Tonya Whipp’s family holding candlelight vigil seven months after disappearance
AUBURNDALE, Fla. (WFLA) – For Tonya Whipp’s family, it was hard to focus on anything else this Christmas.
“Not your typical holiday because you’re overshadowed by the fact that we still don’t know where your sister’s at. She wasn’t here to enjoy the holiday with the family,” said Donna Martin, Whipp’s sister.
Martin and her family are planning a candlelight vigil this weekend to wrap up this difficult year.
“We did not want to start a new year without everybody thinking about Tonya,” said Martin. “Pray that we get our answers and we pray that we find her.”
News Channel 8 first interviewed Martin in July when she and her family members were in the Caroline Avenue neighborhood in Auburndale where Whipp was living when she went missing in late May.
“I don’t know if it was wishful thinking or you know…I know these things take time. I never dreamed that it would take seven months. Never dreamed that I’d be standing with you again, end of December, questioning where is my sister?” said Martin.
Tuesday marked seven months since Whipp’s sisters say they last spoke to her over the phone.
“Every day we wonder when we’re going to get a call to get some news,” said Lisa Textor, Whipp’s aunt.
According to police, Whipp’s boyfriend, Russell Carroll, told police she was not home when he returned from work in late May.
Whipp’s family, not Carroll, reported her missing one month later.
“I don’t know what to do. I mean, I just got out of prison now you go missing – what am I gonna do? Now everybody is looking at me like I did something to you,” said Carroll in an interview with News Channel 8 in October.
Police have classified Whipp as “missing endangered.”
“That means there’s some unusual circumstance as to why she is missing,” said Auburndale Police Lt. John Cruz.
Police have executed search warrants at two properties: a property belonging to Whipp’s friend in July and the home Whipp shared with Carroll in October.
Carroll told reporters authorities seized all of his and his brother’s phones and computers.
Auburndale police say that evidence is still being processed.
“We talk about this case on a daily basis. We’re interacting with the family, following up on every lead that comes in,” said Lt. Cruz.
For Whipp’s family, the wait for answers has been excruciating but the focus has never wavered.
“Even when people think that we haven’t posted or we haven’t said anything about Tonya, there are feet on the ground searching for Tonya. We are getting tips on a daily basis or a weekly basis,” said Martin.
The candlelight vigil is scheduled for Saturday, December 30th from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 1 Bobby Green Plaza in the park near Auburndale City Hall.
There will be a drop box for people to leave prayers, notes of encouragement and anonymous tips.
The family is looking for someone to lead a prayer.
People are urged to dress warm and wear purple, which was Whipp’s favorite color.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
