A white Puma sneaker containing bones and human tissue washed ashore at Marly Nelson County Park near Sequim on Dec. 9, authorities said. The shoe, found about 50 feet from the Port Williams Beach boat launch just before 8:30 a.m., bears green and blue Sharpie markings and a toe tag reading EU 35.5 / US 4C / 22 cm (roughly women’s 5–5.5). The Clallam County coroner recovered the shoe for forensic examination, and investigators are considering advanced DNA testing to aid identification.
Human Remains Found Inside White Puma Sneaker on Sequim Beach

A white Puma sneaker containing human remains washed ashore at Marly Nelson County Park near Sequim, Washington, county authorities said.
What Happened
According to the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, a Sequim resident called 911 just before 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 9 to report a shoe that appeared to contain human remains. The sneaker was found roughly 50 feet from the Port Williams Beach boat launch at Marly Nelson County Park.
Description And Evidence
A responding deputy confirmed the presence of bones and human tissue inside the shoe. Investigators described the footwear as a white Puma sneaker covered with green and blue Sharpie marker ink. The toe tag lists the size as European 35.5, U.S. 4C, and 22 centimeters, which the sheriff’s office said corresponds roughly to a U.S. women’s size 5–5.5.
Investigation And Next Steps
The Clallam County coroner recovered the shoe and its contents for forensic examination. Deputies said no additional suspicious items were found in the immediate area. Investigators said they will evaluate whether advanced DNA testing would help with identification — an approach that has been used successfully in previous regional cases.
Context And Past Cases
Officials noted this is not the first time human remains have washed up on Clallam County beaches. In September 2022, remains that washed ashore at the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge were later identified as one of the victims of the Sept. 4, 2022, floatplane crash near Whidbey Island. In December 2021, a New Balance size 8 shoe containing a human foot was found near the Elwha River mouth in Port Angeles; advanced forensic DNA work later identified the woman and resolved a long-running missing-person case.
Authorities ask anyone with information to contact the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation remains active, and officials have not released further identifying details pending forensic work.
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