MIAMI , Florida ( CNN ) -- Federal prosecutors on Wednesday filed murder charges against two men suspected in the deaths of a charter boat crew , authorities said . The Joe Cool charter boat was found abandoned last month in the Florida Straits . Kirby Archer , 34 , and Guillermo Zarabozo , 19 , are scheduled to appear in court Thursday afternoon . The men are being held without bail on suspicion of killing the four-member crew of the Joe Cool fishing boat last month . `` Four individuals were killed in this case , '' Alex Acosta , U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida , told reporters Wednesday in announcing the charges . `` Four families have been torn apart . '' Watch what led to the charges » . Archer and Zarabozo paid $ 4,000 in cash for a one-way trip to the Bahamas on the pleasure boat . The U.S. Coast Guard found the abandoned vessel about 160 miles south of the island of Bimini on September 23 . It was unmanned , and its contents were in disarray . Zarabozo and Archer were found a few hours later on a life raft 10 miles from the boat . Missing are the boat 's captain , Jake Branam ; his wife , Kelly ; and crew members Scott Gamble and Samuel Kairy . Zarabozo reportedly told a Coast Guard agent that three armed Cuban men hijacked the boat as it headed toward Bimini . Zarabozo , a licensed security guard , said the hijackers shot the crew members and forced him to throw their bodies overboard . But , according to court documents filed in the case , Zarabozo and Archer gave inconsistent stories during interviews with authorities regarding what occurred . Statements given by the pair were not consistent with physical evidence , according to an affidavit supporting the murder charges . Zarabozo , for instance , told federal authorities he did not own a gun , but an investigation showed he had bought a lock box for a gun he kept at his home . That lock box contained various documents , including a receipt for a February 2007 purchase of a Glock 9 mm magazine and four boxes of bullets . `` Little of the defendants ' story rings true , '' Acosta said . At a bond hearing last week , the Coast Guard agent said two bullet casings and suspected blood were discovered inside the Joe Cool 's cabin . A third bullet casing was found outside the cabin , he said . All three casings were 9 mm . A fourth 9 mm casing was found on the boat later by family members , who turned it over to the FBI , a relative said . `` Now you have four casings and four people [ presumed ] dead , '' said Jeffrey Branam , the uncle of the boat 's captain . Archer is charged with unlawful flight on an Arkansas warrant , accused of stealing more than $ 90,000 in cash from a Wal-Mart where he once worked . Last week , a judge said he believes circumstantial evidence shows four homicides took place . `` Your theory is [ Archer and Zarabozo ] killed the four ? '' the judge asked the assistant U.S. attorney at the bond hearing . `` Yes , your honor , '' the prosecutor replied . The Coast Guard spent five days searching for the crew before giving up . Acosta said it is unlikely their bodies will ever be found . Jake Branam and his wife leave behind two small children , he said . `` It 's difficult , '' Jeffrey Branam said last week . `` Some relatives still think the four are alive and are still searching for them . '' He said the name of the boat has been removed from the stern , and the name will be retired from the charter fishing business . The boat probably will be retired , too . Referring to Archer and Zarabozo , Branam said : `` I 'd like to use them as shark bait . '' E-mail to a friend .
Two defendants to make initial appearances in federal court survive . Two - person crew of the Sea Bird are missing and presumed dead . Men who boarded boat reportedly say hijackers killed them but let them go .