On September 23, 2007, 35-year-old Scott Gamble disappeared from Miami, Florida, after embarking on what was supposed to be a short trip to the Bahamas. He was accompanied by his half-brother, Jake Branam, who captained the 47-foot fishing vessel named the "Joe Cool," Jake's wife Kelly Branam, and a friend, Samuel Kairy. The group was hired by Kirby Logan Archer and Guillermo Alfonso Zarabozo for a supposed trip to Bimini to meet their girlfriends, for which they paid $4,000 in
cash. The boat and its crew were expected to return to Miami the following day.
When the "Joe Cool" failed to return as scheduled on September 24, Jake Branam's uncle alerted the authorities. A Coast Guard search revealed the deserted "Joe Cool" adrift in the Straits of Florida, approximately 20 miles from Cuba and significantly off its intended course. The vessel was in disarray, and the life rafts were missing, suggesting a hurried departure of its occupants. On September 27, Archer and Zarabozo were discovered in a life raft near where the boat was found. The four crew members, including Scott Gamble, were never seen again, and their bodies have not been recovered.
Following their rescue, Archer and Zarabozo provided inconsistent and suspicious accounts of the events. Initially, they claimed that the "Joe Cool" had been hijacked by Cuban pirates who murdered the crew. However, their stories changed under questioning. Zarabozo later alleged that he was never on the "Joe Cool," a statement that led to charges of making false statements to a federal agent. Investigators found evidence on the boat that contradicted their initial claims, including 9mm shell casings. Further suspicion arose as Archer was a fugitive, wanted in Arkansas for stealing over $92,000 from a Walmart where he was an assistant manager.
Ultimately, both Archer and Zarabozo were charged with four counts of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and hijacking. In July 2008, Kirby Logan Archer pleaded guilty to the murders to avoid the death penalty and agreed to testify against Zarabozo. He was subsequently sentenced to five consecutive life terms in prison. Guillermo Zarabozo's first trial in 2008 resulted in a hung jury on the murder charges, though he was convicted on weapons charges. At his retrial in February 2009, Zarabozo was found guilty on all counts, including the four murders, and received five life sentences plus an additional 85 years in prison. Zarabozo has maintained his innocence, claiming Archer committed the murders and threatened him.Last Seen: Sep 23, 2007
