Bruce Robert Weaver was 50 years old when he was last seen on October 9, 2008, in the Rehoboth Beach, Delaware area. NamUs lists him under missing person case MP52352, with his date of last contact recorded as October 9, 2008, and his missing location as Rehoboth Beach in Sussex County, Delaware. He is described as a White/Caucasian male with brown hair and brown eyes, about 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing approximately 130 to 140 pounds.
The circumstances surrounding Bruce’s disappearance were maritime and sudden. He was fishing with five companions aboard a vessel that had gone out from the Indian River Inlet when the boat was struck or swamped by a wave near the Delaware Bay Buoy. The vessel rapidly took on water and sank, throwing Bruce and the others into the water. Uncovered’s case summary reports that the survivors were in the water for approximately eight hours before rescue, while Bruce remained missing afterward.
A Cape Gazette report about the rescue identified the capsized vessel as the Atlantic Mariner and described how the charter boat Tranquila came upon the scene near sunset on October 9, 2008, about seven miles off the coast. The Tranquila crew rescued five of the six people from the capsized vessel and administered first aid before the Coast Guard arrived. The same report notes that one member of the Atlantic Mariner’s crew was lost at sea, reflecting the heartbreaking outcome for Bruce and the relief mixed with grief that followed the rescue of his companions.
According to the available case summaries, search efforts were extensive, but Bruce was not recovered. NamUs continues to maintain his case profile, and public missing-person listings still identify him as missing from Rehoboth Beach on October 9, 2008. SpotCrime’s regional missing-person listing also includes Bruce Weaver, noting his age at disappearance, physical description, last-seen location, and NamUs case number MP52352.
Bruce’s family and community also memorialized him as a loved husband and family member. His obituary, published through Legacy from the Lebanon Daily News, states that Bruce R. Weaver of Fredericksburg died as a result of a fishing accident off the coast of Delaware on October 9, 2008, and identifies him as the beloved husband of Wanda M. Kreiser Weaver. While official missing-person listings emphasize that he was lost at sea and not recovered, the obituary reflects how those closest to him understood the tragedy and honored his life after the accident.Last Seen: Oct 9, 2008
