The BC Coroners Service has just launched an interactive map that highlights where unidentified human remains have been found in the province over the past 60 years.
The map was created in hopes of receiving tips from the public for any of the nearly 200 cases of unidentified remains in BC.
Users looking at the online map can click on any of the coloured pins to receive further information on the case, including gender, race, approximate age, approximate height, tattoos, scars, and even the clothing the individual was wearing at the time.
“There are currently just under 200 unsolved Unidentified Human Remains (UHR) investigations in the province of British Columbia,” reads the application description. “This application presents basic spatial and temporal information of each of those investigations with the aim and purpose being to gain new investigative leads through public interaction with the data.”
The majority of the cases are men, indicated by blue pins, while women are marked with red pins, and undetermined remains are represented by green pins.
The listed remains range from entire bodies to small fragments, like the series of mysterious feet that have washed up on BC shores in the past decade, including Vancouver Island.
See also: Police investigate human foot found on a Jordan River beach Thursday (2017)
“By reaching out and engaging members of the public with the launch of this innovative tool, it’s our hope to gain new investigative leads that will lead to the identification of these unidentified individuals and bring closure to their families,” said Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner in a statement.
Currently, there are 21 cases of unidentified human remains on Vancouver Island and nearby areas, including Victoria, Colwood, Central Saanich, Salt Spring, and more.
