CANADA Canada - Emma Fillipoff, 26, Victoria BC, 28 Nov 2012

[evafiore]

Totally depending on the person for sure and I am only speaking from my experience. In my early 20s I had terrible anxiety attacks for a few years and I could not set foot on any type of public transportation or travel on any mode of transportation really without a full blown snowball effect of a panic attack. It was awful stuff to go through.

So no buses of any kind, no rapid transport, no boats/ferries, no long drives in my own vehicle or friend's vehicles, definitely no airplanes - or any type of vessel where I was not in control or able to freely get off at any time. Of course, I did still go on all of these things (have to still live right?), but did I suffer for it, major anxiety attacks, so strange and bizarre now that I look back on it... And I still have no idea why it happened either lol! I guess I relate my experience to think maybe this happened to Emma....

I agree with you, I don't think she would have flown anywhere. I think she *planned* on flying back east to get to her mom, but perhaps panicked before she could, if she panicked enough it could have added to her distress and a breakdown.

TBH I was drawn to Emma's case because of how I could relate to it---like you, I struggled with SAD in the past as well. Can't remember ever having an issue with public transit though, unless I ran into someone I knew...

As for the credit card/phone thing---she bought the card early in the morning (8:23am), and the phone late afternoon (5:54pm), which could leave her plenty of time to take a bus to get to Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre area, where the credit card was found. Interestingly, there's also a branch of the Greater Victoria Public Library on site: she was know to spend her days reading in libraries. Her activities between the two visits to the 7-Eleven are not known.

It seems like a lot of moving around, but this was her nature. Up until the 21st, she used to keep her van, which she used as storage, parked in Sooke. On the 21st, she had a tow truck driver drive her from the shelter to Sooke, and tow her van to Victoria. They found the van parked in a lot very close to where she was last seen.

 

[newone]

TBH I was drawn to Emma's case because of how I could relate to it---like you, I struggled with SAD in the past as well. Can't remember ever having an issue with public transit though, unless I ran into someone I knew...

As for the credit card/phone thing---she bought the card early in the morning (8:23am), and the phone late afternoon (5:54pm), which could leave her plenty of time to take a bus to get to Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre area, where the credit card was found. Interestingly, there's also a branch of the Greater Victoria Public Library on site: she was know to spend her days reading the library. Her activities between the two visits to the 7-Eleven are not known.

It seems like a lot of moving around, but this was her nature. Up until the 21st, she used to keep her van, which she used as storage, parked in Sooke. On the 21st, she had a tow truck driver drive her from the shelter to Sooke, and tow her van to Victoria. They found the van parked in a lot very close to where she was last seen.

At the library she would also have access to the internet......hopefully LE or library staff have been able to determine her online activity. MOO

 

[evafiore]

At the library she would also have access to the internet......hopefully LE or library staff have been able to determine her online activity. MOO

I'm not even sure that they would have checked if she was at that branch that day---they didn't find the card until December 5th, so before then, they would have had nothing linking her to that location.

 

[newone]

I know that the libraries have strict policies and each log in requires a card.

There is probably an IT trail for her internet searches.

I didn't know about the ''towing'' -- that's expensive too....hopefully she had BCAA coverage (membership would be cheaper than the tow charges to central Victoria from Sooke)

 

[evafiore]

I know that the libraries have strict policies and each log in requires a card.

There is probably an IT trail for her internet searches.

I didn't know about the ''towing'' -- that's expensive too....hopefully she had BCAA coverage (membership would be cheaper than the tow charges to central Victoria from Sooke)

I don't think they say how she paid for the towing, though she did talk about going back home to Perth to the driver.

Her mother mentioned something about Emma having drawn away from social media in the months leading up to her disappearance. I'm not sure that she would have used the internet at the library (she may have just gone there to read, as part of her routine), though if she had...

Have to wonder if LE did look into that.

 

[newone]

For what it's worth, there's a floatplane airport right in the inner harbour that is a 5 minute walk away.

Yes! and another very fast way to get to the mainland too is Helijet .... also right there in the Harbour across from the Empress.....

