INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — Eight days after a kayaker discovered a skeletal hand and part of an arm on the Little Blue River, two fishermen found a skeletal foot. The foot was found 10 water miles from where the kayaker discovered the hand near Mize and Necessary roads in Independence, Mo.
Initially police would not confirm the discovery of the human foot, only that they sent a shoe and sock to their lab for testing. However, the fishermen who made the find said the bones were in a shoe. By Friday the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department confirmed a human skeletal foot was found and that they are optimistic they will be able to extract DNA. Police said the DNA testing done on the hand did not reveal any trace DNA. It has since been sent to a lab at the University of Texas for more testing.
Related: Read more about bones found along Little Blue River
Police said the shoe was a size 13, black, leather Nike and was found along the bank of the river by the fishermen around 4 p.m. on Tuesday, July 5. Following the discovery of the foot, investigators searched the area by canoe and with canines.
Following the June 25th discovery of the skeletal hand and arm, investigators combed the area for more evidence. During their search, police said they found some items of interest, but would not elaborate.
No other information has been made available at this time.