Seventh sneaker-clad foot found in British Columbia (types and sizes of shoes in article)

[uppityperson]

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20081113/NEWS/311139992

The first severed human foot clad in a running shoe to wash ashore since one found on the North Olympic Peninsula 3½ months ago has turned up on a beach in British Columbia. The Strait of Georgia, separating Vancouver Island with the British Columbia mainland north of the U.S-Canada border, is where six of the seven feet have been found since the first discovery in August 2007.

The running shoe found Tuesday -- a left-foot New Balance sneaker -- raises the possibility that it might be a match to a foot in a right-foot New Balance shoe that was found on Kirkland Island in the Fraser River delta south of Vancouver city on May 22.

(clip)
The discoveries so far:

• Foot No. 1 was found Aug. 20, 2007, on Jedediah Island in the northern Strait of Georgia. It was a male's right foot in a Campus brand sneaker, size 12. The type of shoe was produced in 2003 and sold primarily in India.

• Foot No. 2 was found Aug. 26, 2007, on Gabriola Island, off Vancouver Island near Nanaimo. It was a male's right foot in a Reebok sneaker, size 12. The shoe was produced in 2004 and distributed primarily in North America.

• Foot No. 3 was found Feb. 2 on Valdes Island, southeast of Nanaimo. It was a male right foot in a Nike sneaker, size 11. This Nike shoe model was sold only in Canada and the U.S. from Feb. 1 to June 30, 2003.

DNA testing has indicated it came from the same man as foot No. 5 (below).

• Foot No. 4 was found May 22 on Kirkland Island near where the Fraser River empties into the Strait of Georgia.

It was a female's right foot in a New Balance sneaker, size 7. DNA testing has identified it as the only female foot found so far.

This type of New Balance shoe was produced in June 1999 and distributed through major retail stores.

• Foot No. 5 was found June 16 on Westham Island, southwest of Vancouver city. It was a male's left foot in a Nike sneaker, size 11.

• Foot No. 6 was found Aug. 1 at Pysht, 30 miles west of Port Angeles in Clallam County. It was a men's Everest brand black hiking-style shoe, size 11. The sock inside was Levi's brand.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. A serial killer is dumping bodies out there??

[uppityperson]

2. They aren't sure. There have been several ideas, from a plane crash, to murders.

Shoes float a long ways, and there was thought that they could have been from a plane crash, or boat accident somewhere and floated to there. Since most of them have been (left I think) ft, perhaps the side sheared off a plane? That bit made me think of the AkAir plane that crashed off the (ca? or?) coast several yrs back.

Or some one(s) dumping bodies who dissolve except the shoes stay afloat upside down with the ft still in them.

This is the first time I've seen specific info as to the shoes.

It is odd. Someone did a hoax ft a while back, shame on them. It is very odd.

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. The plane crash theory is possible I guess, but they ID'd someone now

Was he on the manifest of any planes that went down some time back?

[JJ]

6. They didn't ID anyone

just matched left and right feet by DNA.

[GreenPartyVoter]

7. What about this part, though?

"Despite attempts at DNA matching, only one of the feet has so far been identified to a person by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or the British Columbia Coroners Service.

It belonged to a depressed man who went missing in 2007, the RCMP said in July. "

[JJ]

3. more likely a plane crash in the Pacific

[uppityperson]

5. Like AkAir 261. I am glad they are releasing specific info on the shoes.

Maybe someone will get closure.

edited to add youtube animation from flight 261, how it tumbled. omg.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODsGGLZeisM

[AZ Criminal JD]

8. You didn't click the link

AK Air 261 crashed in 2000. One of the feet has been identified as a person who went missing in 2007.

[uppityperson]

9. I posted the link and yes, I did read it. 1 has been ID'd, others haven't.

"Despite attempts at DNA matching, only one of the feet has so far been identified to a person by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or the British Columbia Coroners Service.

It belonged to a depressed man who went missing in 2007, the RCMP said in July. "

That is why I said "like AkAir 261". I didn't say "they all came from AK Air 261" but there has been talk that some of them may have come from something like that. Some may have come from that even. Not the one that was ID'd, but others perhaps. Or from another plane crash.

