By Pepper Fisher
PORT ANGELES – The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office is once again partnering with Othram, the forensic genome sequencing company, to help them solve a cold case.
In August of 2008, a person walking along the beach near the old Silver King Resort in Clallam Bay discovered a shoe containing a sock and what appeared to be human skeletal remains. Sheriff’s detectives collected the evidence and investigators confirmed the remains inside of the shoe were part of a human foot.
Days later, in a news release, investigators said the shoe was a size 11 Everest brand made for the right foot, and a Levi’s brand tube sock was also recovered. No other identifying information was discovered and despite investigators’ efforts, the identity of the person remains unknown.
The case is eerily similar to another case that the Sheriff’s Office, with the help of Othram, solved a cold case involving a human foot found inside a shoe near the mouth of the Elwha River in Port Angeles in 2021. Genetic sequencing proved that the remains were those of Sequim native Jerilyn Smith, who was reported missing in 2018, and is believed to have taken her own life.
Othram scientists will work to develop a suitable DNA extract that can be used to develop a comprehensive DNA profile to be used in records research and forensic genetic genealogy.
Earlier this year, we spoke with Clallam County’s Chief Criminal Detective Amy Bundy about why the crowd-funding model was being used to solve a case like this instead of traditional methods.
Bundy said cold cases go on the back burner at the state crime lab and can take years to get results.
“Well yeah, if you want to wait on the State Crime Lab for however many year backlog they are, that’s not actually us getting answers, or family members getting answers to the results of their loved ones that may have gone missing.”
Othram offers to set up a crowdfunding page on their website to raise, in this case, $7,500, and they can get the job done in a matter of weeks or months.
“And so, in order to save the taxpayers, this company, Othram Labs, does a crowd funding to help support the costs. They do it for us. If this company is willing to crowdfund on behalf of this person’s family and whoever it is, on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office for us to solve this, we embrace that support. It saves the taxpayers money.”
Anyone with information that could aid in the investigation is encouraged to contact the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office at 360-417-2262 and referencing agency case number 2008-7859.
(CCSO photo)