Alexis Ware's family proposes missing persons bill to SC lawmakers
ANDERSON COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) — The family of a missing Upstate mother is asking South Carolina lawmakers to propose a new law in the state legislature that would change how missing persons cases are investigated.
Alexis Ware's family and friends presented 'The Alexis Ware Act to Enhance Missing Person Investigations' to the Greenville County Legislative Delegation meeting Monday. The proposed bill would allow families to ask the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) to take over a missing person's investigation if it is 'unresolved' after a year.
'The Alexis Ware Act was born out of a desire to address gaps in our current system and to provide families like Alexis' with hope, resources and the support they deserve,' Bruce Wilson, the family's friend and advocate, said.
'I implore you to consider the profound impact that this legislation could have on families like mine, who are left in limbo without the ability to swiftly and effectively pursue justice for our missing loved ones,' Alberta Gray-Simpkins, Ware's mother said in a statement.
Ware was last seen at an Anderson County 7-Eleven on January 30, 2022. Her car was later discovered in McCormick County, but she has not been found.
'The impact of Alexis's disappearance is not limited to our family alone; her children are suffering immensely, grappling with the absence of their mother and the unanswered questions that haunt us all,' Gray-Simpkins said.
The Alexis Ware Act was written after Gray-Simpkins asked SLED to take over her daughter's investigation in 2024.
An investigator responded to Gray-Simpkins request saying, 'SLED Investigates matters of criminal misconduct only after receiving a request from the Solicitor, the Attorney General's Office or the law enforcement agency of jurisdiction.'
The investigator suggested Gray-Simpkins follow up with the Anderson County Sheriff's Office, which has been leading Ware's investigation.
'We've tried to get the FBI involved, the Attorney General's office involved, all of these different agencies we've tried to get involved but weren't able to,' Wilson said. 'This case has gone stagnant. No information. This family hasn't received anything.'
Ware's family is urging state lawmakers to propose and adopt the Alexis Ware Act in the state legislature so it can become law.
'This bill is about more than Alexis,' Wilson said. 'It is about creating a framework that benefits our entire state. It ensures consistency, accountability and hope for families in their most vulnerable moments.'
The Anderson County Sheriff's Office said the Attorney General's Office has been made aware of the details of Ware's case.
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. 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.'
Anderson County Sheriff's Office
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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