Human foot finds on the Salish Sea

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Places where human feet have been found on the Salish Sea

At least 20 severed human feet were found in the human foot finds at the Salish Sea in British Columbia ( Canada ) and in Washington State . The first discovery was on August 20, 2007 on Jedediah Island in British Columbia. Feet were also found on the coasts of the islands in British Columbia as well as in the US cities of Tacoma and Seattle .

In Canada, the BC Coroners Service announced in December 2017 that the authorities had ruled out any error in any investigation and that the feet were definitely from people killed in either accidents or suicide, and that the feet fell during the normal process of decomposition replaced. The feet were usually found in sneakers . The coroner believed that the feet were buoyant enough and relatively intact only because they were in the shoes. Before the last fall of feet washed ashore, however, there were historic cases that go back more than a century. The most recent discovery was on January 1, 2019, when walkers on Jetty Island in Everett , Washington, called the police to report a boot with a human foot that the coroner has now been able to compare to Antonio Neill , who had been around since December 12 Was missing in 2016.

Earlier discoveries

These foot discoveries are not the first on the British Columbia coast . A foot was found in Vancouver as early as 1887 , which even led to the site being named Leg-In-Boot Square . On July 30, 1914, The Vancouver Sun reported that newcomers from Kimsquit reported that a human leg was found in a tall boot on a beach near the mouth of the Salmon River (an earlier name for the Dean River near Kimsquit , near its source) from Dean Channel . The remains are believed to have come from a man who drowned in the river last summer.

Between 2007 and September 2018, 15 feet were found in the Canadian province of British Columbia , and five in Washington state : some feet actually yielded a number of matching pairs.

In British Columbia, 13 of the 15 feet have been identified; The last was a left foot found on the shores of a rocky beach in West Vancouver, British Columbia in September 2018 and linked through DNA analysis to a man who went missing earlier this year. The two unidentified feet, found in February 2016, washed up on the shores of the overgrown beach on the west coast of Vancouver Island (off the Strait of Juan de Fuca ).

In the United States, one of these couples belonged to a woman who jumped off a bridge. Of the other two US feet identified, one belonged to a missing fisherman and the other to a depressed man who was likely to have committed suicide. His identity was withheld at the request of his family.

After the fifth of the 20 feet was discovered, the story had received increasing international media attention. With big headlines from newspapers such as the Melbourne Herald Sun , The Guardian and Cape Times in South Africa , the story sparked much speculation as to the cause of the mystery stemming from a "morbid fascination" with these types of subjects, as one scientist noted Identified remains of victims. On his talk show, David Letterman asked two Canadian viewers about the mystery.

Another - apparently human - foot discovered on June 18, 2008 at Tyee Spit near the Campbell River on Vancouver Island turned out to be a (bad) joke. The evidence was a "skeleton animal paw" that was tucked into a sock and shoe and then stuffed with dried seaweed . The Royal Canadian Mounted Police opened an investigation into the hoax and an arrest was made for the excitement of public annoyance .

After the 11th foot was found in Vancouver on August 31, 2011, several running shoes were found in Oak Beach, British Columbia, that were found to contain only raw animal meat.

