Patrick had signed into a charter fishing vessel on June 30, 2005 to go on an overnight fishing trip. He was last seen on July 1, 2005, four kilometers from shore on the fishing boat, 20 miles south of Los Angeles, CA. The boat returned to port on July 1, 2005. It is unknown if Patrick went missing at sea or land. It was days before anyone reported him missing. Finally, on July 6, he failed to show up to a family event, causing loved ones to worry -- especially his girlfriend, actress and singer Olivia Newton-John. On July 11, relatives started to search for Patrick and found his car in the parking lot at the San Pedro Marina. It was right where he had left it to go on the fishing trip. Investigators have also learned that Patrick left some of his belongings on the boat, including his wallet. The Coast Guard is treating this as a missing person's case. However, a manager at the boat's marina claims that some of the passengers saw Patrick get off the boat. The Coast Guard also is looking into the possibility that McDermott may have faked his disappearance. And as they consider the possibility, they have also learned that McDermott was facing financial and family troubles.
