It is 6 years since Emma Fillipoff disappeared from the streets of Victoria.
It was on the night of November 28, 2012 police officers were called to help a barefoot, disoriented woman in front of the Empress Hotel. After determining the 26 year old was okay, they let her go. It was the last time she was seen.
Now a new lead has surfaced from a man who says he gave a ride to a woman matching Emma's description. He says she wanted a ride to a friend's home in Colwood, but he was only able to take her as far as Admirals and Craigflower.
Emma's mother Shelley is encouraged:
" Based on that tip I've talked to William myself, and I do believe that it was in fact Emma that he gave a ride to. So based on that, we are conducting a ground search, actually this coming weekend."
The search area will encompass a wide area from the Craigflower Bridge and Portage Inlet to Goldstream and Thetis Lake. Kim Cooper, a renowned dog handler from Ontario, is flying to Victoria to take part in the search:
" A woman from Ottawa who runs a company known as 'Best Friends' and she's a dog trainer and an instructor. And she will be arriving in Victoria late Friday night, I believe. She and her dog will be searching those areas Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.
A GoFundMe page has been started to help pay for the dog handler's costs.
Meantime Victoria Police say Emma may have been suffering from an undiagnosed mental health issue the night she went missing, and assure her disappearance continues to be actively investigated by Major Crime Detectives.
Detective Constable Dawndra Tolsma encourages anybody with any information to contact them on their non-emergency line (250-995-7654), or contact your local police department.
Information can also be anonymously passed along through Crime Stoppers (1-800-222-TIPS (8477).