(Update, July 9, 1:30pm PST): Breaking News: Police to hold news conference about human feet mystery
(Update, June 28, 8:59am PST): “Pig video lends insight into B.C.’s human feet mystery”
Update: NEWS CONFERENCE DELAYED
(June 26, 2:23am PST): “Police delay update on feet mystery” –Seattle Times
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has delayed a news conference on the case of the five feet that have washed ashore along the Strait of Georgia over the past year.
The RCMP had planned to update the public this week but has now decided to hold off until more of the investigation is complete, said Constable Annie Linteau, the agency’s spokeswoman. –Seattle Times
(June 23) It’s already happened five times in less than a year: a human foot found washed-up on a beach or floating in the waters within British Columbia’s Strait of Georgia.
One week ago, a foot was found inside a sneaker floating near Westham Island in the mouth of the Fraser River.
It was a left foot.
Four prior discoveries, dating back to August 2007, were all right feet.
It’s a story that appears in today’s Seattle Times.
So far, investigators have not been able to link any of the feet to people who’ve been reported missing.
British Columbia’s chief coroner says that–so far–there is no evidence of foul play.
Despite a tight-lipped stance from police, the case is now netting media attention from around the world.
Of course, theories are emerging from people trying to solve the mystery. One theory is that the feet drifted across the Pacific Ocean after tsunamis or storms in Asia.
Others speculate that the feet are from people who’ve drowned or disappeared in the strait.
Another theory is that the feet are the result of a sick prank performed by someone who has access to cadavers.
And, yes, some people wonder if this is the work of a serial killer.
According to the Seattle Times, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is expected to hold a news conference about the case this week. Although, the paper reports, it’s quite possible that the news conference won’t produce much new information.
–subsequent news coverage:
(June 24): “Cold Feet: A bizarre mystery baffles British Columbia” -newsweek.com
The macabre discoveries have attracted armchair investigators from around the globe and inspired a couple of twisted pranksters. An anonymous posting on Craigslist last week urged readers to “have some fun” and “take a raw turkey drumstick, tie it inside one of your old running shoes and throw it in the ocean late at night when no one can see, or drop it off the ferry from the car deck. Then watch the news.” A sixth foot, found at Campbell River on June 19, turned out to be an animal appendage wrapped in seaweed and crammed into a shoe-seemingly a sick joke on the cops and local citizens, who are gobbling up any details about the story they can find. -newsweek.com
(June 24): “Feet theories abound, while 28 men are missing” -globeandmail.com
We’re likely to get fresh news this week about the feet. At least, so says RCMP Constable Annie Linteau, the poor soul responsible for dealing with the monsoon of media calls from around the world about the feet-stuffed shoes washing up on our shores.
Actually, Ms. Linteau sounds a little star-struck by some of the calls she’s been getting. The king of talk, CNN’s Larry King, wanted her on his show to chat about the story. So did Mr. King’s CNN colleague, Nancy Grace. Constable Linteau graciously declined the invitations.
Jay Leno may be harder to turn down. -globeandmail.com
-prior news coverage:
( June 21, 2008 ) “B.C. floats endless foot theories” –thestar.com (Toronto)
Eric Kunze, who conducts research into ocean physics at the University of Victoria, said it would be impossible for the feet to have travelled from Asia to the coast of British Columbia.
“If feet were coming through from there, we would have thousands of feet coming onto the shores of B.C.,” he said. “From an oceanographic standpoint, all we can really say at this point is they originated somewhere from the Strait of Georgia.” –thestar.com