Missing man Patrick McDermott was on Olivia Newton-John's payroll

Still no proof-of-life photo of Olivia Newton-John's missing boyfriend Patrick Kim McDermott, but Tabloid Baby pal Dylan Howard, the international investigative reporter who’s broken a lot of news in the case that we kept alive, has new details from the official Coast Guard report into his disappearance at sea five years ago-- including the fact that McDermott was on the singer’s payroll.

Among the other new information that was published in Australia's New Idea magazine and around the world:

* McDermott purchased a .357 magnum three months before he disappeared

* Someone tried to access his computer between the time he vanished and when it was seized;

* A file from his computer contained information on how to fake an identity;

* He attempted suicide by pills at 17;

* He was drowning in debt and failing to meet child support;

* He had $755.01 in savings and $19,004.56 in credit card debt and was $8,000 behind in child support payments;

* He'd destroyed all his emails, including correspondence from Newtown-John;

* Started a company called Twice Alive Productions in 2003.


The investigation focuses on McDermott's nine-year relationship with the Newton-John, who never reported him missing after he vanished from a fishing boat on June 30, 2005. Newton-John failed to alert the media, whoch could have helped in a missing persons search, and it was seven weeks before a reporter noticed the name and Newton-John connection and broke the news.

Was Newton-John aware of his scheme? The report says she told investigators she wasn't aware of McDermott's financial straits, and that the last time she saw him was in mid-June, before she left on a trip to Australia (where she was when he disappeared). She said he'd come to her home to end their on-off relationship once again.

The report notes "official sightings" of McDermott in Malibu, Long Beach and San Luis Obispo, California, Calgary Canada, and Todos Santo, La Paz, Sayulita and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

The report says the US Coast Guard has labelled the McDermott probe a "deadbeat parent” case, which means the US State Department “remains on the lookout, but not actively searching for someone who has absconded from life’s responsibilities.”

Last month, a private eye working for NBC's tabloid show Dateline claimed to have "proof" that McDermott is alive and well in Baja Mexico (the destination of his fishing charter), but asked everyone to take his word for it until he writes a book.

"Proof of life"? It's time to produce a photo of Patrick McDermott to prove he's alive

We've been investigating the case of missing Hollywood outcast Patrick McDermott for five years, since the day it was announced he'd vanished from a fishing boat off San Pedro and that his supposed lover of nine years, Olivia Newton-John hadn't bothered to report him missing or make a public plea to help find him in seven long weeks. The story, and subsequent revelations that he may have faked his death over finances (why would he need money if he was Newton-John's partner?), was either too challenging or not interesting enough to most journos, especially the Hollywood types who weren't about to topple the longstanding industry "beard" facade (see Jesse James), but we beat the drum loud and long enough for other tabloid outlets, including NBC's Dateline, to investigate.

And now Dateline's hired P.I. says he's tracked down McDermott in Baja Mexico, that he has "proof of life," "voice recordings," and a deal with McDermott's lawyer to back off, leave the guy alone and go write a book.

And people are taking his word for it...


Sorry, but we don't trust the folks at Dateline. It's time to back it up.

Here's the latest:

* McDermott is living in the Mexican village of Sayulita and working as a ship's mate on a tourist yacht;

* Residents of the Pacific coast town say they know the 'tranquil man' as Pat Kim;

* Shown a photograph of Mr McDermott, they confirmed he had been living in the town for several years;

* Local hotelier Mark Rubio said most folks knew his true identity but "nobody was bothered. This is a pretty relaxed place";

* The captain of Sayula 1, the ship Mr McDermott has worked on, said he had not seen him in some time;

* P.I. Klein received 'proof of life' by a representative of McDermott, including a voice recording and an instructions that McDermott "did not want to be hounded";

* Klein agreed;

* Mainstream news outlets are reporting his announcements without investigating for themselves. WTF??!

We believe Patrick McDermott is alive. We've spoken to witnesses and dug up important information. But if Philip Klein has the goods, we'd figure he'd come back with a video statement from McDermott or, at the very least, a photo.


Sayulita, Mexico: a fishing village about 25 miles north of downtown Puerto Vallarta in the state of Nayarit, Mexico, with a population of approximately 4,000. Hailed as a popular off-the-beaten-path travel destination, Sayulita offers a variety of activities such as horseback riding, hiking, jungle canopy tours, snorkeling and fishing. Still a mecca for beginner surfers of all ages, the quaint town attracts upscale tourists with its numerous art galleries and restaurants as well. The most well-established restaurant, Don Pedro's (since 1994), has attracted an international clientele for years, many of whom have vacation villas in the picturesque village. Sayulita has a curious eclectic quality, frequented by native Cora and Huichol peoples, travelling craftsmen as well as international tourists. Sayulita is the crown jewel in the newly designated "Riviera Nayarit," the coastal corridor from Litibu to San Blas. Its stunning natural beauty and easy access to Puerto Vallarta have made Sayulita real estate some of the most sought after in all of Mexico. With a growing ecological awareness and stricter zoning enforcement, development is being regulated to help safeguard the environment and quality of life of the community.

