Victoria Police Department has released new photos of a woman who went missing exactly eight years ago, hoping they will generate new leads.
Emma Fillipoff, then 26, was last seen barefoot outside of the Empress Hotel in downtown Victoria sometime between the hours of 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
Her last known contact is believed to have been with VicPD officers, who had spoken during that time period. Officers had been called to the hotel to follow up on a report of a woman, who turned out to be Fillipoff, in distress.
According to a website dedicated to finding Fillipoff, her red 1993 Mazda MPV minivan was found at the hotel’s parking lot with almost all of her belongings inside, including her passport, digital camera, clothes and recently borrowed library books.
MORE: New tip in Emma Fillipoff’s disappearance leads to renewed search
Two years ago, a witness reportedly came forward, claiming they had given her a ride to a gas station on Admirals and Craigflower Road the morning of Nov. 29.
And despite the new information, Victoria Police have yet to solve the missing person’s case and have released new images of Fillipoff on the anniversary of her disappearance, hoping they will generate new leads.
Bowen Osoko, a media spokesperson with the Victoria Police Department, told CHEK News on Saturday that while they are releasing new photos of Fillipoff, they don’t have any new information to release to the public.
“We don’t have any new information about Emma’s disappearance to release, unfortunately. We are hoping these pictures will remind people that Emma is a vibrant, joyful young woman, with family and friends who miss her very much,” Osoko said in an e-mailed statement.
Asked whether Fillipoff had indeed been given a ride by a witness on Nov. 29, one day after she was last believed to have been seen, Osoko said it was investigated but didn’t result in anything.
“My understanding is that was investigated but did not lead anywhere fruitful,” he said.
VicPD says hundreds of tips have come across the country since, but none have proven to be confirmed sightings, and are asking once again for the public’s help.
Fillipoff’s disappearance has been the subject of various documentaries and was the focus of an episode of the CBC’s The Fifth Estate.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Fillipoff is asked to contact the Victoria Police Department at 250-995-7654 or anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
Additional information on the disappearance of Fillipoff can be found at www.helpfindemmafillipoff.com.
New photos of Fillipoff released by the Victoria Police Department below:
Nicholas Pescod
