The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) is renewing its appeal for public assistance in identifying a woman whose body was found in English Bay in September 2022, following new forensic pollen analysis that suggests she may have recently resided in the Seattle or Portland regions.
The woman, believed to be in her thirties and of African descent, was discovered floating off Spanish Banks on September 29, 2022, by a tugboat crew. She was found near an inflatable kayak, carrying candy, insulin, and a backpack but no identification. Despite extensive efforts by the VPD’s Missing Persons Unit, including searches across North America and through Interpol, her identity has remained unknown, with no matching missing person reports.
A significant development occurred when VPD Sergeant Anton Schamberger facilitated forensic testing of pollen spores on the woman’s backpack and sweater at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Laboratory in Chicago. The lab’s July 2025 report indicated that the pollen and fern spores on her sweater were consistent with exposure to an urban environment within the Pacific Northwest, specifically Seattle or Portland, and notably absent from the Vancouver area. This new evidence strongly suggests the woman was not from Vancouver but may have spent her last days in these U.S. cities.
In response to these findings, the VPD is launching a renewed public appeal. This includes releasing an updated video featuring the forensic results and an interview with the tugboat captain, to be shared on social media and at a Vancouver news conference. VPD investigators are also scheduled to travel to Seattle, where, with the support of the Seattle Police Department and Portland Police Bureau, media availability will be held to introduce the case to U.S. audiences.
The primary objective is to identify the woman, provide closure to her family, and generate new leads. The VPD hopes this cross-border outreach will reach individuals who may recognize her, even if she was not originally from the Pacific Northwest or North America. This investigation underscores the VPD's commitment to cases involving missing and unidentified BIPOC women.
Anyone with information is urged to view and share the video on YouTube or the Vancouver Police social media feeds (@VancouverPoliceDepartment on X and @vancouverpd on Instagram), or to contact investigators via email at [email protected] or by calling 604 717 0619. Further details on this and other unidentified persons cases can be found at VPD.ca/unidentified-persons.