THE CHARLOTTE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS REPORTING THE WOMAN FOUND IN THE BACK SEAT OF A CAR IN THE PARKING LOT AT WALMART ON KINGS HIGHWAY IN PORT CHARLOTTE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS TWENTY NINE YEAR OLD JENNIFER ANNE SIMPSON OF PORT CHARLOTTE. THE BODY WAS FOUND ABOUT 11:30 FRIDAY NIGHT WHEN DEPUTIES RESPONDED T0 A CALL OF A FOUL ODOR COMING FROM THE CAR. WALMART EMPLOYEES TOLD DEPUTIES THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED IN THE LOT FOR SEVERAL DAYS. ACCORDING TO A REPORT IN THE SUN NEWSPAPER, SIMPSON HAD MOVED TO PORT CHARLOTTE FROM NEW YORK ABOUT SIX WEEKS AGO TO LIVE WITH AN AUNT AND SHE WAS EMPLOYED AT CHILI’S RESTAURANT. IN A PHONE INTERVIEW FROM NEW YORK, SIMPSON’S FATHER, KEITH SIMPSON SAID HIS DAUGHTER CALLED HIM AT LEAST THREE TIMES A WEEK AND HE HAD REPORTED HER MISSING ON TUESDAY. HE SAID HE’S UPSET THAT AUTHORITIES DID NOT ISSUE A MISSING PERSON ALERT AND SAID THAT DEPUTIES TOLD HIM THEY SAW NO SIGNS OF TRAUMA AND THEIR BEST EXPLANATION WAS THAT SHE LAID DOWN TO TAKE A NAP AND SUCCUMBED TO THE HEAT. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE DID NOT COMMENT ON THE DETAILS OF THE OPEN INVESTIGATION AND THE EXACT CAUSE OF DEATH IS YET TO BE DETERMINED.
