Proposed “Ware Act” would change how South Carolina handles cold missing persons cases

GREENVILLE, S.C (WSPA) – The family of missing mother Alexis Ware sat in on the public unveiling of the Alexis Ware Act to Enhance Missing Persons Investigations on Thursday.

The proposed act would shift the power dynamic of how cold missing persons cases are handled in the state, moving it from solely the hands of law enforcement agencies to those of the missing persons’ families.

The bill dubbed, “The Alexis Ware Act to Enhance Missing Persons Investigations” would allow the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to take over an investigation of a missing persons case after 12 months of no reasonable progress into the matter if the missing persons immediate family makes a request to SLED.

The bill was created in part because two years after the mother of two children went missing in Anderson County in January of 2022, she has still not been found, and her family believes Anderson County no longer has the resources to continue the investigation into her disappearance.

“You have law enforcement who won’t even return your phone calls or respond to your email,” said Alberta Simpkins, Alexa Ware’s mother. “I pray that Alexis Ware receives the justice that she deserves.”

In South Carolina there are currently 279 open missing persons investigations. The families and family advocates for several of those cases besides Ware’s were in attendance.

Deborah Pogue, the mother of Casi Pogue who went missing from a hospital in 2020, said she feels let down by law enforcement agencies statewide.

“Communication has really lacked,” said Pogue who eventually hired a private investigator. “There are times that I feel like that the ball has been dropped. When he requested items from the agencies, they were all but redacted except [Casi’s] name.”

Ware’s family said they also felt let down by the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office. In response, the Sheriff’s Office sent this statement”

“From the infancy of this case, detectives with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office have intensely followed every lead and continue to investigate, interrogate and gather evidence.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, along with the Attorney General’s Office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation collectively are aware of the elements of Alexis’ case,” the statement continued. “Our detectives have requested FBI assistance; however, their agency notes our Criminal Investigations Division is already taking the proper steps to push closer toward answers and justice. Evidence does not support any indication of state line cross over, limiting the FBI’s involvement.”

“Ware’s case is one that sits extremely heavy on the minds of the investigators as they maintain an open dialogue with Ware’s family. We encourage cooperation from family and friends and ask anyone with information about Ware’s disappearance to come forward to bring Alexis home.”

The proposal still needs to be introduced to state lawmakers. Wilson said he plans to hand-deliver the proposal to State Senator Karl B. Allen (D) sometime in October.

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