On September 22, 2007, Kelly Branam, age 30, and her husband, Jake Branam, 27, departed from Miami Beach, Florida, on their 47-foot fishing vessel, the "Joe Cool". They were accompanied by Jake's half-brother, Scott Gamble, 35, and a friend, Samuel Kairy, 27. The purpose of the trip was to transport two men, Kirby Logan Archer and Guillermo Zarabozo, to the Bahamas for a fee of $4,000, where they claimed they were meeting their girlfriends.
The plan was for the "Joe Cool" and its crew to return to Miami the following day. When the boat failed to return as scheduled, Jake's uncle alerted the authorities.
The U.S. Coast Guard had already discovered the "Joe Cool" adrift in the Straits of Florida on September 23, approximately 20 miles from Cuba and significantly off its intended course. The vessel was deserted and in disarray, with the life raft missing. An extensive search was launched for the missing crew. On September 27, Archer and Zarabozo were found in the boat's life raft near where the "Joe Cool" had been located. Upon being rescued, the two men gave conflicting accounts of what had transpired, initially claiming that the boat had been hijacked by pirates who killed the crew. Investigators found their stories inconsistent and suspicious.
Authorities soon discovered that Archer was a fugitive, wanted in Arkansas for allegedly stealing $92,000 from a Walmart where he was an assistant manager. The investigation into the disappearance of the "Joe Cool's" crew pointed towards foul play. Evidence found on the abandoned vessel, including spent 9-millimeter bullet casings and bloodstains, contradicted the men's hijacking story. Additionally, a backpack found with Archer and Zarabozo in the life raft contained a blowgun, darts, and knives. On October 10, 2007, both Archer and Zarabozo were charged with four counts of first-degree murder.
In July 2008, Kirby Archer pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, robbery, kidnapping, and hijacking. To avoid the death penalty, he agreed to testify against Zarabozo and was sentenced to five consecutive life terms in prison. Archer confessed that he and Zarabozo had planned to hijack the boat to flee to Cuba. He stated that they had both participated in the murders of the four crew members and had thrown their bodies overboard. Guillermo Zarabozo was tried separately. His first trial in 2008 resulted in a conviction on weapons charges, but the jury was deadlocked on the murder and piracy counts. At his retrial in February 2009, Zarabozo was found guilty on all sixteen charges, including four counts of murder. He was subsequently sentenced to five life sentences plus 85 years in prison. Zarabozo has maintained his innocence, claiming Archer committed the murders and threatened him into silence. The bodies of Kelly Branam, Jake Branam, Scott Gamble, and Samuel Kairy have never been recovered.Last Seen: Sep 23, 2007
