William Ward Bleakley Missing from Clearwater, Florida age 25

Case Description

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William Ward Bleakley, a 25-year-old former University of South Florida football player, has been missing since March 1, 2009, after a fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico. Bleakley, along with three other men—Corey Smith, Victor Marquis Cooper, and Nick Schuyler—departed from Clearwater, Florida, on a 21-foot fishing boat. The group failed to return as expected, prompting a search by the Coast Guard.

The search efforts led to the discovery of Nick Schuyler on March 2, clinging to the ...Read More
Last Seen: Mar 01, 2009

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Victim Details

Created

Jan 26, 2026

Case Added

Jan 26, 2026

Firstname

William

Lastname

Ward Bleakley

Current Age

25

Age At Disappearance

25

Height

6'3 inches

Weight

240 lbs

Ethnicity

White

Gender

Male

Notes

Bleakley was last seen in Clearwater, Florida on March 1, 2009. He was on a 21-foot fishing boat off the Gulf Coast with three other men: Corey Smith, Victor Marquis Cooper and Nick Schuyler. When they didn't return, the Coast Guard launched a search. They found Schuyler at 1:35 a.m. on March 2, clinging to the side of the overturned boat. He was suffering the effects of hypothermia and dehydration. The other three men were missing. Schuyler stated they had disappeared one after another. An extensive search turned up no sign of Bleakley, Cooper or Smith. They are presumed to be lost at sea. Bleakley played football while attending the University of South Florida; he graduated in 2006. His body has never been found.

Last Seen

Mar 01, 2009

City

Clearwater

State

Florida

Zip Code

Clearwater

Vehicles

2

Agency Name

Clearwater Police Departmen

Agency Phone

727-562-4080

Last Updated

01/26/2026

William Ward Bleakley
Missing

Case Description

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