Foot Mystery - UPDATE

This is starting to get a bit disturbing.

Allright - so we know that we just posted about this yesterday, but they just found another severed human foot on a beach in the Strait of Georgia, just off the coast of Vancouver. That makes six feet. Six!

Here is the latest news story:

Sixth human foot found in Canada

Another human foot encased in a running shoe has been found on the shores of British Columbia in Canada, the second this week and the sixth within a year.
Like four of the others it was a right foot, a police official said.
The foot was found near Campbell River on Vancouver Island and appeared to have been severed, a witness said.
Police, who are not speculating on this, are trying to determine the origins of the feet and whether they are any links between the discoveries.
The latest find was on Wednesday when a woman collecting rocks spotted a shoe-clad foot on a beach.
Another woman who manages a tourist campground at Campbell River, a fishing town on Vancouver Island, accompanied her to the spot.
"I could see two white bones sticking out of a black sneaker," Sandra Malone told the National Post newspaper.
"It was definitely severed, like it had been sawn off."
However, police are refusing to speculate on any possibility of foul play.
"In the first four cases, police have no evidence that the feet were severed. It is too early to say if this foot was severed," police spokeswoman Annie Linteau said.
On Monday, a left foot was found on another island off Vancouver.
Like the previous four, it is believed to have become detached at the ankle, in a process called disarticulation.
Forensic experts say it is not unusual for body parts to become separated after they have been in the water for a long time.
Running shoes help to preserve the remains and because the soles are buoyant, the feet are brought to the surface.

Scary and disturbing.

Timeline:

August 20, 2007 - A 12-year-old girl from Washington State discovered the first foot on a beach while boating with family on Jedidiah Island. It was reported she picked up one of five shoes scattered on the beach, untied the laces and found the foot inside. It was a right and blue right-footed "Campus" men's running shoe.

August 26, 2007 - A wine importer from Vancouver and her husband were finishing their hike on Gabriola Island when they discovered a black and white right-footed leather Reebok trainer in a size 12 with a partially decomposed right foot inside.

February 8, 2008 - A severed right foot was found inside a running shoe on Valdes Island south of Gabriola in the Strait of Georgia, in a location only accessible by float plane or boat.

May 22, 2008 - A passerby found a foot on Kirkland Island near the mouth of the Fraser River in Richmond, just south of Vancouver. It was a right foot.

June 16, 2008 - A human left foot was discovered on Westham Island in Ladner, B.C. The foot was said to be inside a left-footed Nike running shoe.

June 18, 2008 - A sixth foot was discovered near an RV park on the Campbell River shoreline. It is reportedly a right foot and was in a black and white running shoe.

I like feet.

OK - this has now become more than just a coincidence. This is downright crazy. There are no doubts anymore people: These feet have to have something in common. Ridiculous. And as recently as two days ago, police were dismissing theories that these feet were related in some way. Are you kidding?!?

"I could see two white bones sticking out of a black sneaker," said Sandra Malone, an eyewitness who saw the sixth foot. "It was definitely severed, like it had been sawn off."

That seems like pretty definitive evidence right there, from a first-hand eyewitness. But, not only are the authorities refusing to admit that these feet are all linked, they are holding fast to their story that a plane crash or other similar accident was responsible for all these feet. Originally, their thoughts were that this "accident" occurred somewhere up the Fraser River, but as we discussed yesterday, the location of the first five feet was inconsistent with that explanation.

But now, with the sixth foot being found much further to the northwest than the other five, that explanation goes out the window. Let's look at some other possibilities...

Asian tsunami victims - This theory contends that the feet were washed approximately 15,000 miles across the Pacific. If that were true, why are all the feet found within a hundred miles of each other? Why are the feet all in running shoes? And, why are five of the six feet right feet?

Organized crime - These feet are from victims of crimes, not necessarily related. But if this were true, why suddenly find 6 feet within 10 months? Surely there would have been some precedent... Again, why are all the feet in running shoes?

Boating accidents - This explanation argues that the feet are from unrelated boating accidents. Probably the worst of all possible explanations. What is this, "Naked Gun"?!? Are these investigators even real cops? Six feet from unrelated boating accidents? Yeah right...

Suitcase full of feet - This theory argues that some serial killer was carrying around a suitcase of severed feet and accidentally dropped it into the Strait of Georgia... This theory really makes the most sense, because it would explain why the feet have begun showing up only recently and in a limited geographical area. Also, some kind of sick Chuck Taylor fetish could explain why all the feet have been found in quality footwear.

Now, we can understand that the cops do not want to let the public know what they are thinking - closed evidence - but we here at HPO are seriously a-hopin' and a-prayin' that these law enforcement officers are doing their homework.

By God, Sir. I will not abide another toe!