Police: Daytona Beach man still missing after more than two weeks
Daytona Beach Police said on Thursday they are still looking for James Oliver Williams who disappeared 15 days ago and are hoping that a Florida Purple Alert issued last week will increase the chances of finding him.
The Florida Purple Alert, https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/PurpleAlerts/Purple-Alert-Plan, is a new color system the Florida Department of Law Enforcement launched last month to help find missing adults with mental or developmental disabilities.
On Aug. 1, Daytona Beach Police issued the alert for Williams.
"Using a purple alert allows us to do two things. First, it allows us to broadcast the message on the interstate billboards, same as an amber alert," said Daytona Beach Police Sgt. Tim Ehrenkaufer. "Second, if people have subscribed to the Purple Alert site on the FDLE website, they will get notifications."
Investigators do not believe foul play is involved in Williams' disappearance but said the 50-year-old Daytona Beach man suffers from depression and does not have his medication.
"We have received at least one tip based on the alert, which is still being followed up on," Ehrenkaufer said.
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Williams' father, Stanley Williams, reported his son missing on July 27. Since then, no one has heard or seen him, Ehrenkaufer said.
"He has not been seen since the day of the original report, no sightings or anything," he said.
According to report filed by Stanley Williams, his son was last seen at Daytona International Speedway, where he worked, on July 23.
At the time, the head of security at the Speedway said James Williams appeared to be disoriented, but he did not mention it to law enforcement, the report stated.
James Williams was supposed to work on July 25 and July 27 but did not show up, police said.
Stanley Williams went to his son's Daytona Beach apartment but it looked like no one had been at the home for a while. The father found empty prescription bottles and his son's cell phone, police said.
Police also contacted a friend of James Williams in Port Orange but she said she had not seen him since July 20, the report noted.
Daytona Beach Police have not given up on finding James Williams, Ehrenkaufer said.
"We actively look for him every day," he said.
Anyone who has seen or has information on James Williams' whereabouts is asked to call Detective Jayson Wallace at 386-671-5207 or email him at WallaceJayson@DBPD.us.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Daytona Beach man suffering from depression missing for 15 days
