Details of the investigation into a foot found floating in Abyss Pool were released this week/Kurt Repanshek file
In the days leading up to the discovery of a partial foot floating in a sneaker in a Yellowstone National Park hot spring, two shoe soles were pulled from the spring, possible clues that the California man linked to the foot might have fallen into the iconic pool on the edge of Yellowstone Lake as much as a week before the foot was recovered.
That detail, and others, were contained in the incident report that rangers who responded to the matter filled out and which was released this week via a Freedom of Information Act request.
Back in November the park had announced that DNA tests had linked the foot to Il Hun Ro, 70, of Los Angeles. The foot and shoe were discovered floating in Abyss Pool in the West Thumb Geyser Basin on August 16. A concessions employeed had spotted it and reported it to rangers that morning.
Park investigators later said they believed Ro had fallen into the pool, which has a temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit, the morning of July 31. The newly released incident report noted that Ro had checked into the Canyon Village Lodge on July 30 and checked out the next day.
The ensuing investigation determined, to the best of investigators' knowledge, that no one saw Ro fall into the hot spring. No foul play occurred, and based on a lack of evidence, the circumstances surrounding the death of Ro remain unknown, the park's November release added.
According to the incident report, drones carrying cameras were used to peer into the depths of Abyss Pool for any sign of remains and to scan the surrounding landscape for any items. Rangers also searched Ro's vehicle, a blue Kia sedan, which held a wallet with Ro's identification and $447 in cash; his passport; a laptop computer; some photos; maps from Yellowstone as well as the Pacific Crest Trail; and a small book of poems that contained some handwritten notes.
There was no evidence to indicate Ro had committed suicide, the report noted.
