What happened to Joe Cool? Details explored ahead of Fatal Destination on ID

In 2007, the Joe Cool, a 47-foot charter fishing vessel, was at the center of a sea crime off Miami, Florida. The boat, captained by Jake Branam and his wife, Kelly, had been hijacked in what appeared to be an ordinary charter excursion. The boat was discovered abandoned several hundred miles off course, without any indication of its passengers or crew, leaving a nation in awe with a mystery.

The case of Joe Cool is explored in detail in the upcoming episode of Fatal Destination on Investigation Discovery (ID), set to premiere on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at 9/8c on ID. The episode will take a look at the explosive hijacking, a frantic getaway, and the fateful end of the crew and the family members on the boat.

The Joe Cool was hijacked by two men, who pretended to be clients who wanted to go on a fishing trip and made the charter reservation. However, they eventually killed Captain Jake Branam, his wife, Kelly Branam, and the crewmen Scott Gamble and Samuel Kairy. Although the remains of the crew members were never found, the culprits, Guillermo Zarabozo and Kirby Archer, were caught.

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What went wrong on September 22, 2007, and where was Joe Cool?

According to NBC Miami, the Miami-based charter fishing vessel Joe Cool sailed to Bimini, Bahamas, on September 22, 2007, for a routine trip. Guillermo Zarabozo and Kirby Archer, two men claiming to be clients looking for a fishing trip, made the charter reservation.

However, the men hijacked the vessel and murdered the boat's crew, including Captain Jake Branam, his wife Kelly, and crew members Scott Gamble and Samuel Kairy. The boat was found abandoned 30 miles from Cuba.

Authorities discovered blood evidence and signs of a struggle on board, but the crew’s bodies were never found. The hijackers, Zarabozo and Archer, were apprehended after being rescued from a life raft where they claimed to have been victims of a pirate attack. As investigators looked into the crime, they discovered that the hijacking was a calculated crime.

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How was the boat Joe Cool hijacked?

Joe Cool was hijacked on 27 September 2022 (Image via Unsplash/ @ Alina Kacharho)

According to NBC Miami and Fox News, the Joe Cool departed Miami with Jake and Kelly Branam, Scott Gamble, and Samuel Kairy aboard. They were expecting a straightforward charter to Bimini.

However, Zarabozo and Archer, posing as paying customers, boarded the vessel with hidden intentions. According to court documents, Archer was a former soldier wanted for theft in Arkansas, and Zarabozo had ties to a questionable security business. The two planned to use the boat to flee to Cuba.

Once at sea, they overpowered the crew, fatally shooting all four members. Evidence suggests the crew was bound and thrown overboard, either dead or alive, into the open ocean.

The hijackers then attempted to steer the boat toward Cuba but ran out of fuel, abandoning it and taking a life raft. The boat was discovered by the U.S. Coast Guard on September 24, 2007, with bullet casings, bloodstains, and signs of a violent struggle, confirming foul play.

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The Investigation of the Joe Cool hijacking case

(Image via Unsplash/ @ Dmitrii E.)

According to NBC News, the investigation began after the charter boat Joe Cool, carrying four crew members, vanished en route from Miami to Bimini. The U.S. Coast Guard discovered the unmanned vessel 30 miles from Cuba with signs of blood onboard.

Two passengers—Kirby Logan Archer and Guillermo Zarabozo—were later rescued from a life raft. According to Miami Reuters, initially, they claimed the crew had been killed by Cuban pirates. However, forensic analysis—including shell casings, blood traces, and ballistics—linked the crime to a .9 mm weapon owned by Zarabozo.

According to FBI archives, Investigators also recovered incriminating emails suggesting the violent plot was planned. Faced with overwhelming evidence, Archer pleaded guilty in July 2008 and confessed to shooting two victims aboard the vessel.

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Where are Guillermo Zarabozo and Kirby Archer?

(Image via Unsplash/ @ Tingey Injury Law Firm)

According to Courthouse News, in a plea deal designed to avoid the death penalty, Archer admitted guilt to first-degree murder, robbery, kidnapping, and weapon charges. He was sentenced to five consecutive life terms on October 14, 2008, and is currently incarcerated at USP Lewisburg.

Zarabozo was tried twice—initially due to a hung jury, and then convicted in 2009 after the jury found him complicit in four counts of murder as well as maritime hijacking and firearms offenses. He also received five life sentences plus additional years.

The bodies of the crew—Captain Jake Branam, Kelley Branam, Scott Gamble, and Samuel Kairy—have never been discovered, yet the convictions were secured through forensic and digital evidence.

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Stay tuned for more news and updates.

Edited by Madhur Dave