Silver Alert Issued for Missing Valrico Man Last Seen in St. Petersburg

Editor's Note: Story updated May 14; Ralston Willesley Dunkley found after a minor traffic crash in Bradenton.

A Silver Alert has been issued for a Valrico man who one day earlier celebrated his 73rd birthday and was last seen May 13 in Pinellas County, where he was renewing his vehicle registration.

According to Detective Larry McKinnon, a spokesperson with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Ralston Willesley Dunkley, of 408 Gardenwood Place, left his home at about 9 a.m. and was “traced to a tag office in Pinellas County.”

“However, once Mr. Dunkley left the tag office he has not been seen or heard from since,” according to the report filed by McKinnon.

In a phone interview Friday night, McKinnon confirmed that Dunkley had renewed his license in Pinellas County and that he had been living with his family in Valrico, north of East Brandon Boulevard and east of North Valrico Road.

Dunkley’s family reported that the 5-foot-11 septuagenarian had recently been diagnosed with the early onset of dementia. He also had been taking medication for other health issues.

Dunkley is described in the Hillsborough report as balding, with medium build and brown eyes. It was not known what clothing he had been wearing at the time he left home. He drives a white, 1995 Toyota Camry with the Florida license tag, “781-8HF.”

The alert posted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) notes that Dunkley was last seen in the 1000 block of South 62nd Avenue in St. Petersburg. It further describes Dunkley as being a black male with white hair.

Anyone with information about Dunkley’s whereabouts is asked to notify the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office at 813-247-8200. Or, call Crimestoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS.

The FDLE Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse can be reached at 1-888-FL-MISSING.