Olivia Newton-John's Chilling Belief About Ex-Boyfriend Patrick McDermott's Mysterious Disappearance Revealed More Than Two Decades After He Vanished Without a Trace
A close friend revealed what Olivia Newton-John thought happened to her missing ex-boyfriend.
May 13 2026, Published 7:45 p.m. ET
Nearly four years after Olivia Newton-John lost her battle with breast cancer in 2022, a close friend is revealing what the singer believed happened to her boyfriend, Patrick McDermott, after he mysteriously went missing in 2005, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The former cameraman eerily disappeared during an overnight fishing trip off the coast of Los Angeles, sparking years of wild speculation that he either perished at sea or staged his own death to secretly start over in Mexico after being beset by financial woes.
Olivia Newton-John Thought Patrick McDermott 'Drowned' at Sea
Newton-John dated McDermott on and off for nine years.
Newton-John and McDermott had dated on and off for nine years before his mysterious disappearance, and now the Grammy winner’s close friend and collaborator, Liona Boyd, has revealed the singer believed he died at sea, according to Matthew Hild’s new biography about the star, A Little More Love.
"She thought he drowned," Boyd told the author.
"She didn't believe all the rumors about the sightings in Mexico. She said, "No, I don’t believe that,'" the classical guitarist shared about the I Honestly Love You songstress.
Olivia Newton-John Did Not Have a 'Traditional' Relationship With Patrick McDermott
Newton-John said she might never be 'at peace' with McDermott's disappearance.
The book revealed Newton-John wasn’t even in the country when McDermott vanished, as the pair "did not have a traditional relationship, something friends are at pains to point out," an anonymous pal told Boyd.
At the time of his disappearance, the Magic singer was in Melbourne, Australia, when the Los Angeles Times reported: "Man Missing Since Fishing Trip Is Sought: Performer Olivia Newton-John’s close friend has been missing since July 1, when he was to return from an overnight excursion."
The couple was in yet another one of their "off-again" phases when McDermott vanished without a trace, though they had not officially called it quits for good.
Chong Lim, a music director and record producer who worked closely with Olivia for more than two decades, recalled that she confided in him about “problems” in her relationship with McDermott, according to the new biography. At the time of his disappearance, McDermott allegedly told the crew of his fishing boat that he was having financial issues.
“I think there will always be a question mark. I don't think I will ever really be at peace with it,” Newton-John admitted in a 2009 interview while reflecting on the haunting mystery surrounding his disappearance.
Olivia Newton John Found Love Again After Patrick McDermott
Newton-John married second husband John Easterling three years after McDermott disappeared.
Newton-John's love life moved on, as she went on to marry businessman John Easterling in 2008.
In a 2016 interview, the Grease star admitted about McDermott, "One of the hardest things is not knowing" what happened to him.
"I'm very lucky I have a wonderful, beautiful husband who is just so loving and fantastic. I always tell my friends you’re never too old to find love. I found the love of my life at 59 going on 60! I'm grateful," Newton-John shared about her life at the time.
The Physical singer described in her 2018 memoir, Don’t Stop Believin’, how she hired private investigators to look for McDermott in Mexico in "certain places Patrick had talked about,” but that "nobody had seen him."
Coast Guard Believed Patrick McDermott Was 'Lost at Sea'
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McDermott is believed to have been lost at sea.
The U.S. Coast Guard issued its final summary of what it believes happened to McDermott in a 2009 press release.
"The Coast Guard Investigative Service closed its case September 15, 2006, and did not find any evidence of criminal action, suicide, accident, or hoax in the disappearance of McDermott," it read.
"A separate marine safety investigation followed, looking into the operation of the fishing vessel itself, and was closed Oct. 30, 2008. A marine safety investigation is standard in cases of loss of life in the marine environment.' it continued, adding, "Both investigations suggest that McDermott was lost at sea," while including a tip line in case of any new developments.