 

[newone]

given that the prepaid credit card was found near Galloping Goose Trail and that she was frequenting the Juan de Fuca Center.....library located there....I wonder if she accidentally left it at the internet kiosk while surfing the net looking for transportation off the Island and some ne'er do well just snatched it .....

prepaid card would have helped her book shuttle, ferry passage ((including WA State ferry too))...I don't think she just tossed her card....MOO

 

[dotr]

Feb 18 /2015

http://www.courierislander.com/news...ed-to-hire-pi-to-help-find-daughter-1.1766389

"Emma Fillipoff has been seen in newspapers, on websites, Facebook pages, twitter, The Fifth Estate television show, even Wikipedia, but she hasn't been seen in person in over two years.

Frustrated by the police work on the case, her mother Shelley Fillipoff has hired a private investigator to find out what happened to her daughter.

Emma Fillipoff was 26 when she disappeared, last seen outside the Empress Hotel in Victoria between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 28, 2012. She had been stopped following a report from a concerned citizen that she appeared to be disoriented and was not wearing shoes in the frigid weather, but Victoria police felt she was not a danger to herself or others and let her go.

Emma worked in Campbell River for a time. She was a qualified chef at the Royal Coachman and made many friends. It had been thought she might be heading back to Campbell River.

Her red Mazda MPV 1993 van was found in the Chateau Victoria parking lot with almost all her belongings in it, including her passport, library card, digital camera, clothes, a pillow, assorted ornaments, laptop, and recently borrowed library books."
- See more at: http://www.courierislander.com/news...-find-daughter-1.1766389#sthash.NcWEWYCX.dpuf

 

[Wondergirl]

I'm assuming all of the small towns around the Island have been heavily postered?

Has three family thought of contacting Texas Equisearch? I *think* they will take cases in Canada? We have seen how important they have been in other cases here at WS.

Jmo

 

[Wondergirl]

TBH I was drawn to Emma's case because of how I could relate to it---like you, I struggled with SAD in the past as well. Can't remember ever having an issue with public transit though, unless I ran into someone I knew...

As for the credit card/phone thing---she bought the card early in the morning (8:23am), and the phone late afternoon (5:54pm), which could leave her plenty of time to take a bus to get to Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre area, where the credit card was found. Interestingly, there's also a branch of the Greater Victoria Public Library on site: she was know to spend her days reading in libraries. Her activities between the two visits to the 7-Eleven are not known.

It seems like a lot of moving around, but this was her nature. Up until the 21st, she used to keep her van, which she used as storage, parked in Sooke. On the 21st, she had a tow truck driver drive her from the shelter to Sooke, and tow her van to Victoria. They found the van parked in a lot very close to where she was last seen.

I guess I missed that detail about her van being in Sooke.

First of all - why Sooke?

Secondly - It seems pretty clear she was on the move.

Thirdly - It seems possible she is hiding or living in a remote area of that Island. There are many remote locations. Did Emma have outdoor survival skills to live in the wilderness?

 

[Wondergirl]

I'm going to Victoria soon and I would like to know if there is anything that I can do specifically regarding the search for Emma.

 

[newone]

I don't know why VPD didn't tell Shelley F about this programme

http://keltyeatingdisorders.ca/eating-disorders-program-south-vancouver-island-region-victoria

from what I read Shelley had specifically asked VPD about programs for disordered eating as she had been told by shelter staff that her daughter was exhibiting odd habits including overhydrating....SF asked if there were programs that treated overhydrating....eating disorder clinic may have insight.

 

[newone]

I guess I missed that detail about her van being in Sooke.

First of all - why Sooke?

Secondly - It seems pretty clear she was on the move.

Thirdly - It seems possible she is hiding or living in a remote area of that Island. There are many remote locations. Did Emma have outdoor survival skills to live in the wilderness?

Sooke has lots of beachfront where she would be able to ''live for zero dollars''' -- very pretty too
dig for clams and possibly survive

 

[newone]

I wondered if she was entertaining the thought of doing the west coast trail ((pretty darn rugged)) but she would definitely be undetected....

 

[Wondergirl]

Feb 18 /2015

http://www.courierislander.com/news...ed-to-hire-pi-to-help-find-daughter-1.1766389

"Emma Fillipoff has been seen in newspapers, on websites, Facebook pages, twitter, The Fifth Estate television show, even Wikipedia, but she hasn't been seen in person in over two years.

Frustrated by the police work on the case, her mother Shelley Fillipoff has hired a private investigator to find out what happened to her daughter.

