FROSTPROOF, Fla. — The search for a missing Frostproof man has come to a tragic end after William “Bill” Murphy, 31, was found deceased Tuesday in a grove near Lost Grove Road in southern Polk County.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Murphy’s death does not appear to be suspicious at this time. An autopsy was scheduled for Wednesday to determine his exact cause of death.
Murphy had been reported missing after he was last seen around 1 p.m. on July 9 on Pfundstein Road in the Lake Wales area. Deputies said he was last seen wearing black Under Armour shorts, no shirt, and possibly no shoes. His vehicle was later located near Alat Road and Lost Grove Road in the Frostproof area.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office stated Murphy was known to abuse narcotics and appeared to be under the influence when he disappeared.
Family members, volunteers, and law enforcement spent several days searching the rural area where Murphy was last believed to have been. According to reports from those involved in the search, Murphy was ultimately located by family members in a grove near Lost Grove Road. The Sheriff’s Office has not officially identified who made the discovery.
Volunteer search organization We Are the Essentials joined the effort, deploying drones, ground search teams, and a K-9 unit to search hundreds of acres of orange groves and wooded property. During the search, the organization urged nearby residents to check game cameras, Ring doorbell footage, and outbuildings for any possible clues to Murphy’s whereabouts.
Daily Ridge observed a large law enforcement presence Tuesday morning near the intersection of Lost Grove Road and South Wardlaw Road, where deputies had established a perimeter in the area before the Sheriff’s Office later confirmed Murphy had been found deceased.
The investigation remains active pending the results of the autopsy, but investigators say there are currently no indications of foul play.
