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A California father who vanished after a Super Bowl Sunday celebration in San Jose was discovered deceased six days later in a creek near Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
Thomas Simpkins, aged 44, had been enjoying a barbecue a short distance from the stadium where the Seattle Seahawks triumphed over the New England Patriots. He reportedly took an Uber to his Santa Clara residence around 9 p.m. on February 8, according to his sister, who spoke with NBC Bay Area.
“My brother and I communicated frequently via text,” Brandi Stroud shared with the news outlet. “We had a conversation on February 8 before he headed to the barbecue.”
Simpkins informed his sister he planned to go home to unwind, but after reaching his house, he was not heard from again.
The following day, Simpkins’ 19-year-old son, Tyler, visited the Palo Alto restaurant where his father worked and discovered that he had not reported for his shift.
Tyler filed a missing persons report for his dad, according to the outlet.
Stroud, who lives in Oregon, flew to the Bay Area to help search for her brother, but the family came up empty-handed without any possible leads in Simpkins’ whereabouts until a stranger sent a police scanner audio.
Officials had found human remains in the San Tomas Aquino Creek behind the home stadium of the San Francisco 49ers on Feb. 14, nearly a week after Simpkins vanished, according to the audio sent to Stroud.
“I wasn’t aware that there had even been a body to be recovered behind Levi’s Stadium until some random lady on Facebook sent me a link,” Stroud said.
Stroud told the San Francisco Chronicle that Simpkins’ cellphone and wallet were missing when police found him.
Officials identified the body as Simpkins, and a death investigation is ongoing. Police are investigating Simpkins’ death as a possible homicide, according to Stroud.
No cause of death has been revealed, as results could take up to four months.
Stroud claimed the various law enforcement agencies in the area didn’t take the investigation seriously and were passing the case between each other until the San Jose Police took over.
“There was a huge delay,” Stroud told the San Francisco Chronicle. “They didn’t take my brother’s case seriously at all.”
Stroud and her grieving family were left questioning how Simpkins ended up near the stadium, where more than 70,000 football fans gathered for the game.
“He was a deeply loved son, brother, husband, father, and friend. His kindness, strength, and unwavering love for his family touched everyone who knew him,” the family wrote on GoFundMe. “Our family is devastated and still trying to process this loss.”
The fundraiser is being used to raise money to cover transportation and funeral expenses, where he would be buried next to his father, brother and grandparents in Redding, Calif.
“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your support, love, and compassion during this painful time. We are forever grateful,” said Simpkins’ family, including his son, wife, stepchildren, mom and sister.