Set off, journos. Bring back some real "proof of life."

P.I. claims "proof" Patrick McDermott lives

A private eye searching for Patrick McDermott, Olivia Newton-John's former boyfriend who vanished five years ago, says his hunt is over after he received "conclusive proof" he's alive.

McDermott was 48 when he disappeared from a fishing boat that set off from San Pedro on June 30, 2005. He was believed to have fallen overboard but his body was never recovered, and it wasn't long before it was revealed he had financial troubles and may have faked his death and was hiding out on Mexico's Baja coast.

Texas-based P.I. Philip Klein worked on the case for NBC''s tabloid show Dateline. He said yesterday that he had "concluded beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. McDermott is alive."

He said his team was checking documents and voice recordings of McDermott that he and his lawyer had provided in return for detectives agreeing to leave him alone.

Said Klein: "Mr. McDermott's wishes, according to his counsel, is not to be 'hounded' any longer by investigators or the media."

He alleged that McDermott faked his death to escape mounting debts and to enable his teenage son to benefit from a $100,000 US life insurance policy.

McDermott's disappearance wasn't made pubic for seven weeks, when a reporter linked his name to Newton-John. The Aussie songbird never reported him missing, despite claims they'd been involved in a nine-year romance. Newton-John later gave conflicting responses for the oversight, and finally said that she'd broken up with McDermott. The Coast Guard kept the case open. In 2008, Newton-John married someone else.


Tabloid Baby was the only news organization to remain on the story since 2005. Our reports kept the story alive, and led to reports of McDermott sightings and Klein's involvement last year.

Klein reported contact with McDermott in 2009, though he has not shown any concrete "proof of life" which he claims to have in possession. We do know he is writing a book about his search.

We'll withhold huzzahs until he produces the live McDermott.

Shocking details behind the message from Olivia Newton-John's missing boyfriend Patrick McDermott

There’s a book's worth of shocking, jaw-dropping, facade-smashing evidence and allegations behind today's claim from a private eye that friends of Olivia Newton-John’s missing ex-boyfriend Patrick McDermott have reached out to say he’s alive and well in Mexico-- and wants to be left alone.

Reporter Dylan Howard, who broke the story in today's edition of The News of The World, has a far more detailed article in the new issue of Australia’s Woman’s Day magazine that contradicts much of the official version coming from newton-John's camp over the past four years and adds new detail to the story Tabloid Baby has kept alive from the day McDermott's disappearance was announced-- when our contributors were in San Pedro, California to hear a Coast Guard spokesman tell us the case was “still open.”


Howard's article, based on unseen Coast Guard interviews and other reportage, disputes two major assertions made by Newton-John's camp-- that the singer had been in Australia when McDermott vanished-- and that their relationship had broken off weeks, perhaps months earlier.

Howard contends that McDermott, who did not live with Newton-John after nine-years, visited her at her Malibu compound 24 to 72 hours before he vanished to break up the relationship. After leaving Newton-John “huddled on the couch, crying,” he returned to give his keys to the singer's personal assistant, saying, “It's too tumultuous around here.”

The article quotes private eye Philip Klein as saying he has evidence McDermott had been planning his getaway for as long as six months, and that he'd taken at least six fishing trips on the Freedom charter boat, in effect “casing" it before disappearing from it.

The article also places suspicion on McDermott's estranged wife, the actress Yvette Nipur, who allegedly made a claim on his $250,000 insurance policy 90 days after his disappearance, while striking up a close friendship with Newton-John-- “with Olivia as ambassador for Yvette's t-shirt line Be So Do So."

A scan of Tabloid Baby's archives will show there have been reported sightings of McDermott and many unanswered questions in the four years since his disappearance. The coming weeks will be crucial.

First posting on the Tabloid Baby blogsite:

Mystery message from missing McDermott?

Olivia Newton-John's missing lover Patrick McDermott is alive, hiding out in Baja Mexico, and has come forward to tell investigators to leave him alone. So reports the News of The World in the latest update to a story Tabloid Baby alone has kept in the public eye for the four years since the cameraman and public companion vanished from fishing charter boat that docked in San Pedro. Private eye Philip Klein, who's been on the McDermott case for months, tells the British tabloid that he received a fax from a friend of McDermott, asking him to call off the search. The fax, dated February 10, describes how McDermott fled the United States at a time he was suspected to have been having major financial problems. "You may assume Pat is alive and very well. Pat asked that I portray to you his innocence in the crimes you have accused him of. Pat has committed no crime He simply has gone to a new life without the hassles of California or the spot light to which he has lived for years. Pat has no ill will to anyone. Pat simply wishes to be left alone. Let him live his life in peace and harmony. He is safe and has started anew again in a new place both mentally and physically." Klein says he's received three phone calls from McDermott pals since February. According to his story, the 52-year-old has dyed his silver hair black and works as a deckhand in the small Mexican fishing town of Sayulita. When he's not on the move he stays at a £20-a-night beachside motel, always in room 10. The Coast Guard investigators in 2008 concluded that McDermott probably drowned, but there was speculation from the start that he'd staged his disappearance to escape debts and provide insurance money for his son. Klein says he evidence McDermott spent six months planning his getaway, got a second passport in his birth name Patrick Kim and withdrew his life savings from two bank accounts before skipping. McDermott was Newton-John's companion for nine years. Eyebrows were raised when it was realized she'd never reported him missing nor gone to the media for help finding him. McDermott left on the fishing charter on June 30, 2005. His ex-wife reported him missing on July 6th. Newton-John acknowledged the loss seven weeks later, after a reporter brought it up. She married a rich guy last year.

