Body of California father who went missing after Super Bowl party found in ravine six days later
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The family of a Bay Area man is seeking answers after he was found dead in a creek next to Levi’s Stadium nearly a week after disappearing on Super Bowl Sunday.
Thomas Simpkins, 44, a Santa Clara resident and father, was discovered on February 14 in San Tomas Aquino Creek, which runs alongside the stadium where the Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots on February 8.
Simpkins’ death is being investigated as a possible homicide, his sister, Brandi Stroud, told the San Francisco Chronicle. He leaves behind three stepchildren and one biological son and was in the midst of a divorce, she added.
The Santa Clara Police Department described the case to the outlet as an ongoing investigation but did not provide further details. The Santa Clara County medical examiner’s office has not yet determined the cause or manner of death and told the SF Chronicle that additional investigation is pending.
Stroud told NBC Bay Area that Simpkins was last seen the night of the Super Bowl, after attending a barbecue in South San Jose with friends. He reportedly took an Uber home around 9 p.m., planning to relax after the festivities, according to texts shared with Stroud.
The next day, Simpkins’ 19-year-old son went to the Palo Alto restaurant where his father worked and learned that he had missed his shift. Concern grew when the family could not reach Simpkins by phone, prompting them to file a missing persons report.
Stroud, who lives in Oregon, traveled to the Bay Area to help search for her brother. The family’s efforts were initially unsuccessful, and she said she only learned that a body had been recovered in the creek near the stadium after a stranger sent her a link to police scanner audio on Facebook, NBC Bay Area reports.
She contacted the medical examiner’s office and identified her brother by a large tattoo of his last name across his back. Authorities later confirmed the body had been found in San Tomas Aquino Creek, about six miles from his home. His phone and wallet were missing when police found him, according to Stroud.
The case was delayed three days as neighboring city police passed it back and forth before San Jose police took over, Stroud claimed.
“There was a huge delay,” she told the SF Chronicle. “They didn’t take my brother’s case seriously at all.”
The San Jose Police Department told The Independent in a statement Saturday that because the case involved multiple jurisdictions, the agencies coordinated to ensure the investigation was handled thoroughly and properly.
“We understand how incredibly difficult and emotional this situation is for the family. When a loved one is missing, every moment feels critical, and we recognize the fear and frustration that can come with that uncertainty,” the statement read.
“At no point was this case dismissed or ignored. Both agencies worked to ensure the matter was addressed in accordance with investigative protocols and jurisdictional requirements,” it continued.
Santa Clara police, which led the investigation after the body was found, added in a statement to the SF Chronicle, “This case was not delayed and was investigated with the protocols and investigative steps required.”
