The official search for missing hiker Melissa McDevitt may have been called off in December, but the community has not given up.
McDevitt, age 38, is from North Carolina. She went missing while on a hike in Sea to Sea Regional Park, near the Sooke Potholes on Dec. 9, 2022.
She was captured on video walking through a parking lot in the area. Her car was found the next day at the Charters River/Hatchery parking lot on Sooke River Road.
The avid hiker is neurodivergent, has a small build and was last seen wearing a burgundy coloured long sleeved top, blue pants, and was carrying two hiking poles.
After over a week of searching, with the largest single day deployment of search and rescue teams from across BC in 10 years, sadly the effort was called off.
However, that’s not stopping hikers in the area from trying to find her.
A campaign on social media called “Mindful of Melissa” is asking people to continue to keep an eye out for any signs of the missing woman.
A poster from the campaign states that Melissa is believed to be somewhere in hiking range from the parking lot of Jack Brooks Hatchery.
“Please, as you hike in the area, be mindful of Melissa,” the poster reads.
It adds that if people would like to continue to search, to not go alone. And, if you do find any evidence, leave it in place, photograph it, note the location and call the Sooke RCMP at (250) 642-5241.