Patrick McDermott, Olivia Newton-John's boyfriend who was lost at sea, did indeed fake his death and is alive and on the run, say investigators

We’re getting a lot of web traffic and hits from people looking for information on Patrick McDermott.

This is the place . For years, and up against great criticism and ridicule, Tabloid Baby was the sole news organization that kept alive the story of the boyfriend of Olivia Newton-John who disappeared after boarding a charter fishing boat in San Pedro, California in 2005.

Earlier this week NBC’s tabloid show Dateline picked up the story, reporting on claims that did indeed stage his own disappearance to avoid debts and enable his teenage son to cash in on a $151,000 insurance policy.

Dateline gave it a cute title, Beyond The Sea and put the comic, perpetually amused correspondent Keith Morrison on the story and filled the report and related stories with question marks, but despite the disclaimer, the bottom line, as picked up internationally (and thanks to the UK Daily Mail for the quotes below), is that another team of private investigators says McDermott is travelling along the Mexican and South America coastline under an alias.

Beard?

The U.S. Coast Guard concluded that the cameraman, who was 48 when he went missing, had most likely drowned. But suspicion remained over McDermott's disappearance after it emerged he’d filed for bankruptcy, owed thousands of dollars in child support to his ex-wife— and that Newton-John never reported him missing.

Dateline picked up our lead in March 2007, and hired PIs to find McDermott, months after we reported that the infotainment show Extra took evidence from a local reporter in Baja Mexico, promised to have it analyzed, but did not.

Investigator Philip Klein told Dateline: “He's alive-- there's no doubt in my mind, this guy's alive. Maybe in his mind if he stages his death, the insurance policy will pay off his debts and he can leave his child a gift by pretending he's dead.”

Klein claimed McDermott's life insurance policy “is in full force and effect. The premiums have been paid every month. There has also been an inquiry by a person or persons in an attempt to possibly file a claim on the insurance money.”

Employee?

Klein's agency set up a website called findpatrickmcdermott.com, a ruse to find McDermott by showing investigators the locations of people logging on to the site.

Klein said he began tracking hits from what he believes was a boat travelling along the Mexican coastline as far as South America.

"Sayulita, Mexico, is where many of the hits were coming from. We got to Sayulita, we began to show his picture around to witnesses in the area, and we found people who said, ‘Yeah, I know him, he comes here all the time.’ We have witnesses, including five Americans, willing to give us signed affidavits that they've seen him.

“He asked waiters to put him in corners, he had changed his appearance once or twice. He's moving as a lone wolf."

“The rule of thumb is always this-- when you're running you are always looking over your shoulder and we're going to catch him looking at us.

"We fully anticipate he's going to go underground for a while. But when he raises his head, he's not just going to have 20 eyes looking for him, he's going to have a million eyes looking for him."

Really Her Boyfriend?

Shamus Klein said that Newton-John apparently was also accessing the site on a regular basis for updates on efforts to find McDermott.

“The most unusual hits we've gotten were Olivia Newton-John when she was on tour in Asia. Every hotel she was registered at and staying at there were hits from that hotel on that night where she was staying.”

He claimed his team had “confirmed" sightings of McDermott from at least 17 witnesses across Mexico.

Newton-John refused to be interviewed for the Dateline show. Last year, she married John Easterling, founder and president of natural remedy firm, Amazon Herb Company.

Olivia Newton-John remarries; leaves behind disappearance of boyfriend Patrick McDermott, whom she never reported missing

Olivia Newton-John has put the mysterious 2005 disappearance of her longtime boyfriend Patrick McDermott behind her for good.

The 59-year-old singer married a 49-year-old Australian entrepreneur named John Easterling in a surprise ceremony at her home in Malibu.

Guests thought they were attending a Fourth of July Independence Day barbecue. Newton-John was almost forced to cancel the big day when a brush fire broke out in a nearby canyon, but she insisted that the vows take place.

McDermott disappeared from a fishing boat that set off from San Pedro, California on June 30, 2005.

The public didn't find out about the disappearance for seven weeks, until a reporter connected the names.

Newton-John never reported him missing and later gave conflicting stories for the oversight.

In the weeks to follow, it was reported that McDermott had financial problems and could have faked his death. The US Coast Guard kept the case open.

In 2006, there were McDermott "sightings" in Mexico's Baja peninsula.