Reginald, a retired naval architect, was last seen approximately 30 days prior to his disappearance in his hometown of Portsmouth. Reginald designed his own 38-foot sailboat, Frolic, and set sail alone to Florida for the winter to complete work on his boat. He left Dover Point in mid-October on the boat's first voyage.

On November 27, 1996, the Coast Guard discovered the Frolic wrecked on a South Carolina jetty. The boat's dinghy was missing, but it's speculated it may have been lost during a storm. After an intensive search involving helicopters and divers, the Coast Guard suspended its search for Reginald.