Shivangi Sinha
On the morning of March 24, 1998, Amy Lynn Bradley was reported missing from the cruise ship Rhapsody of the Seas. One of the first people to be questioned was Wayne Breitag, who had been staying in the room next to the Bradleys. He had interacted with Amy during the cruise and was among the people who had seen or spoken to her. As the ship went into high alert and the investigation began, Wayne’s proximity and timeline became important to authorities. In Netflix’s ‘Amy Bradley is Missing,’ he recalled the confusion of that day, shared his impressions of Amy, and reflected on the strange and sudden nature of her disappearance.
Wayne Breitag Spoke to Amy Bradley Many Times During the Cruise
Wayne Breitag was an adventurer at heart, someone who found joy in solo travel and the connections he made along the way. He was a frequent cruisegoer and had boarded the Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas in late March 1998, looking forward to another relaxing journey. His stateroom was located right next to that of the Bradley family, and their balconies opened very close to one another. During the voyage, he struck up casual conversations with Amy Lynn Bradley whenever she stepped out onto the balcony. He recalled her vibrant energy, her excitement over recently securing a new apartment, and how full of life she seemed.
They talked a few times, and Wayne said he enjoyed her youthful enthusiasm and found her easy to speak with. On the night of March 23, he saw her briefly at a party on the ship, drinking and mingling with others. He noted nothing unusual or concerning about her behavior that evening. After her disappearance, Wayne was among those questioned by authorities due to his proximity and interactions with Amy. However, there was no evidence linking him to her vanishing, and he had not seen or spoken to her during the critical early morning hours of March 24.
Wayne Breitag Was Once Convicted in an Illegal Hunting Case
Wayne Breitag was in the news when he was sentenced in federal court for illegally importing a leopard hide into the US, violating international and federal wildlife protection laws. In 2002, he traveled to South Africa, where he shot a leopard during an unauthorized hunt arranged by outfitter Jan Groenewald Swart. To bypass regulations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the hide was illicitly transported into Zimbabwe to obtain a fake export permit. In his US Fish and Wildlife Service application, Wayne later falsely claimed that the animal had been hunted legally in Zimbabwe.
The illegal hide was reportedly discovered in 2004 among a shipment intercepted at Denver International Airport. In 2009, a jury found Wayne guilty under the Lacey Act, which enforces CITES regulations. He was fined $20,000, sentenced to six months of home confinement, and barred from hunting for three years. Wayne built his career in the insurance industry, working as a Mutual Agent for much of his professional life. In 2015, he earned national recognition by becoming Illinois Mutual’s top life insurance producer in the US. A passionate golfer and someone who enjoys the outdoors, he has long balanced work with his recreational interests. These days, he keeps a low profile and most likely continues to reside in Aberdeen, South Dakota, away from the public spotlight.
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