THE PEOPLE
Emma Fillipoff: A woman from Perth, Ont., now 33, went missing from Victoria, B.C., in November 2012, without a trace. It’s been a fruitless cross-country search for her ever since.
Shelley Fillipoff: Emma’s mother, who lives in Perth, and has made it her life’s mission to find her missing daughter.
Kimberly Bordage: Researcher, videographer, editor, social media specialist, and Shelley’s “right-hand person” when it comes to keeping the public informed on the search for Emma. Kimberly lives in Dartmouth, N.S.
Det/Cst Bob Iles: Victoria Police Department’s Investigative Services Division of the Major Crimes Unit, and lead investigator.
Emma, where are you?
As a mother agonizes over the disappearance of her daughter in November 2012, tips are still coming in, but none have provided a shred of hope as to the whereabouts of Emma Fillipoff.
It’s gut-wrenching for Perth’s Shelley Fillipoff, who has endured this tumultuous ride since her daughter, Emma, went missing in British Columbia. She had been staying at the Sandy Merriman Women’s Shelter for nine months prior to her disappearance. Shelley was en route from Perth to Victoria to bring her back home when Emma went missing.
Emma, who her mother believed had some sort of mental breakdown, was last seen by police in Victoria, B.C., on Nov. 28, 2012 at age 26. She was 33 in January.
New evidence came last fall that Emma was given a lift on Nov. 29, 2012, by a man named William. He said Emma wanted to go to the Colwood area to see friends, but he didn’t have time to take her that far, so he dropped her off at 5:15 a.m. near the Petro-Canada gas station at the corner of Admirals and Craigflower roads in Victoria.
A search team checked into that hopeful lead, which was backed by a crowdfunding initiative, a fundraising effort that was greatly appreciated by Shelley. The team was led by a cadaver dog handler from Ottawa, Kim Cooper, along with Kimberly Bordage of Dartmouth, N.S., who is a researcher, videographer, editor, and Shelley’s right-hand person on Emma’s disappearance. No new leads surfaced in Victoria during that search Dec. 1 to 3, 2018.
Det/Cst. Bob Iles of the Victoria Police Department took over Emma’s file when he was transferred to the detectives’ office in January this year.
“I had about 1 1/2 months working with the previous detective before she retired in February,” said Iles, who has been a police officer since 2006. “It’s not my first time working this file though. I was on the Bike and Beat Squad in 2012 and was transferred to assist the detectives’ office for about a month when this first happened. I assisted by following down different tasks and tips as it was very labour-intensive at the start.”
Iles said officers received William’s information and developed investigative steps that were pursued as a result.
“Given the six-year time frame, we did not conduct a door-to-door canvas of the area,” he wrote in an email exchange with this newspaper regarding the area Emma was dropped off by William.
“Officers were also alive to the fact that Shelley and her team were working toward having a cadaver dog search the area.”
In the days leading up to Emma’s disappearance, Kimberly learned a lot of her movements, including one of the last entries in Emma’s journal, dated Nov. 23, 2012. “Sleep deep hurts. Checked myself out. Mom is coming. It’s Nov. 23. Have to get home before Dad goes. I want to call Dad. You’re going home tomorrow.”
According to Shelley, Emma’s father, James Fillipoff, an artist, keeps to himself and hasn’t talked to anyone about the search for his daughter, after a CBC Fifth Estate episode, which aired Dec. 23, 2014. “He doesn’t want to talk about it,” Shelley said.
James did say on that television broadcast, that whatever happened to Emma, he hoped it was her choice.
EMMA’S POSSESSIONS
Iles originally searched Emma’s van and found her camera — a Canon 40D, semi-professional DSLR that was a gift from her mother. On the camera card were several self-portraits — the latest ones taken in the spring of 2012, which have been used in media releases and newscasts.
“She was a very adept photographer,” Shelley said. “She studied photo journalism before she studied culinary arts. She was working as a chef/cook in Campbell River for three years. The only reason she stopped is because she has a congenital knee disorder and it was bothering her back a lot — a chef is on her feet all day long. She terminated her employment to come home and see our orthopedic surgeon in 2011 then headed back out west in September 2011. She hadn’t been home since.”
Shelley sold the van to a salvage yard and made a trip west a few years ago to retrieve Emma’s belongings after it was all in storage for a couple years.
“I took everything from her van to a storage locker then after a period of time, I thought it was ridiculous to have it sitting in storage,” Shelley said. “I packed up everything except for one big rock …” Shelley paused at the memory, laughing a little. “She had this huge rock, and I felt bad about it, because it probably meant something to her. It got to a point that she had so much stuff.”
Shelley hired a moving van, and now has an entire room at her Perth home where all of Emma’s belongings are kept. She had some time to go through everything in more detail and has still come up with no clues.
PODCAST & UPCOMING DOCUMENTARY
Kimberly is working on a new documentary, “Good Luck Everyheart: The Search for Emma Fillipoff” while her podcast, The Search for Emma Fillipoff, was released in November 2018.
Her documentary will shed light on new information with a focus on the steps taken in the search for Emma.
“It highlights the timeline of Emma’s disappearance and includes new previously unreleased information that I gathered from years of researching and analyzing the details of the case,” Kimberly said. “From police notes, to witness accounts, to (private investigator) notes, and also includes pertinent notes Emma left behind in the last days of her journal.
“The episode will include interviews with canine expert Kim Cooper, the 7-11 attendant who sold Emma a prepaid cellphone, and a friend of Emma’s who spoke to her a week prior to her disappearance.”
