John Edward Zimmerman II

Zimmerman, circa 2005

  • Missing Since 04/09/2005
  • Missing From Freeport, Texas
  • Classification Lost/Injured Missing
  • Sex Male
  • Race White
  • Date of Birth 08/18/1953 (70)
  • Age 51 years old
  • Height and Weight 5'10, 160 pounds
  • Clothing/Jewelry Description A white button-up shirt, a blue jacket and blue jeans.
  • Associated Vehicle(s) 28-foot pleasure boat (accounted for)
  • Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, blue eyes. Zimmerman had a mustache at the time of his disappearance. He is missing several teeth.

Details of Disappearance

Zimmerman was last seen on April 9, 2005 in Freeport, Texas. He and two other men, Austin Childs and David Keller, went on a fishing trip on the Gulf of Mexico in Zimmerman's 28-foot pleasure craft.

They took a yellow Labrador Retriever dog, several 160-quart ice chests with white snap-on cushions, an orange life ring, a blue and red raft, and three standard-sized orange life jackets on their boat. The men were expected to return the following day, but they did not and they have never been heard from again.

The men's boat was later found capsized in the ocean. It had a hairline crack in the bottom and officials believe the boat accidentally ran into something, possibly a log. A seat cushion and three life jackets were floating nearby. There was no sign of the men at the scene, and an extensive search turned up no trace of them.

Austin, Keller and Zimmerman are presumed lost at sea. All three are from Houston, Texas.

Investigating Agency

  • Texas Department of Public Safety 800-346-3243
  • Gulf Coast Recovery Center 281-229-9172

Updated 1 time since October 12, 2004. Last updated October 10, 2005; casefile added.