Shade was last seen in Cayuga County, New York on September 11, 2005. He had gone on a fishing trip with his fiancee. She left to go to work, but Shade stayed behind to fish alone for one more day. He launched his 25-foot Bayliner motorboat from Port Bay, near Wolcott, at 4:00 p.m. Shade talked with friends via marine radio at 8:00 p.m. that day. He has never been heard from again.

At 1:00 p.m. the next day, Shade's boat washed ashore at Moon Beach near Oswego, New York. It was undamaged. The key was in the ignition, the throttle was open, the lights were on and fishing gear was set up, but there was no sign of Shade. An extensive search of the area turned up no sign of him.

Shade owned a drywall business in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania in 2005. Foul play is not suspected in his disappearance; authorities believe he accidentally drowned. He was declared legally dead in June 2008, but his body has never been recovered.