Tampa Police have issued a Purple Alert for 28-year-old Michael Paul Simpson, who was last seen near Tampa International Airport and is believed to be driving a black 2006 Honda CR-V with Florida license plate CW31IE. Investigators say Simpson made statements to family and loved ones that raised concerns for his safety and well-being. Police describe him as 6 feet tall and weighing approximately 170 pounds.
According to Tampa Free Press, the Tampa Police Department is asking the public for help locating Simpson and his vehicle, with the goal of reuniting him with his family. Officers have urged anyone who spots Simpson or his Honda CR-V to make contact immediately. The department can be reached at 813-231-6130.
What Makes a Purple Alert Different
Florida's Purple Alert system exists specifically for cases like this one. Under Florida Statute § 937.0205, which was enacted in 2021 and took effect on July 1, 2022, the alert applies to missing adults ages 18 to 59 who have non-dementia cognitive, developmental, or mental health disabilities or brain injuries, and whose disappearance poses a credible threat of immediate danger, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. That distinguishes it from Florida's Silver Alert system, which is reserved for seniors with dementia.
The statute was also updated effective July 1, 2024, through House Bill 397/937, establishing separate Local Purple Alert and State Purple Alert activation levels. That change lets local departments like Tampa Police build activation protocols tailored to situations where a missing adult is on foot or in an unidentified vehicle, per the same agency's guidance.
How the Alert Reaches Drivers Statewide
Because Simpson is believed to be driving a vehicle with a verified license plate, state protocol allows FDLE to coordinate with the Florida Department of Transportation to broadcast his vehicle description on dynamic highway message signs across the state. That system is designed to put Simpson's black Honda CR-V and its Florida tag in front of highway commuters far beyond Tampa, not just those near the airport where he was last seen.
Behind the scene sits the Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse, or MEPIC, which FDLE established in 1983 as the nation's first statewide missing persons clearinghouse. The clearinghouse serves as Florida's central repository for missing persons cases and manages the distribution of alerts like the one now active for Simpson.
No Waiting Period Required to File a Report
Florida law does not allow police to sit on a missing adult report. Under Florida Statute § 937.021, agencies are legally required to accept and record such reports immediately upon filing, with no mandatory waiting period, according to the Florida Senate. That statute also dispels a common public misconception that families or officers must wait 24 to 48 hours before a disappearance can be investigated.
If Simpson is not located within 90 days of the initial report, the same statute requires investigating agencies to attempt to obtain biological specimens for DNA analysis from family members or personal items, a long-term investigative step built into Florida law for unresolved cases. Missing person reports that cross municipal lines between Tampa and unincorporated parts of the county are coordinated through the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, which maintains a public registry of active missing and endangered persons cases.
A Pattern of Purple Alerts in Tampa
This is not the first time Tampa Police have turned to the Purple Alert system to find a missing adult believed to be in a vehicle. In November 2024, the department issued a Purple Alert for 53-year-old Stephen Johnson after he went missing near Channelside Walk Way, an earlier case that shows the department's ongoing reliance on the alert to locate adults believed to be in credible danger.
Florida's alert landscape has also kept expanding. On July 1, 2026, the state introduced the Spectrum Alert under Florida Statute § 937.0401, adding a dedicated notification category specifically for locating missing individuals with autism spectrum disorder, joining the state's existing AMBER, Silver, and Purple alert systems.
Anyone with information on Simpson's whereabouts or who spots his black Honda CR-V is urged to contact Tampa Police immediately at 813-231-6130.