List of finds

# date Location Details
1 August 20, 2007 Jedediah Island , BC A girl visiting from Washington found a size 12 Adidas shoe and a men's right foot. It is believed that it was separated from its leg due to putrefaction. This type of shoe was manufactured in 2003 and mainly distributed in India. The remains have been identified as that of a missing man suffering from depression.
2 August 26, 2007 Gabriola Island , BC A male's right foot, severed through decomposition, was discovered by a young couple. It was still wet and appeared to have been brought ashore by an animal. It was likely drifting ashore from the south. The shoe, a size 12 white Reebok , was made in 2004 and sold worldwide, but primarily in North America. The production of this type has since been discontinued.
3 February 2, 2008 Valdes Island , BC A right foot in a size 11 Nike shoe was identified as that of a 21-year-old skipper who had been reported missing four years earlier and whose death is classified as "not suspicious", indicating either an accident or suicide. This type of shoe was sold in Canada and the United States between February 1, 2003 and June 30, 2003. The right foot found on Valdes Island on February 8 and the left foot found on Westham Island on June 16 were confirmed to belong to the same man.
4th May 22, 2008 Kirkland Island , BC A woman's right foot in blue and white New Balance sneakers was discovered on an island in the Fraser Delta between Richmond, British Columbia and the Delta (British Columbia). He was still in his sock and shoe. It is believed that the foot was washed down the Fraser River and has nothing to do with feet in the Gulf Islands. The shoe was manufactured in 1999. In 2011, the sneaker found on Kirkland Island was identified as part of a pair of blue and white New Balance sneakers that belonged to a woman who jumped from Pattullo Bridge in New Westminster in April 2004 .
5 June 16, 2008 Westham Island , BC A man's left foot was found on June 16 by two hikers swimming in the river delta . The left foot found on Westham Island on June 16 and the right foot found on Valdes Island on February 8 were confirmed to belong to the same man.
6th August 1, 2008 near Pysht A man's right foot in a man's black size 11 shoe was discovered by a motor home on the beach. It was covered with seaweed. The site of the discovery was less than 10 miles from the international border on Juan de Fuca Street . Tests confirmed that the foot was human. Police said the large black, size 11 athletic shoe contained bone and meat. This marked the series’s first foot outside of British Columbia . The RCMP and Clallam County Sheriff's Department agreed on Aug. 5 that the foot would be transported south from Canadian waters.
7th November 11, 2008 Richmond , BC A well-known woman's left foot in a shoe was found floating in the Fraser River in Richmond . The shoe has been described as a small New Balance running shoe, possibly a women's shoe. A forensic DNA profile analysis found it to be a genetic match with the foot discovered on Kirkland Island on May 22nd .
8th October 27, 2009 Richmond, BC A right foot wearing a size 8½ Nike running shoe was found on a Richmond beach . The remains have been identified as that of a man from the Vancouver area who was reported missing in January 2008.
9 August 27, 2010 Whidbey Island , Washington The right foot of a young woman or child was found without a sock or shoe. This foot was found to have been in the water for two months. Detective Ed Wallace of the Island County Sheriff's Office released a statement that the foot would be tested for DNA . However, no match was found in the national DNA database.
10 5th December 2010 Tacoma , Washington A right foot was found in a size 6 Ozark Trail- branded teenage or young adult's hiking boot on Tacoma mudflats , about 40 kilometers south of Seattle and 225 kilometers south of Vancouver .
11 August 30, 2011 False Creek , BC A foot was found in a size 9 white and blue running shoe belonging to a man floating next to the Plaza of Nations marina with the lower leg bone still attached. This had come off naturally on the knee due to the decomposition in the water.
12 November 4, 2011 Sasamat Lake , BC A man's left foot was found on June 16 by two hikers swimming in the water in the delta. In January 2012, this foot was identified by the BC Coroners Service as that of Stefan Zahorujko , a local fisherman who went missing in 1987. Police believe the foot naturally decayed from the body.
13 December 10, 2011 Lake Union , Seattle, Washington A human leg bone with a foot was discovered in a black plastic bag under the ship canal bridge. As of January 2, 2012, the coroner had not found the cause of death or identified the body.
14th January 26, 2012 Vancouver , BC On January 26, 2012, the remains of what appeared to be human bones were found in a boot in the sand along the waterline at the dog park near the Maritime Museum at the foot of Arbutus Street in Vancouver .
15th May 6, 2014 Seattle , Washington A human foot in a white New Balance shoe was found along the coast of Centennial Park near the Pier 86 grain terminal . The New Balance model 622 was white with blue trim, men's size 10½. This shoe model was first offered for sale in April 2008. In a first news photo, it appears to be a left foot.
16 February 7, 2016 Vancouver Island , BC Hikers at Botanical Beach near Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island found one foot in a sock and a running shoe.
17th February 12, 2016 Vancouver Island , BC One foot washed up near Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island . The local BC Coroners Service said it matched one found there five days earlier.
18th December 8, 2017 Vancouver Island , BC The remains of a leg with a shoe attached washed up near the Jordan River settlement on Vancouver Island .
19th May 6, 2018 Gabriola Island , BC Shortly after noon on Sunday, May 6, a man walking along the shore of the island of Gabriola came across a hiking boot with a human foot in it that was trapped by a stone.
20th September 2018 West Vancouver , BC A foot in a light gray Nike Free RN shoe was found on the waterfront near the 30th Street Beach Access Point in West Vancouver . The size 9.5 shoe was made between February 1st and April 17th, 2017. It was believed to be worn by a man and to have a blue sock. It is also assumed that the victim was younger than 50 years.
21st 1st January 2019 Jetty Island , Everett , Washington A foot was found in a boot and later assigned to Antonio Neill via DNA . This was missing since December 12, 2016.

