Using genetic sampling from family members, law enforcement officials have identified a foot found near the mouth of the Elwha River as belonging to Sequim resident Jerilyn (Jeri) L. Smith.
Smith, then 68, was reported missing on Jan. 7, 2018. Brian King, then the Clallam County Chief Criminal Deputy, said at the time they believe Smith jumped off the Elwha River Road bridge, located west of Port Angeles, and into the Elwha River.
Search and rescue crews in kayaks, on foot and in a Coast Guard helicopter, were unable to locate Smith’s body during two days of searching.
The foot was found inside a woman’s size 8 shoe near the mouth of the Elwha River in December 2021. Because of the limited recovery of remains, law enforcement officials said, they were unable to determine the victim’s age, ethnicity, height, weight, hair color or eye color.
Genetic testing was completed by Othram Labs in The Woodlands, Texas, to make the identification possible, Detective Sgt. Brian D. Knutson said in a press release on Feb. 21.
No other remains for Smith have been identified, Knutson said in an email.
Sheriff’s Office detectives contacted one of the surviving family members, who voluntarily provided a DNA sample that was sent to Othram Labs for comparison.
Surviving family members said they were grateful to the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, Othram Labs and the citizens who crowd-source funded the familial DNA work performed by the labs, the sheriff’s office press release noted.
“The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office would also like to thank all those who participated in funding the DNA research on this case that ultimately helped a family with having some (semblance) of closure during the grieved loss of their loved one,” sheriff’s office officials said.
Othram is an American corporation specializing in forensic genealogy to resolve unsolved murders, disappearances and identification of unidentified decedents or murder victims.
‘Heart and soul’ of chamber
In 2018, King said Smith had a long history of depression and suicidal thoughts.
But the lifelong Sequim resident, who served as the Sequim-Dungeness Chamber of Commerce’s office administrator for 17 years and was the 2009 Sequim Irrigation Festival grand marshal, was remembered for her buoyant personality.
Smith was “always supportive and always upbeat,” said the chamber’s executive director at the time, Shelli Robb-Kahler, “and if anyone was having a bad day or a volunteer was having a bad day or had some unfortunate thing happen or a member was struggling or something, she was always that constant source of support, and had a this-too-will-pass kind of attitude.”
Smith was survived by her husband Ronald Smith of 50 years, their four children and eight great-grandchildren. Family members said Smith had a deep faith and that she was reunited with another grandchild in heaven.
Smith worked as a property manager and bookkeeper for Smith Family Enterprises for 40 years, and afterward she spent time working as a secretary and/or receptionist at various businesses, as a bank customer representative, and as office manager and bookkeeper at Lynden Chamber of Commerce.
She then worked as the Sequim-Dungeness Chamber of Commerce’s office administrator for 17 years. Coworkers said even after retirement Smith continued to volunteer there.
“She definitely was the heart and soul of the chamber,” Robb-Kahler said.
Smith was selected as grand marshal of the 2009 Sequim Irrigation Festival.
