The mysterious death of Thomas Simpkins, a 44-year-old man from Santa Clara, has left his family and local authorities searching for answers after his body was found in San Tomas Aquino Creek near Levi’s Stadium.
Simpkins went to a BBQ on February 8, and on February 9, Super Bowl day, he was reported missing. His sister, Brandi Stroud, claimed that he returned home at about nine o’clock that evening after taking an Uber.
Simpkins was then found in the San Thomas Aquino Creek, which borders the 49ers’ stadium, on February 14 in the afternoon, according to Stroud, Santa Clara police, and the Santa Clara County medical examiner’s office.
How did Thomas Simpkins die?
According to interviews with the San Francisco Chronicle, Simpkins’ cellphone and wallet were missing when his body was discovered.
The Santa Clara Police Department said that the cause and manner of death have not yet been determined. The Santa Clara County medical examiner’s office confirmed that further investigation is pending, as the case is being reviewed as a possible homicide.
Simpkins’ family said he had returned home from a friend’s barbecue in South San Jose via Uber the evening of his disappearance.
According to Stroud, she found out about her brother’s passing on February 14 when a woman called her and shared a video of scanner exchanges showing that six days prior, officials had discovered a body in the creek below Levi’s Stadium, the site of the Super Bowl.
Stroud recognized the man as her brother when she called the medical examiner’s office because he had a tattoo reading “Simpkins” that ran from his left shoulder blade to his right.
He did not attend the Super Bowl game at Levi’s Stadium itself, and was reported missing when he failed to appear at work the next day and could not be reached.
Thomas Simpkins disappearance
Simpkins’s 19-year-old son discovered his father hadn’t called in or arrived when he dropped by the exclusive dining in Palo Alto, where Simpkins worked.
After traveling from Oregon to the Bay Area, Stroud and her spouse began a desperate hunt, posting flyers and using social media.
She stated that in an attempt to track down his whereabouts before disappearing, she hiked paths in Santa Clara and San Jose.
Simpkins’ sister expressed frustration with what she perceived as delayed responses by law enforcement and confusion over jurisdiction between Santa Clara and San Jose police. She said, “There was a huge delay. They didn’t take my brother’s case seriously at all.”
“This case was not delayed and was investigated with the protocols and investigative steps required,” Santa Clara police retorted.
Stroud said that her brother was well-liked and dedicated to his family, especially his 19-year-old son with whom he played basketball frequently. She described him as a “hardworking father” and an important presence in his children’s lives.