Possible explanations

The series of discoveries was initially described as "astonishing" and "almost inexplicable" as no other body parts had appeared.

Determining where the feet come from is quite complicated because ocean currents can carry floating objects over long distances and because the currents in the Georgia Strait are unpredictable. An explanation was also that some of the feet are from four men who died in a plane crash near Quadra Island in 2005 and whose bodies were not recovered, although one of the feet was found to be from a woman. Also, human feet have a tendency to produce adipocire (a soapy substance made from body fat), making it difficult for forensic scientists to find clues. In optimal conditions, a human body can remain intact in water for three decades, which means that the feet may have been swimming around for years.

Another theory is that the feet belonged to people who died in the tsunami in Asia on December 26, 2004 . Richmond-based writer Shane Lambert said that many of the shoes found were made and sold in 2004 or earlier and that the shoes may have other sources. In addition to the manufacturing dates of the shoes, Lambert said ocean currents and their northward tendencies may have carried feet up the Pacific from the region hit by the 2004 tsunami.

One foot was found to belong to a man who was depressed and believed to have committed suicide. Two other feet were identified as belonging to a woman who committed suicide by jumping off Pattullo Bridge. This suggests that the feet could also belong to other people who jumped off the bridge.

Putrefaction can separate the foot from the rest of the body, as the ankle is relatively weakly connected to it and the buoyancy caused by air inside the shoe or in air chambers of the shoe would allow the shoe to swim away. According to the entomologist of Simon Fraser University , Gail Anderson , to solve extremities such as hands, feet and head often, when a body decomposes in water, although they rarely swim without shoes, but quickly sink.

However, it was still considered uncommon to find feet rather than the rest of the bodies. Finding just two feet would be a "one in a million" chance and has therefore been described as an anomaly. When the third foot was discovered, it was the first time that three such discoveries had been made so close together. The fourth discovery sparked speculation about deliberate deception and was statistically labeled "curious".

