# Remember all those tennis shoes with a foot found floating in waterways? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 26, 2011, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227 "2011-05-26T00:08:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227/1 "2011-05-26T00:08:10Z")
[In 2008 feet in shoes started to be found in Canada on the shoreline.](http://www.theprovince.com/news/Coroner+links+severed+feet+found+2008+missing+Surrey/4836313/story.html) It started out as mostly the left foot being found. Later people started to report finding a foot in a shoe on the shoreline in other places. Two feet in Nikes from 2008 have now been traced back to a missing person from 2004. Good detective work. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227/2 "2011-05-26T01:43:43Z")
Never heard about that. Although confirming the identity doesn’t really count as “solved” in my book (their words in the article). They still don’t seem to have any idea how the feet ended up there. I don’t get how foul play could not be suspected. Were these people just trying to get a new Internet meme going or something? ETA: also, what “natural processes” could separate a healthy young person’s foot/feet from their body? Clearly they must have died somehow, but the bodies were never found? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227/3 "2011-05-26T01:50:10Z")
We’ve had numerous threads in the past as new sightings have occurred. The shoes float so when the body breaks up the shoe with a foot floats away and ends up on shorelines. Good detective work was for matching the feet to a person. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227/4 "2011-05-26T02:01:37Z")
The real mystery is why the serial killer has decided his victims are better footless. I mean, I’ve heard of a foot fetish, but a footless fetish? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227/5 "2011-05-26T02:15:56Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > The real mystery is why the serial killer has decided his victims are better footless. I mean, I’ve heard of a foot fetish, but a footless fetish? Perhaps the serial killer has no sole? ---
**Author:** ![medicated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@medicated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medicated)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227/6 "2011-05-26T02:41:10Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Perhaps the serial killer has no sole? He’s a heel. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227/7 "2011-05-26T02:47:23Z")
I just hope the authorities get a leg up on this situation. Perhaps they should look along the Jersey Shore? ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227/8 "2011-05-26T03:00:30Z")
I just knew this thread would be laced with bad puns. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227/9 "2011-05-26T03:09:39Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > ETA: also, what “natural processes” could separate a healthy young person’s foot/feet from their body? Clearly they must have died somehow, but the bodies were never found? Have you ever tried to hold in a really big sneeze? Don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227/10 "2011-05-26T03:26:01Z")
> [@lost4life](#): > > I just knew this thread would be laced with bad puns. Perhaps we could offer Zsa Zsa one of the feet? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227/11 "2011-05-26T03:35:44Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > N > > ETA: also, what “natural processes” could separate a healthy young person’s foot/feet from their body? They were Footloose. ---
**Author:** ![Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uosdwis_R.Dewoh)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227/12 "2011-05-26T03:58:08Z")
I’m thinking Canada has one sick Charlie Chaplin fan. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227/13 "2011-05-26T03:58:10Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Perhaps we could offer Zsa Zsa one of the feet? Then all she would need is a leg up. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227/14 "2011-05-26T04:00:43Z")
As Sherlock would say, “The game is afoot.” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227/15 "2011-05-26T04:02:16Z")
And in this case, the foot is the game. ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227/16 "2011-05-26T05:03:15Z")
You punners need to stuff a sock in it. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227/17 "2011-05-26T05:22:06Z")
Yeah, I know I put a foot in my mouth. ---
**Author:** ![surrounded\_by\_literalists](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8baadc/32.png) [@surrounded\_by\_literalists](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/surrounded_by_literalists)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227/18 "2011-05-26T05:42:01Z")
When I worked at the Grand Canyon, one of our back country rangers called into dispatch to report that he found a shoe on caught in some rocks in the Colorado River. The dispatcher rolled her eyes and told him to put it in his pack and take it to the nearest garbage collection site. People frequently lose items off the boats as they go over the rapids, so an abandoned shoe is not an uncommon find. The ranger came back on the radio and said he didn’t want to put it in his back pack because a foot was still in it. The radio silence was deafening. A shoe with a foot still in it is NOT something you find everyday. ---
**Author:** ![kbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kbear)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227/19 "2011-05-26T07:24:53Z")
Wasn’t this a Bones episode about a month ago? ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227/20 "2011-05-26T11:14:42Z")
I complained that I had no shoes… mmm [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-all-those-tennis-shoes-with-a-foot-found-floating-in-waterways/583227.md?page=2)