FROSTPROOF, Fla. — UPDATE
The Polk County Sheriff's Office said Murphy was found deceased on July 14 in Frostproof.
Deputies said his death does not appear to be suspicious at this time.
PREVIOUS REPORTING
We Are the Essentials is assisting the Polk County Sheriff's Office in a search for a missing man from Frostproof.
The search for 31-year-old William “Bill” Murphy stretched into another day as specialized search teams and family members continued looking for any sign of him.
“Today is the sixth day. We’ve been here every day, all night. We’ve got very little sleep. We're tore all to pieces, and we’ll keep on until somebody finds him," said his uncle Billy Murphy.
WATCH: We Are the Essentials assists PCSO in search for missing man from Frostproof
Murphy was reported missing on Thursday, July 9, after his vehicle was found abandoned in the area of Lost Grove Road in Frostproof.
“My brother is the one that located his car and once they located the car, they found his shoes and everything else, and a couple of shirts. We knew then that something was wrong,” Billy said.
His uncle told Tampa Bay 28 reporter Rebecca Petit that he believes Murphy may have become confused after taking medication, leaving him unable to find his way back.
Murphy is about 6 feet tall and weighs about 160 pounds. The family says his phone was later found about 45 feet from the vehicle and has been turned over for testing in hopes it could provide investigators with clues.
Volunteer search and rescue group, We Are the Essentials, continues working alongside the family and law enforcement, using drones, ground search members, and a K-9 team to cover hundreds of acres of orange groves and wooded areas.
“There has been miracles. We have pulled it through before and there’s a possibility that you might be able to survive out here but those chances grow extremely less as each day passes and this heat is well over 100 degrees out here,” said Billy Lane, President of We Are the Essentials.
Search crews are trying to determine Murphy’s direction of travel. They are now asking people who live near the search area to check their cameras.
“What we need from the residents around here to check your game cameras. Pull your SD cards, pull your ring cameras. Check your properties, any outbuild to see if there’s any paths where he might’ve walked through your residence," said Lane. "If there’s any beat down brush out back let us know, we will come search."
If you have any information about Bill Murphy's whereabouts or discover anything concerning that may be related to his disappearance, you're asked to contact the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
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Rebecca Petit is dedicated to telling your stories from every corner of Polk County. She knows how growth has been a major discussion point for the area, and the impact it’s had on some of our most vulnerable populations. You can connect with Rebecca by using the form below.
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