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Tom Snyders, Jennifer O'Rourke Tom: Namely Vancouver: A Hidden History of Vancouver Place Names . Arsenal Pulp Press, 2002.
  2. ↑ Human leg is found encased in a boot . In: The Vancouver Sun , July 30, 1914, p. 9. 
  3. ↑ a b Human foot found on Gabriola Island sparks investigation . May 7, 2018. Retrieved May 9, 2018. 
  4. ↑ Tacoma police say human foot washed ashore . In: The Seattle Times , December 14, 2010. Retrieved March 8, 2011. 
  5. ^ Severed human foot found washed ashore on Vancouver Island . In: Daily Hive , February 10, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2018. 
  6. ^ Severed human foot found on Southern Vancouver Island . December 8, 2017. 
  7. ^ Coroners: Coroners Service Special Investigations Unit - Province of British Columbia . Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  8. ↑ a b Another severed foot washes up on BC shore . November 11, 2008. 
  9. ↑ Canada coroner matches pair of mysterious feet . In: Daily News , June 6, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2019. 
  10. ↑ Patrick White: Fascinated by BC's floating feet . In: The Globe and Mail , June 20, 2008. Retrieved March 4, 2019. 
  11. ↑ Vanessa Richmond: Super, Horrific BC . June 26, 2008. Retrieved November 2, 2009.
  12. ↑ 6th foot found on BC south coast . June 18, 2008. 
  13. ↑ a b Latest floating 'foot' turns out to be a hoax . June 18, 2008. 
  14. ^ 'Foot' hoax on BC south coast despicable: police . June 18, 2008. 
  15. ↑ Latest Floating Feet Are a Hoax, Police Say . September 6, 2011. Retrieved September 10, 2011. 
  16. ↑ a b c Discovery of unattached human feet baffles BC police . August 31, 2007. Retrieved June 18, 2008. 
  17. ↑ a b c d Sunny Freeman: Two large right feet found on Georgia Strait beaches; 'Finding one foot is like a million to one odds, but to find two is crazy' RCMP corporal's 'best guess is that they are from missing persons' . In: The Vancouver Sun , August 31, 2007, p. A1. 
  18. ↑ a b c d e f 2 of 5 feet found on BC coast belong to same man: RCMP . July 10, 2008. Archived from the original on February 12, 2016. Retrieved on February 12, 2016. 
  19. ^ Ian Bailey: Human feet washed up in BC identified . In: The Globe and Mail , August 24, 2012. Archived from the original on February 13, 2016. Retrieved February 13, 2016. 
  20. ↑ a b Petti Fong: Two mystery feet from the same person, BC police say . In: Toronto Star , July 10, 2008. 
  21. ↑ a b 5th foot found on BC's south coast . June 17, 2008. Retrieved June 18, 2008. 
  22. ↑ Fourth right foot washes up near Vancouver, RCMP confirm . May 24, 2008. Retrieved June 18, 2008. 
  23. ↑ Judith Lavoie: Latest washed-up foot likely a woman's, says finder . In: The Vancouver Sun , May 26, 2008, p. A7. 
  24. ↑ a b 7th Human Foot Washes Ashore on Canadian Coast . November 13, 2008. 
  25. ^ Feet That Washed Ashore in Northwest Identified . October 21, 2011. Retrieved May 9, 2018. 
  26. ↑ David Carrigg: Fifth human foot - with shoe - found floating; Two most recent finds in Fraser delta, other three off Gulf Islands . In: The Province , June 17, 2008, p. A3. 
  27. ↑ Missing foot mystery deepens with latest find . August 3, 2008. 
  28. ↑ Paige Dickerson, Peninsula Daily News: Foot found in US may be from Canada . In: The Vancouver Sun , August 6, 2008, p. A6. 
  29. ^ Ian Bailey: DNA tests match feet washed ashore . In: The Globe and Mail , December 5, 2008. Archived from the original on December 6, 2008. Retrieved December 6, 2008. 
  30. ^ Human remains in shoe found near Vancouver . October 28, 2009. 
  31. ↑ Found foot Belonged to be reported missing In 2008 . In: The Vancouver Sun , CanWest MediaWorks Publications, November 7, 2009. Archived from the original on February 13, 2016. Retrieved February 13, 2016. 
  32. ↑ KOMO-TV Staff: Human foot washes ashore on Whidbey Island . In: Seattle Post-Intelligencer , Aug 27, 2010. 
