Search underway for 'very high-risk' missing woman after vehicle found near Sooke Potholes
Police and rescue volunteers are searching for an avid hiker whose vehicle was found abandoned Saturday at the Sooke Potholes, west of Victoria.
Melissa McDevitt, 38, last spoke to her family on Thursday. She was supposed to travel from Victoria to Vancouver to board a flight on Saturday but did not arrive, according to a release from the Victoria Police Department on Saturday.
"This is extremely out of the ordinary for Melissa and her family and officers have significant concerns for her well-being," police said.
"The circumstances under which she has gone missing are considered very high-risk."
On Monday, the Sooke RCMP said they were taking over the investigation from VicPD.
Police are working with Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue in an effort to find the woman.
Searchers were back in the area of the Sooke Potholes on Sunday and Monday where McDevitt's 2015 grey Subaru Forester with a North Carolina licence plate was found.
McDevitt's 2015 grey Subaru Forester with a North Carolina licence plate was found Saturday. (Victoria police)
The Sooke RCMP say surveillance video from the park shows McDevitt leaving the parking lot and entering a trail at the Sooke Potholes on Friday afternoon.
She was wearing blue pants, a burgundy long-sleeved top, and was carrying two hiking poles.
Melissa McDevitt is pictured on a surveillance camera at the Sooke Potholes on Dec. 9. (Sooke RCMP)
Victoria police say McDevitt enjoys hiking in the Sooke area and is often found on trails such as John Stick Peak, Malcolm, The Donald, Mike Hill, the Three Amigos, and Tony’s Triumph.
McDevitt is described as a white woman standing 5' tall, weighing 105 pounds, with a very small build. Police say she has alopecia and may be wearing a wig or have short, rainbow-coloured hair.
"Melissa is neurodivergent and may appear to show signs of cognitive delay," police said.
Anyone who sees McDevitt is asked to stay with her and call 911 immediately. Anyone who has seen McDevitt or her Subaru since Thursday is asked to contact their local police.
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