True crime documentary series Amy Bradley Is Missing dives deep into the enduring mystery of Amy Bradley’s disappearance, unraveling the many theories that have surfaced over the past 27 years. Through exclusive interviews, newly surfaced evidence, and an in-depth exploration of myriad possibilities — from foul play to voluntary disappearance — the series brings fresh perspective to a case that has long confounded investigators and haunted Amy’s family. Below is an overview of the major theories explored, and the latest developments in the ongoing search for Amy, with input from directors and executive producers Phil Lott and Ari Mark.
What are the theories about what happened to Amy Bradley?
Amy Bradley’s disappearance has generated a tangle of theories, fueled by the unique circumstances of her vanishing from a moving cruise ship full of potential eyewitnesses. Additionally, her last known location, the balcony of her family’s cabin, was scrubbed clean before investigators could comb for evidence.
“There are some details about some of the people on the ship that have always been theories,” says Lott. “Getting to meet [those people] and interview them at length just made the stories that much more interesting, rich, deep, and raised more questions … there are no easy answers in this story.”
In addition to revisiting to the longstanding possibility that Amy jumped or fell overboard (as her shoes were left on the balcony and the outside table had been moved), the series explores the theory and allegations that Alister “Yellow” Douglas, an entertainer on the Rhapsody of the Seas during the Bradleys’ trip, was involved in Amy’s disappearance. Douglas had been seen dancing with Amy in the nightclub — a detail backed by video footage — the night Amy disappeared.
Lori Thompson, who is interviewed in the docuseries, claims she saw Amy with Douglas earlier in the night before she disappeared. However, FBI agents investigated these claims and questioned Douglas, who also voluntarily underwent a polygraph test, which was inconclusive. The FBI released him with no evidence to charge him in Amy’s disappearance, and he continues to maintain his innocence.
“Every single person who worked on this was conflicted about what happened to Amy … that sort of whiplash made this particularly surprising,” Mark says.
One other grim possibility comes via retired US Navy seaman Bill Hefner, who believes he met a distressed Amy in a bar after his ship arrived in Curaçao in January 1999, 10 months after she went missing. Hefner’s account, which had circulated in true crime circles for years but had never been explored on camera, adds another layer to the theory that Amy was trafficked after leaving the ship.
Another theory suggests Amy may have left the ship of her own volition, and could even be living in secret abroad. The possibility is supported by fresh evidence involving a pattern of IP addresses, traced to Barbados, logging into the amybradleyismissing.com forum on key family anniversaries and holidays. Online investigator Anthony Willis, who is also interviewed, launched the site in 2018, hoping to create a centralized platform where any leads could be examined to potentially aid the ongoing search efforts.
“I don’t think the notion of her willingly walking off the ship was ever presented as a possibility until the [documentary],” Mark says. “And I don’t believe that the eyewitness testimony or the IP information was really ever presented in any way to anyone.”
Mark and Lott know that those watching the docuseries will likely have strong convictions about what they think happened to Amy — but, as they explained on the You Can’t Make This Up podcast, this is a unique, confounding case where anyone could be right. “It’s very uncommon to have that many scenarios that feel possible,” Mark told host Rebecca Lavoie. “I dare anybody to look at those scenarios and argue me off one of them because there’s enough information to suggest that any of those scenarios could be possible. It drove us nuts.”
Have there been any new developments in the Amy Bradley case?
In 1999, the Bradleys filed a lawsuit against Royal Caribbean. The cruise line stated it acted appropriately and responsibly at all times. Ultimately, the lawsuit was dismissed. While Amy has still not been located, her family has never given up hope that she might one day return, according to the filmmakers.
“Showing the group of friends, the relationships she had in her life, and the absence that is felt today from every single person that we interviewed, there’s a loss,” Lott says. “If you see that hole in everyone’s heart, I’ve just got to believe that the audience is going to be feeling that too.”
“It’s one thing to talk about the void of Amy, and it’s another thing to experience it,” Mark adds. “This is a family who really deeply believes in what they’re saying, and what they’re saying is, ‘She’s out there, we’re going to find her, and we’re ready.’ ”
Throughout the series, the filmmakers aimed to honor the family’s enduring hope while also providing space for viewers to engage with the case themselves.
“We were very careful to be very balanced from a responsibility standpoint about not wanting to tip the scales in favor of one theory versus another,” says Mark. “But we also feel a responsibility to the family to make sure that they have a chance to really offer a call to action to the audience, which they do.”
Stay tuned for updates on the Amy Bradley case as new information becomes available. Amy Bradley Is Missing is now streaming on Netflix.