The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office identified a boat found in the Barracuda Keys on Thursday as owned by Jason Heath, who was reported missing in November 2021 after leaving on his vessel out of Sugarloaf Key.
The U.S. Coast Guard notified the Sheriff’s Office on Thursday, March 17, of a boat in the middle of one of the Barracuda Keys, which are located in the Lower Keys east of Marvin Key, Sheriff’s Office spokesman Adam Linhardt said.
Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Detectives and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded at approximately 5 p.m. They identified the boat as the 25-foot Panga owned by Heath, Linhardt said.
There were no human remains located at the scene.
The FWC will be investigating the boat crash, and the Sheriff’s Office remains the lead agency in the missing person portion of the case. The boat was about four to five boat lengths deep on the islands and completely surrounded by thick mangroves, FWC Capt. Dave Dipre said. The boat was first spotted by a U.S. Navy helicopter that was flying in that area, Dipre said.
Heath, 35 at the time of his disappearance, left Sugarloaf Key in the Panga at approximately 2 p.m. on Nov. 22 for a brief cruise. He was wearing a short-sleeved shirt, gray shorts, Keen sandals, prescription sunglasses and an Apple watch, Linhardt said.
Anyone with information regarding the case can call detectives at 305-289-2410.
Heath’s family created a website, http://www.findjasonheath.org, with details about his last-known coordinates and how to contact the family. The family has been offering a $25,000 reward for return of the Panga, Jason Heath, or information directly leading to the return of the boat and Heath, the website stated.
Heath went out on his 25-foot blue Panga boat from the family’s SugarLoaf Key home on a short recreational trip to enjoy the weather before leaving to visit family in New Jersey for Thanksgiving. The last contact was a short call with his father around noon on Nov. 22, and he has not been heard from since, according to the family’s website.
Information gathered has provided a partial timeline, with the last known sign of him being a ping off of the Cudjoe Key cell tower at 3:15 p.m., according to the family’s website.
Any information that can help the family fill in the timeline or find any physical evidence that would help bring the family closure, can be sent to the family via the phone at 609-380-8147 or FindJasonHeath@gmail.com or his sister, Allison Heath, directly on Facebook.
The family was made aware Thursday of the boat being found, Allison Heath said. Authorities are reviewing the boat’s GPS system, Heath said.
“We are really thankful that people kept looking for him, and we hope that finding the vessel and reviewing the electronics will bring some closure for us,” Heath said.