  33. ↑ CBC News: Human foot found on West Coast beach . August 27, 2010. 
  34. ↑ No DNA match found for human foot found on Whidbey Island . March 30, 2011. 
  35. ↑ Tenth foot washes up on beach near Tacoma . In: The Vancouver Sun , December 16, 2010. Retrieved December 17, 2010. “On Dec. 5, a man walking along the shore spotted the foot and called police. " 
  36. ^ Vancouver Foot Is Human: Autopsy Report . August 31, 2011. Retrieved September 10, 2011. 
  37. ^ Coroner investigates remains found in False Creek , Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. August 31, 2011. Retrieved September 10, 2011. 
  38. ↑ Michael McLaughlin: Human Foot found in Sasamat Lake, Canada . November 10, 2011. Retrieved November 19, 2011. 
  39. ^ Foot found in BC lake identified after 25 years . February 18, 2012. 
  40. ^ Doug Ward: Foot in lake not linked to foul play . In: The Vancouver Sun , November 8, 2011. Retrieved November 19, 2011. 
  41. ↑ Emily Heffter: Human remains found in Eastlake neighborhood . In: The Seattle Times , December 10, 2011. 
  42. ↑ Casey McNerthney: List of 2011 homicides in Seattle; City's homicide rate on 1950s pace . In: Seattle Post-Intelligencer , Jan. 2, 2012. 
  43. ↑ Possible Human Remains Found Washed Up in Shoe . January 26, 2012. Retrieved February 18, 2012.
  44. ↑ a b James Lynch: Human foot in tennis shoe washes ashore in Seattle . May 6, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2018. 
  45. ↑ Foot in shoe that washed ashore in Seattle likely not severed . May 7, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2018. 
  46. ^ Christine Clarridge: Human Foot in Sneaker Found on Seattle Waterfront . In: Seattle Times , May 6, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2019. 
  47. ^ Human Foot Found on Seattle Waterfront . May 6, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2018. 
  48. ↑ Lauren Sundstrom: Severed human foot found washed ashore on Vancouver Island . In: Vancity Buzz , February 10, 2016. 
  49. ^ Carla Wilson: Human foot found in shoe at Botanical Beach . In: Times Colonist , February 9, 2016. Retrieved March 14, 2019. 
  50. ^ Second foot washed up in BC matches first, confirmed to be human: coroner . In: The Globe and Mail , February 17, 2016. 
  51. ↑ Police Investigate Human Foot Found at Jordan River beach Thursday . In: Victoria Buzz , December 8, 2017. 
  52. ^ Matthew Haag: Another human foot washes ashore in Canada. That makes 13 . December 12, 2017. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  53. ↑ 13 feet stranded in ten years . 15th December 2017.
  54. ↑ Jon Azpiri: Another human foot washes up on BC shores . May 9, 2018. 
  55. ↑ Charlie Smith: Human foot found inside a Nike shoe on West Vancouver shoreline ( en ) February 11, 2019. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  56. ↑ Human foot in boot washes ashore on Everett island . In: The Herald , January 2, 2019. 
  57. ↑ Caleb Hutton: Foot on Jetty Island belonged to missing Everett man . In: The Herald , February 5, 2019. 
  58. ^ Gary Bellett: A fourth foot deepens the mystery; The severed-feet explanation is 'beyond imagination,' expert says after latest find . In: The Vancouver Sun , May 24, 2008, p. B1.  Original article wrote five bodies, but it has since been confirmed that two of the feet belong to the same person.
  59. ↑ Mysterious feet may be linked to single accident: BC forensic expert . June 17, 2008. Retrieved June 18, 2008. 
  60. ↑ Cheryl Chan: Fourth foot fuels flotsam frenzy; Still no clues after boater's discovery in Richmond . May 23, 2008, p. A4. 
  61. ↑ a b c Human right foot found on Valdes; This is the third foot to wash up on a Gulf Island within a year; . In: The Province , February 15, 2008, p. A3. 
  62. ↑ a b Carolyn Heiman: Families of victims seek expert's help . In: The Province , May 25, 2005, p. A9. 
  63. ↑ Shane Lambert: Human Feet in the Pacific Northwest - a Better Theory? . December 16, 2010.