A intensive ground and air search by Sooke RCMP and Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue has yet to locate missing person Melissa McDevitt, 38, after she failed to board a scheduled flight out of Vancouver Friday to visit family in North Carolina.
McDevitt, 38, is from the United States but lives in Sooke. An avid hiker, she is often found at Sooke Potholes and nearby peaks and trails.
McDevitt’s parents in North Carolina last spoke to her on Thursday night. She planned to travel by ferry to Vancouver from Victoria, and board the United States-bound flight the next day but never arrived.
This is extremely out of the ordinary for McDevitt. Her family and police have significant concerns for her well-being, said Victoria police spokesman Bowen Osoko on Sunday. Her family is expected to travel here, he said.
McDevitt drives a 2015 grey Subaru Forester with a North Carolina plate. Once notified of her disappearance, police found her vehicle Saturday at a popular gravel parking lot for hikers at Sooke Potholes.
There are mild and moderate risk trails at Sooke Potholes but if a hiker gets lost off-trail that terrain can become challenging. Cold temperatures and precipitation and the breadth of the steep, forested and remote area have made the search challenging, said Osoko.
Victoria police were tasked with working with Canadian and U.S. agencies to determine whether McDevitt entered the U.S. by plane or other mode of transportation. They are looking for people who might have seen McDevitt from Thursday onward.
McDevitt is neuro-divergent and may initially appear to show signs of cognitive delay. She is described as Caucasian and petitie, standing five feet tall, slim, and weighing 105 pounds. She has alopecia but may be wearing a wig or have short, dyed, rainbow-coloured hair.
Anyone who may have seen McDevitt or her vehicle since Thursday are asked to call police at 250-995-7654 extension 1. Police are asking anyone who finds McDevitt to stay with her and call 911.
>>> To comment on this article, write a letter to the editor: [email protected]