Shelley was at a loss after what to do next after last December’s search, and Kimberley had just experienced the death of her father who died a few days after returning home from Victoria. She needed to take some time for herself.
Shelley and Kimberly waited until spring time to plan another search.
That was when a second team of search and rescue volunteers scoured even more areas of Victoria, but nothing was found.
“Back in May and June, a man who volunteers with the Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue team has been doing some searches with a few friends/colleagues. He had offered to help last winter during our last search, so I reached out to him in April and he agreed to help,” Kimberly said.
“We did have specific areas in mind such as Belmont Park woods and the surrounding military base, and the railroad tracks starting just off Craigflower Road to as far as Goldstream, Fort Rod Hill and the Galloping Goose section of the woods near Belmont.”
The Juan de Fuca SAR team members are unpaid professionals who respond to land-based search and rescue emergencies within south western Victoria, including all inland waters. They came up empty, according to Shelley, who added, if they found anything significant, they would relay the information to her. She heard nothing.
A private investigator Shelley hired early on in Emma’s disappearance, took a lot of time, and funds, while getting up-to-date and apprised of all the information Shelley had on the case. By the time he was updated, she had run out of funds.
VICTORIA POLICE INTERVIEW
Iles said they continue to receive tips about Emma, but “can’t discuss the specific nature.”
Every lead is added to the file and any findings that come from it.
“Each time that we are able to close an avenue of investigation during our search, it moves us toward our goal of finding Emma.”
When asked about the Victoria Police’s last interaction with Emma on Dec. 28, 2012, in front of the Empress Hotel, Iles said: “It was a warm November evening when Emma spoke with officers (11 degrees Celsius). Although barefoot, which our investigators have learned was not unusual for Emma, she was dressed appropriately for the weather. Our officers who spoke with Emma did so for approximately 40 minutes.
“During that time, they offered Emma assistance and access to resources. Emma declined assistance. There was nothing in their conversation that provided our officers the grounds to detain Emma under B.C.’s Mental Health Act nor cause them concern for her safety. Our officers have thousands of interactions with people experiencing various levels of mental health each year. The officers who spoke with Emma are experienced and have great care and compassion. If Emma had indicated she needed assistance they would have gladly provided it.”
When Ottawa’s Kim Cooper went to Victoria with her cadaver dog in December 2018, Iles said the police did not physically participate in that search, but were kept updated by Shelley and her team, “and (we) were monitoring for anything of interest that may come up,” Iles said. “As a police department we work with outside agencies or individuals regularly on all types of files.”
Despite no leads to suggest that Emma was the victim of human trafficking, the Victoria Police have expanded their search to include the United States, and beyond.
Iles said they were able to eliminate human trafficking due to several factors: “In (most) human trafficking files there is a grooming period, where the soon-to-be trafficker seems to be a good person and entices the victim to co-operate, travelling either for a ‘vacation’ or for a great new job opportunity. Once they arrive at the new location, that is when the control portion kicks in. Those situations would leave evidence of grooming, meeting a new friend/boyfriend, planning a trip, etc. In this case there was nothing of that nature found.”
Iles said there are about 21 historical missing person files in Victoria, and on top of those they get 30 to 35 new missing person reports per month, “which we conclude … meaning the person is found.”
A MOTHER’S MISSION
“I’m still hopeful, but it’s harder every day,” Shelley said. “My mental state is shaky. Psychologically, emotionally, I’m pretty shaky. Every day I wake up, I dread the day. I think, oh God, not another day without her. Somehow, I put in the time. I don’t volunteer, I don’t socialize much. I spend a lot of time with my dog. He’s the sweetest …
“I honestly don’t know what I do during the day to get through the day. I’m relieved at the end of the day when I can go to sleep.”
But a peaceful night’s sleep is not that easy either.
“It’s a heavy burden to carry, and the fact that I’m stuck now … I don’t know where to go from here, makes it even worse. If I can be actively involved in something, it helps.”
Shelley has to keep Emma’s story alive and the broader she can spread it the better, she said.
“There has to be people who have forgotten that Emma is missing. I feel her Facebook page is a wonderful tool.”
With more than 14,400 followers, Shelley keeps Emma’s story current by writing poetry — as Emma loves to do.
“It’s a private hurt as well as a public hurt. In my poetry, the pain is obvious. Some I don’t let anyone see because they are personal and deep.”
But people can look to that page and see her poetry. She writes monthly poems that attract even more people to the page.
What if Emma is being held without consent? Shelley has not received any ransom requests.
“This is obviously the nightmare scenario for everyone,” noted Iles. “In this case, I don’t think that is a likely situation, but until we find Emma we really can’t know where she is … so we will continue looking for Emma.”
Shelley’s level of frustration is mounting.
“I just don’t know where to turn. I’m at a loss and it’s the first time in a long time that I have felt at a loss. I would be happily walking the streets of Vancouver if I thought for a second if that’s where she was. But there is nothing to indicate that she’s anywhere ... I’m afraid people are going to forget that Emma is missing.”
The Victoria Police urge anyone with information about Emma who has not yet spoken to their investigators to come forward by calling (250) 995-7654. Those who wish to report what they know anonymously can call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Original article: https://www.insideottawavalley.com/news/ontario-cold-case-search-spans-the-country-for-missing-emma-fillipoff/article_a6a5238c-f7f4-5868-8c7d-5d9fac27e56f.html?
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