances described in public records indicate that Gary fell from a 20-foot boat into the Christina River on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 2007. Several attempts were made to rescue him before he disappeared beneath the water, but those efforts were unsuccessful. Extensive searches followed, including rescue and recovery efforts, but he was not located at that time. The case was investigated by Delaware State Police.
For more than three years, Gary’s family and loved ones were left without the certainty that follows a recovery. The available public information reflects a sudden river accident, immediate rescue attempts, and a prolonged period without answers. NamUs later documented DNA reference samples from his spouse and son for exclusionary and identification purposes, reflecting the continued effort to resolve the case and provide answers to his family.
The case was ultimately closed after remains were identified. According to a Delaware Health and Social Services press release, a human skull found on January 4, 2011, near the Port of Wilmington was positively identified as Gary R. Mayo of Wilmington, Delaware. WHYY also reported that the skull that washed up in the port area was determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to belong to Gary.
Gary Mayo was therefore located deceased, and this is no longer an active missing-person case. His case remains a painful example of how quickly a boating emergency can become a long period of uncertainty for a family, and the later identification of his remains provided a measure of resolution after years without answers.Last Seen: Nov 22, 2007