Emma Fillipoff was 26 when she disappeared, last seen outside the Empress Hotel in Victoria between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 28, 2012. She had been stopped following a report from a concerned citizen that she appeared to be disoriented and was not wearing shoes in the frigid weather, but Victoria police felt she was not a danger to herself or others and let her go.

Emma worked in Campbell River for a time. She was a qualified chef at the Royal Coachman and made many friends. It had been thought she might be heading back to Campbell River.

Her red Mazda MPV 1993 van was found in the Chateau Victoria parking lot with almost all her belongings in it, including her passport, library card, digital camera, clothes, a pillow, assorted ornaments, laptop, and recently borrowed library books."
- See more at: http://www.courierislander.com/news...-find-daughter-1.1766389#sthash.NcWEWYCX.dpuf

That is God-Awful. Where to even begin? I had no idea LE were so not into searching for her. I really hesitate to shine negative light on LE, but the things in that article are really disturbing. Ugh

 

[Lalalacasbah]

TBH I was drawn to Emma's case because of how I could relate to it---like you, I struggled with SAD in the past as well. Can't remember ever having an issue with public transit though, unless I ran into someone I knew...

As for the credit card/phone thing---she bought the card early in the morning (8:23am), and the phone late afternoon (5:54pm), which could leave her plenty of time to take a bus to get to Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre area, where the credit card was found. Interestingly, there's also a branch of the Greater Victoria Public Library on site: she was know to spend her days reading in libraries. Her activities between the two visits to the 7-Eleven are not known.

It seems like a lot of moving around, but this was her nature. Up until the 21st, she used to keep her van, which she used as storage, parked in Sooke. On the 21st, she had a tow truck driver drive her from the shelter to Sooke, and tow her van to Victoria. They found the van parked in a lot very close to where she was last seen.

My past anxiety issues with 'going out of my comfort zone' baffles me! I think it was a combination of burning the candle at both ends in my life during that time, combined with stress, probably some SAD too as I lived in Vancouver and it just rained, rained, rained and always depressing dark and overcast. It's funny how everything can be tied together to make us humans not function so good. I hope your SAD is better My situation changed thankfully, but I feel and empathize for people who battle such things in life, it's not easy.

I find the connection to Juan de Fuca Rec Centre and the Sooke area very strange. JDFRC is on a different highway to the airport/ferries and very hard/long to get to on public transportation. The library is there, but there's also the big one downtown closer where she seemed to frequent.

Did she have a friend out in that direction? Do we know where she kept her van in Sooke? On someone's land or rental space? Was she friends with any guys that worked out at the JDF rec centre? Such a strange place to find the credit card....

Juan de Fuca trail is a popular place and hiking trail as well. Lots of surfers go to China Beach from what I remember.

 

[newone]

That is God-Awful. Where to even begin? I had no idea LE were so not into searching for her. I really hesitate to shine negative light on LE, but the things in that article are really disturbing. Ugh

I think they have some pretty big challenges with a lot of ''transients'' and keeping the tourists safe. There is a lot of ''movement'' of people through Victoria -- and a lot of ''wilderness'' too that is cover for those who do not wish to be found.

 

[Wondergirl]

Sooke has lots of beachfront where she would be able to ''live for zero dollars''' -- very pretty too
dig for clams and possibly survive

So maybe moving the van was to distract that she was actually moving there?

On the one hand, everything seems so obvious, but, it also seems all jumbled up.

It seems like she could be out there alive somewhere or deceased in any of the remote areas of the island.

Unless of course the guy in the store is legit..... In which case, she is in the lower East side somewhere

Jmo

 

[newone]

the bus does go all the way to Sooke too....so if she was living in shelter downtown, she may have felt her ''stuff'' was safer in Sooke.

Given that she worked in a fish & chip shop I have wondered if she had some connections with local fishermen given that that shop most likely had a few local suppliers. Again this may lead to Sooke FWIW & MOO

 

[Wondergirl]

I think they have some pretty big challenges with a lot of ''transients'' and keeping the tourists safe. There is a lot of ''movement'' of people through Victoria -- and a lot of ''wilderness'' too that is cover for those who do not wish to be found.

Oh, I know. Not to mention Emma is an adult.

But not checking video surveilance? No posters? It doesn't really sound like the interviews were extensive.

I don't blame Shelley for hiring a private eye