Julia Christine Devlin UVA lecturer remains missing one week after her crashed vehicle is found at Shenandoah National Park.
A University of Virginia lecturer is missing after her wrecked car was found in a park, authorities said. The woman who remains unaccounted for has been missing for over a week.
Julia Christine Devlin, 55, who works in the college’s economics department, was last seen on security footage in her white Lexus sedan entering Shenandoah National Park in Charlottesville on July 14, park officials said in a Facebook post.
Three days later, the smashed sedan was discovered off Skyline Drive in the park — with Devlin nowhere to be found, officials said.
The National Park Service has launched a search with help from the state’s Department of Emergency Services.
The operation is focusing on the southern portion of the park where her car was found, authorities said.
Body of missing missing UVA lecturer found in Shenandoah National Park
#NEW update from @ShenandoahNPS: Julia Devlin is still missing. Her car was found wrecked off of Skyline Drive on Saturday. They have wrapped up their search on the ground in spaces of the highest probability and have been investigating behind the scenes as well- so far no clues. pic.twitter.com/6sLMwbeWHa
— Riley Wyant (@rileywyantTV) July 21, 2021
Foul play?
‘Shenandoah National Park officials urge the public to avoid the area. Due to the ongoing investigation and search dogs activity, the Park is not recruiting volunteers,’ park officials said.
Clair Comer with Shenandoah National Park would not say where on the drive the car was found, with WINA reporting it’s part of the investigation. Comer also could not say whether foul play was suspected.
A close friend of Devlin is calling her disappearance heartbreaking WVIR reported.
She did not want to say much without the family being involved, but says Julia would never just vanish, and would not go this long without contacting her mother or her sister.
UVA spokesman Brian Coy said the college is hoping for her safe return and urged anyone who has information about her disappearance to contact the authorities.
A regard of Devlin’s linkldn account includes her having been a fellow at the Brookings institute, an economist at the World Bank, and has lectured/taught at UVA, Harvard, Georgetown.
Julia Devlin is described as being 5’7” tall, 150 pounds and has dark blonde hair.
If anyone has seen Ms. Devlin or has any information about her disappearance, please contact the Albemarle County Sheriff’s Office at 434-972-4001.
