By Jenn Marshall – Nanaimo News Bulletin
Published: January 02, 2009 3:00 PM
Seven Feet Wash Up On Shores
u No. 1 – Found Aug. 20, 2007 on Jedediah Island near Parksville, right male foot, ID confirmed but withheld at family’s request.
u No. 2 – Found Aug. 26, 2007 on Gabriola Island near Nanaimo, right male foot.
u No. 3 – Found Feb. 8, 2008 on Valdez Island near Gabriola, right male foot, matches Foot No. 5.
u No. 4 – Found May 22, 2008 on Kirkland Island near Richmond/Delta, right female foot, matches Foot No. 6.
u No. 5 – Found June 16, 2008 on Westham Island near Kirkland Island, left male foot matches Foot No. 3.
u No. 6 – Found Aug. 1, 2008 on the Strait of Juan de Fuca near Port Angeles, WA; awaiting DNA results.
u No. 7 – Found Nov. 11, 2008 on Finn Slough in Richmond, left female foot matches Foot No. 4.
IMystery took on life of its own in media.
The mystery of the feet washing up on B.C. shores captured the attention of Nanaimoites, British Columbians and the rest of the world this year.
“It is unusual, it is something we’ve never really had before and people find it interesting,” said Const. Annie Linteau, RCMP E Division spokeswoman, adding many members of the public contacted police about the feet.
“We’ve mostly received speculations, obviously surprise, lots of theories,” she said.
Seven feet have been found so far – six washed up on shores in B.C. since August 2007, including two near Nanaimo and one in Washington. The last was found in November on the Lower Mainland.
Reports of another human foot last summer turned out to be a hoax – someone had stuffed an animal paw in a running shoe and left it on a beach near Campbell River.
Linteau said police identified one foot as belonging to a Vancouver man reported missing by his family.
The B.C. Coroners Service has matched four of the feet to make two pairs, a male and a female, but they have not identified the individuals.
All of the feet appear to have naturally separated from the body, as no tool or trauma marks were found on the remains.
“What we have been doing is reviewing all relevant missing persons files and eliminating names,” said Linteau. “It’s an extensive process. You’re limited to what you have available to you.”
She said as the DNA of the missing people is compared with the feet, more names are crossed off the list.
Linteau said police were not only kept busy with tips and theories sent in by the public, but the media also phoned regularly for updates.
“Media calls have been excessive,” said Linteau. “I received media calls as far as Egypt on this.”
Ron Peregrin, Clallam County Undersheriff said, the department is still awaiting DNA test results on the foot found near Port Angeles last August.
Peregrin said the department got national and Canadian media attention right after the foot was found, probably because it was the first time they found a body part, rather than an entire body.
B.C. readers of the website CBCNews.ca selected the mystery as newsmaker of the year in an online poll in early December.
Mark Giesbrecht, Nanaimo psychologist, said the floating feet mystery may have received so much attention because people automatically assumed that foul play was afoot.
“It goes along the same lines as people who automatically think corporations are all bad,” he said. “People are treating this as a murder investigation or foul play of some sort, but the coroner doesn’t seem to be indicating that this is something we should be worried about.”
Giesbrecht said he’s noticed an increased interest in psychopaths and criminals through TV shows like Dexter, Bones and the CSI franchise.
