ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. — Zephyrhills police are asking the public for help solving a nearly 20-year-old cold case involving a missing man whose disappearance has never been explained.
54-year-old Carlton McCarthy Ireland has been missing since 2007. The case went cold — but it is now open again.
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Ireland's son, Gregg Ireland, said his father deserves justice.
"He was a great man and he was to me, an American dad, a typical American dad -- always hardworking," Gregg said.
When Ireland disappeared, Gregg said he immediately felt like something was wrong.
"Never in a million years — it was all a red flag to me. Day one because it was very out of character with my dad, my dad was very predictable, very responsible and reliable," Gregg said. "He was a Monday through Friday type of worker. He stayed on track. He was great with attendance. I can't really remember the last time that he ever missed work other than a car accident, so it would have had to been something traumatic."
Zephyrhills Police Chief Derek Brewer echoed that description of Ireland.
"He was very structured, very regimented in the way he went about his business, the way he paid his bills… When those payments stopped, it was very abrupt," Brewer said. "While we fear that there's some foul play involved, we can't definitively answer that."
Brewer said the investigation faced challenges from the start.
"There was a delay in reporting it — we didn't actually get it reported to us until 6 months after he was already missing," Brewer said.
Investigators say Ireland's last known account activity was a water bill payment on April 18. Five days later, there was documented activity showing a ring was pawned in Tampa — but no one could confirm Ireland was physically present.
"However, there's no face-to-face — Nobody was able to say he was definitely there. We just know it based on some activity from his bank account," Brewer said.
Gregg says the most concerning part about the investigation was his dad's car — a red 1997 Toyota Tercel. It vanished and has not been recovered.
"It's highly troubling," Gregg said.
Ireland lived alone on Parker Street in Zephyrhills. Nearly two decades later, his family is still waiting for answers.
"So please, I ask if you could lend out little hand. I need help. The family needs help, and he needs justice," Gregg said.
Brewer said he hopes the renewed push for information will prompt someone to finally come forward.
"I'm hopeful that the people that do know something are willing to come forward now that maybe they weren't 20 years," Brewer said.
Police say Ireland’s dental records, fingerprints and familial DNA are on file in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), where his case is listed as MP70461.
The Zephyrhills Police Department asks anyone who knew Ireland, encountered him around the time of his disappearance, saw his vehicle, or has heard information about what may have happened to him to contact investigators. ZPD says no detail is too small, and it is never too late to come forward.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Zephyrhills Police Department tipline at 813-819-8847. You may also provide information anonymously through Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 1-800-873-8477.
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