B.C. coroner seeks help identifying woman’s remains found 35 years ago

NORTH VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — The BC Coroners Service and RCMP are asking for help identifying a woman whose remains were recovered from Burrard Inlet 35 years ago.

A crane operator at Versatile Shipyards spotted a body floating in the inlet in the morning of Dec. 12, 1985.

The body of an older Caucasian female was later recovered. Post-mortem investigations determined that the woman, believed to be 55 to 70 years old, had drowned.

At the time of her death, she was wearing Size 16 maroon pants from Sears, a long-sleeved black, button-up blouse over a white turtleneck, a green wool vest with brown buttons, a grey wool winter hip-length coat and white dress gloves.

The woman wore black zippered rubber boots. The label inside each boot had the word “Bella” written in blue pen.

“Aside from clothing, a number of other distinct personal effects were recovered, including a good-luck horseshoe and a pair of gold earrings,” says a release from the province.

A composite sketch of the woman has been released, along with images if her personal belongings.

The Caucasian woman is described as

• 170 cm (5’6″) tall;
• blue eyes with recently dyed blond hair;
• two notable scars on the abdomen, including a 12.7-cm (5″) vertical scar (mid-abdomen) and a five-cm (2″) lateral scar on the right side of the abdomen (her appendix had been previously removed);
• upper row of teeth replaced by dentures and lower row of teeth missing;
• severe curving of the spine, consistent with scoliosis.

Anyone with information that may help identify the woman is asked to contact either the North Vancouver RCMP at 604-985-1311, or the BC Coroners Service Special Investigations Unit at 1-877-660-5077 or by email (bccs.siu@gov.bc.ca)