Murder on Machias Road? Not quite.

SNOHOMISH — Managing editor Mike Henneke texted me an assignment: “Investigate an attempted murder in progress.”

Seemed a little heavy for the irreverent “What’s Up” beat.

What’s up with that?

Turns out the victim wasn’t a person. It was a tree in Snohomish — a famous, fashionable one.

“I got a tip somebody’s trying to kill the Shoe Tree,” Henneke said. “Bales of hay are stacked up around it, and it looks like it’s been sprayed.”

He wouldn’t name the source.

“He doesn’t want to go on record,” Henneke said.

Come on, dude. This isn’t Crime Stoppers. What’s he afraid of — that someone will hurl a size 10 loafer at his head?

The informant claimed he’d done “several drive-bys.” I opted for a proper stakeout.

The Shoe Tree stands along South Machias Road, across from the Centennial Trail, between Bunk Foss Road and Highway 2.

Straw crunched at its base. Dead leaves drooped from some branches. The tree looked rougher than when I last saw it a decade ago. Then again, so do I.

Back in 2015, a reader asked me to check it out. Best I could dig up: the tree had been there for years, probably started by students. Many shoes still hang on for dear life.

Dozens of pairs dangle like funky fruit — sneakers, hiking boots, Oxfords, cleats. Some mossy, some rotting. Once-laced pairs now swing apart like an old married couple. Soles flap loose. Pink flip-flops fade in the sun. High up, a pair of blue New Balance shoes with orange laces caught my eye. Hmmm, I wouldn’t mind those.

RoadsideAmerica.com calls shoe trees “the greatest embodiment of the American Spirit you can find on the highway.” One dreamer tosses a pair, others follow. Soon it’s a cascade. The site lists trees in Georgia, Nevada, California, Maine, Michigan, Idaho and Indiana.

Summer leaves camouflage the shoes on the Machias Road tree. The nearest pullout is chained with a “No Trespassing” sign. I parked in front. No half-hearted drive-by for me.

Cars roared past. Cattle grazed, blissfully unaware of any “murder.” Nobody stopped to toss shoes. No fresh kicks in sight.

So I turned to modern detective work: Facebook.

Comments poured in:

“We always heard the rumor when I went to Snohomish High School that track students started the tradition 60+ years ago, tossing their shoes before state.”

“I remember it from when I was a kid 40 years ago.”

“I’ve lived in Snoho 28 years and it’s always been there. Loved that directions to my house included ‘past the Shoe Tree and sheriff’s posse.’”

“Put our family shoes on there about 10 years ago. So cool!”

Others had different takes:

“Those tan boots look in pretty good shape and appear to be about my size.”

“Don’t look too far into it. It’s no mystery. That bale of hay probably just fell off a truck.”

Some swore witness to sabotage: “I once saw a guy angrily yanking shoes down and throwing them in the road.”

Fans remain loyal:

“We’ve taken our children and now grandchildren to see the Shoe Tree. We love it.”

“I always thought it would make a great children’s story: a tree chosen to bear the weight of this spectacle.”

“It’s awesome in the fall when the leaves are gone and only the shoes hang.”

Then came this, from a Facebook post under the name Amy Marshall:

“We have owned it for a few years now and do our best to keep it accessible,” she wrote. “I can guarantee that no one is trying to kill it.”

She also had a PSA for drivers: “Y’all seem like you are in too big of a hurry these days, making Machias Road dangerous. Go the speed limit, take in the view. Maybe pull over respectfully, take a photo and enjoy looking at the cows.”

As for who threw the first shoe, Marshall said: “The most credible story is the track team started it. Years ago.”

So there you have it, Henneke. The Shoe Tree isn’t being murdered. It’s alive, well and fabulously accessorized.

The only true crime? Those high-hanging New Balances with orange laces aren’t on my feet.

Got a story for “What’s Up With That?” Hit me up at reporterbrown@gmail.com or 425-422-7598.