On the night of September 26, 1980, 26 year old Gail Skelton was out for a fun night at Herman and Helen’s Marina. When she tried to leave, witnesses claimed to have saw a tall, thin man with dark hair pressing her to leave the bar together. Gail declined and slipped into the cool night air.
When dawn arrived, neither she nor her Toyota could be found; authorities wondered if she’d driven into one of the Delta’s hidden channels, but no evidence ever surfaced.
Joining us is Mike Sullivan from Sunshine State Sonar, who has personally solved 16 cases in Florida. His expertise and sonar skills bring new energy to this decades-old mystery.
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🕵️♂️ The Case Reopened
The video begins with the team from Adventures with Purpose returning to the Stockton, California area, where they previously recovered missing person Jacob VanZant. A new tip brought their attention to another long-cold case from 1980—that of Gail Deann Skelton, who vanished after leaving a party at Herman and Helen’s Marina.
🚗 Disappearance and Last Known Movements
Gail was last seen driving away in her 1978 blue two-door Toyota after attending a party. She was reported to be wearing a blue plaid flannel shirt and jeans. No one has seen or heard from her since, and her vehicle was never recovered. The focus of the current search is to find her vehicle in the waterways around Empire Tract and King Island.
👤 Suspicious Circumstances at the Marina
Gail was reportedly harassed by an unknown man during the party. A sketch of this man was later produced under hypnosis by a marina employee, but the man has never been identified. This unresolved lead has kept speculation alive about the possibility of foul play.
💔 Connection to Fiancé’s Death
Complicating the case further, Gail’s fiancé, Pat Malone, had died just months earlier in what was ruled a boating accident on the Mokelumne River. Some speculate there may be a link between the two cases, although no official connection was ever made. The timing, however, raises questions.
📡 Search Methodology
Using sonar, GPS mapping, and underwater cameras, the team identifies and investigates several submerged vehicles. Some are newly discovered, others had been previously marked but not fully examined. Vehicles are assessed based on era, size, and visible condition to determine whether they could be the missing Toyota. Gates, overgrown areas, and changing access points make it difficult to determine exactly where Gail could have gone off-road.
🧩 Key Discoveries
At least one vehicle located near the marina matches the time period and general description of Gail’s car—a blue, two-door coupe from the late 70s to early 80s. However, after diving on it, no remains were found. Other vehicles showed signs of having been stripped or dumped years ago.
👪 The Role of Family and Local Knowledge
Gail’s mother, Norma Skelton, was a major force in the early search efforts, conducting her own investigations with homemade tools. She believed Gail was submerged in the waters of Empire Tract or King Island. Her efforts are mentioned as a critical emotional driver behind the current renewed search.
👮 Coordination with Law Enforcement
The team works with local authorities to cross-reference vehicle registrations and case notes. Some of the vehicles discovered were confirmed to have been dumped more recently, including one with a registration tag from 2023.
🔄 Ongoing Investigation
Despite not finding Gail or her car in this episode, the team confirms that there are still several miles of waterway left to search. They plan to return and continue scanning other areas around the marina and nearby islands. The case remains open and unresolved.
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🎬.. Watch Other Cases We've Solved
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