Since I live in the area, have been watching stories of these feet being found and wondering what from. As time has gone on, the speculation about plane crash victims has faded, as forensic investigations indicate that they may have been floating from who knows where, but the shoes and cold water preserve the ft quite well. This slows down decomposition, and the ft separate from the legs, letting the shoes drift on.

Odd thing is why so many washing up in this area.

[AZ Criminal JD]

10. This is classic serial killer

The RCMP and others may be promoting plane crash theories as to not scare away tourists and others from BC.

[uppityperson]

11. As time has gone on, the speculation about plane crash victims has faded

As time has gone on, the speculation about plane crash victims has faded, as forensic investigations indicate that they may have been floating from who knows where, but the shoes and cold water preserve the ft quite well. This slows down decomposition, and the ft separate from the legs, letting the shoes drift on.

We are getting them on the Straits of Juan de Fuca here in WA also. It is really odd.

A while back someone did a hoax foot. Shame on them.

[LeftyMom]

14. Shoes rule that out. Most appear to be 2003 models. nt

[uppityperson]

15. True. Hmm, wonder about other ones (just picked that since it is same coast & familiar)

Probably none of these, but just interesting, since I'm on that subject.

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200508/24/eng20050824_204356.html

Backgrounder: Major air crashes since 2003
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A Peruvian Boeing 737-200 crashed Tuesday in the Amazon jungle, killing at least 48 of 100 people aboard.

Following is a chronology of major air crashes since 2003: March 6, 2003: An Algerian flag carrier Boeing 737-200 crashes shortly after takeoff from Tamanrasset airport, killing all but one of the 97 passengers and six crew members on board. July 8: A Sudanese airliner bound for Khartoum crashes with the loss of all but one of the 105 passengers and 11 crew members aboard. Dec. 25: A plane owned by the Guinean-based airline UTA crashes into the sea off the West African state of Benin, killing 139 of the 151 passengers and 10 crew members on board. Jan. 3, 2004: An Egyptian 737 charter plane belonging to Flash Airlines crashes into the Red Sea, killing at least 148 people. Feb. 10: An Iranian passenger plane crashes and bursts into flames near Sharjah International Airport in the United Arab Emirates, killing 43 of the 40 passengers and six crew members on board. Aug. 24,: Two Russian planes departing from a Moscow airport crash within minutes of each other, killing at least 89 people in a terror attack. Explosives were found on both aircraft. Nov. 30: A Lion Air passenger plane skids off the runway and crashes during heavy rains in central Indonesia, killing at least 31 people and injuring 75, with 47 others missing. Feb. 3, 2005: An Afghan airliner crashes into a mountain near Kabul, killing all 104 people on board. The Boeing 737 was operated by Afghanistan's only private airline, Kam Air. March 16: An An-24 two-engine turboprop aircraft crashes and catches fire while trying to reach an airport near the oil port of Varandei in the Nenets autonomous region on Russia's Pechora Sea, killing 28 of the 53 people on board. May 26: An An-28 passenger plane crashes in eastern mountain area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), killing all the 32 passengers and crew members on board. Aug. 6: A Tunisian ATR-42 plane crashes into the sea off Palermo in Sicily, Italy, killing 13 of the 39 passengers and crew members on board, with three others missing. Aug. 14: A Cypriot Boeing 737 operated by the private Helios Airways crashed in north of Athens, killing all 121 passengers and crew members on board. Aug. 17: A jet carrying French tourists crashes in the mountains of western Venezuela, killing all 160 people on board.

[KittyWampus]

12. My guess, suicides.

[babydollhead]

13. shoe-i-cide?

[juno jones]

16. OK, this is what my BIL (an Puget Sound Native) told me:

That island has, due to it's position on the ocean currents, has always had that problem. Historically, ahem, debris like that has always washed up there. On fishing and navy boats, accidents happen and legs can be swept off by heavy chains. Or more morbidly, corpses from an accident are chowed or decompose to the shoe/sneaker which breaks free and floats with the current to the island.

At least that's what he told me and he's a scientist (computers/technology).

Of course, there could be something more malign at work, hopefully it's just distasteful and not evil.

[Hekate]

17. Oh.

At least that makes more sense than some gangland offer that couldn't be refused.

Hekate

[applegrove]

18. Yup. I hope they are victims of something other than foul play. Plane crashes

or suicides. I wonder too if they haven't changed the technology of shoes in the last few years so that they float.