The dismembered leg and foot found in B.C. waters in December belong to a man from Washington state, according to the BC Coroners Service.
A man was walking with his dog along the beach in the Jordan River area northwest of Sooke on Dec. 7, 2017, when he came upon the lower part of a leg and foot in a shoe.
The remains are that of Stanley K. Okumoto from East Bremerton, Wash., reports Global News. Okumoto, 79, disappeared on Sept. 19, 2017. His body (minus the left leg and foot) was found two months later in Clallam County, about 240 kilometres from his home.
Authorities analyzed DNA to make a positive match.
Okumoto had a history of medical problems. He walked with a cane and had suffered strokes in the past. When he left his home in the Central Kitsap-Silverdale area he did not bring his medication, according to the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office.
The cause of death could not be determined, but the Coroners Service said the investigation is complete.
The case is particularly unusual because more than a dozen feet have washed up on the shoreline over the past decade. All of them have been human, and eight of them were identified as belonging to six individuals.
Authorities said previously that foul play was not a factor in any of the cases, and they aren’t believed to be connected.
It’s unclear why so many feet are winding up on the shores of British Columbia.
Andy Watson, a spokesman for the BC Coroners Service, told CNN in December that people should come forward if they make similar discoveries but should also leave the remains in place: “In this case, someone out walking their dog[s] took the bones home. Certainly, no ill intent there, but if people do see something like that in the future, call us before touching the remains.”
Thirteen feet have been discovered on the coast since 2007. The last foot was found in February 2016 at Botanical Beach.
