Park Predators: "The Boat Ramp"

Host: Delia D’Ambra
Date: February 10, 2026

Episode Overview

In "The Boat Ramp," host Delia D’Ambra dives deep into the unsolved 1980 mass shooting at the Kingfish Boat Ramp on Anna Maria Island, Florida. Through interviews, archival research, and new revelations, Delia unravels the events that transformed a beautiful recreational haven into the scene of one of Florida’s most confounding and brutal crimes. The episode explores the investigation’s dead ends, the impact on the victims’ families, enduring theories—including mistaken identity and contract killing—and the legacy of unanswered questions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting: Anna Maria Island & Kingfish Boat Ramp

• A “piece of paradise” on Florida’s west coast, known for tourism and recreation.
• Crime took place at the Kingfish Boat Ramp in Holmes Beach, which was bustling with vacationers in August 1980.

2. The Crime: August 1, 1980

• (03:00) Annie Barrows (18) and her cousin Anna see their families at the Kingfish Boat Ramp while returning from getting dinner.
• (04:45) Annie and Anna drop food at the rental house, plan to meet their mothers at the beach. Not long after, they are alerted by a neighbor of an “accident” involving their fathers and brothers.
• (08:20) The group encounters a crash on Manatee Avenue: Juan Dumois’ station wagon and boat trailer jackknifed and surrounded by police. There’s visible blood and a strong law enforcement presence—classic active crime scene.

  “There was blood visible in the car and crime scene tape wound around the entire perimeter.” – Delia (09:00)

• (10:00) At the hospital, the family is told that Juan Dumois (46), his sons Eric (13), Mark (9), and Raymond Barrows (52) were all shot in the head; only Raymond survives.

3. Secondary Crime Scene

• (12:30) Nearby, Robert Matzki, a 60-year-old Air Force veteran, is shot in his convertible in the Foodway grocery parking lot. He had pursued the fleeing shooter to confront him, only to be killed.

4. Early Investigation

• (15:00) Boat ramp scene was chaotic, made worse by water and mud from sprinklers—making fingerprint analysis difficult.
• (17:00) Witnesses describe the shooter as a “clean-shaven, slender white male with wavy dark hair, 30–40 years old, about 160 pounds, 6 feet tall, wearing white shorts and a short-sleeved shirt,” fleeing in a late 70s model car (details uncertain).

5. Survivor’s Account & Composite Sketch

• (18:35) Raymond Barrows describes a man at the ramp with a bicycle, claiming an injured ankle and requesting a short ride.

  “Right before leaving the boat ramp, Raymond said he and Juan placed the hitchhiker’s bike into the boat and directed the guy to slide into the backseat…” – Delia (19:40)

• Moments after pulling onto Manatee Avenue, Raymond feels a jolt; Juan is shot, Raymond loses consciousness, recalls Juan yelling “Why did you shoot them?” (21:00)

  “He’d never seen the man before in his life.” – Delia on Raymond’s statement (22:20)

• Three different suspect composites are made (first most trusted by police, later sketches less reliable due to stress and trauma).

6. Theories & Law Enforcement Response

• (30:00) Questions arise about procedural missteps: slow all-points bulletin, the island’s bridges not closed, which possibly allowed the killer an easy escape.

  “To me, this whole the bridges stayed open thing is such a critical detail because it's very possible that was how the killer fled so quickly.” – Delia (32:10)

• Initial theories explore a “hit job,” connections to Cuban heritage, and potential organized crime, but no solid evidence is found.

7. Suspects & Dead Ends

• (37:20) Suspect Richard Lee Whitley, a wanted murderer, is investigated but cleared by timeline and fingerprint evidence.

  “He admitted to the murder he’d committed in Virginia, but was adamant he had nothing to do with the situation in Holmes Beach.” – Delia (39:10)

• Over two dozen other persons of interest are eliminated. Funeral held for the Dumois family—community deeply impacted.

