Case Details
- Photo URLs:
-
- Missing Since:
- Missing Since 09/23/2007
- Missing From:
- Missing From Miami, Florida
- Classification:
- Classification Endangered Missing
- Gender:
- Male
- Race:
- Race White
- Date of Birth:
- Date of Birth 07/28/1980 (44)
- Age:
- Age 27 years old
- Height and Weight:
- Height and Weight Unknown
- Clothing/Jewelry Description:
- Distinguishing Characteristics:
- Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair.
- Details of Disappearance:
- Jake and Kelly Branam, along with Jake’s half-brother Scott Gamble and friend Samuel Kairy, disappeared after a fishing trip in September 2007. They left Miami Beach on Jake’s boat, the “Joe Cool,” with two other passengers, Kirby Archer and Guillermo Zarabozo, who were paying for a trip to the Bahamas.
The boat was found adrift and empty, far off course. Archer and Zarabozo were later found in a life raft. They gave conflicting stories about what happened, and evidence on the boat didn’t match their claims. Both men had criminal records (Archer had a theft and child molestation charge).
Eventually, Archer pleaded guilty to murder in exchange for a life sentence without parole, and testified that he and Zarabozo each killed two of the others on the boat. Zarabozo was convicted of the murders after a lengthy trial and also received multiple life sentences. He claims Archer is responsible and threatened him to stay silent.
Despite a large search, the bodies of Jake, Kelly, Gamble, and Kairy were never found. The circumstances strongly suggest foul play.
- Agency:
- Federal Bureau of Investigation 561-722-5586
- Source Links:
This person was missing Missing Since 09/23/2007