8. Lingering Impact & Case Stalls

• (44:30) With leads exhausted, family brings in a private investigator, compounding tensions with law enforcement.
• Vehicles returned to the family after several months—reason never fully explained.
• (47:00) Key witness Raymond Barrows passes away in 1982; the bullet in his neck is finally recovered for evidence.

  “He passed with flying colors... life was far from the same without his youngest nephews and brother-in-law.” – Delia recounting Raymond’s polygraph and legacy (48:40–49:10)

• Law enforcement revisits hitman theories and possible mob ties, but details don’t fit—unprofessional execution, daylight attack, use of bicycle, and lack of direct connection.

9. Alternate Views & Lasting Mystery

• (53:20) Some in law enforcement speculate a “bizarre, spur-of-the-moment” crime by a mentally unstable stranger, while Annie Barrows maintains it was a hit—just on the wrong targets, or mistaken identity.

  “...the murders seemed very well planned. Likely not the act of a roaming serial killer or something like that. She's convinced that whoever the killer was looking for was not one of her family members. What makes the most sense to her is that the entire crime was a tragic case of mistaken identity.” – Delia (54:10)

10. Evidence, Missed Opportunities & Legacy

• Crime scene contaminated; witness separation not enforced; crucial fingerprints from child victims not recorded.
• Hints at mob involvement via contract killer Donald Frankos, but no corroborating evidence ever found.

  “Unfortunately, though, the Manatee county investigator never found any evidence to support Frankos claims…” – Delia (59:30)

• Lost opportunity: blurry photographs that showed the suspect leaving the scene—but not clear enough for ID.
• By 2010 and 2019, new details emerge but no breakthroughs. Families persevere, focusing on healing, remembrance, and hope for resolution.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the shock and immediacy of the crime:

  "She had literally just laid eyes on all the guys minutes before whatever happened to them went down." (11:50)

• On police investigation:

  “We've got the star witness giving us two completely different pictures of the killer. It would be a strong point for the defense.” – Holmes Beach Police Chief (50:05)

• On possible hitman theory:

  “Why would he, a hitman, shoot the driver of a moving vehicle when he's riding in it? And I can't believe a hitman would leave on a bicycle or shoot in broad daylight in heavy traffic with lots of witnesses.” – Manatee County Detective Sergeant (57:05)

• On enduring grief and loss:

  “There was a point where she wasn't even sure she'd be able to keep her sanity because her grief and pain were just too intense.” – Delia on Maria Dumois (45:10)

• On missed evidence and luck:

  “A man driving by... had snapped several pictures of the Dumoise crash station wagon. Those images showed the suspected killer walking away from the crime scene, but the camera settings... were too blurry to make out who the suspect was. I know. Talk about being the luckiest killer in the world.” (01:04:00)

Key Timestamps

• 03:00 - Annie and Anna’s last sighting of their fathers and brothers at Kingfish Boat Ramp
• 08:20 - Family learns of the crash and finds the crime scene
• 12:30 - Robert Matzki murdered at the Foodway parking lot
• 19:40 - Survivor Raymond’s account of giving a ride to the killer
• 22:20 - Police composite sketch process
• 30:00–33:00 - Procedural lapses: police response, open bridges
• 37:20 - Suspect Richard Lee Whitley considered and cleared
• 47:00–49:10 - Raymond Barrows’ final days and the enduring pain of survivors
• 53:20–54:10 - Alternate theories: hit gone wrong vs random killer
• 59:30 - Donald Frankos' mob hit theory explored and dismissed
• 01:04:00 - Revelation about blurry crime scene photographs

Final Reflections & Legacy

• The Kingfish Boat Ramp murders remain unsolved after more than four decades.
• Law enforcement now largely sees the case as cold, with minimal hope for resolution—but family members persist in memory and hope.
• The episode ends on a call to action:

  “If you think you might have information that could help them, contact their office on their website or consider reaching out to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.” (01:09:00)

Tone and Language:
Delia combines methodical investigation with compassion, giving voice to victims’ families while offering nuanced skepticism regarding official theories. The episode is empathetic, detailed, and unflinching about the messiness and heartbreak of unsolved true crime.

For more details and sources, visit parkpredators.com.