New updates about missing UVA lecturer from Charlottesville

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - NBC29 is learning more about a Charlottesville woman gone missing in Shenandoah National Park after finding her car wrecked.

It has now been a week since 55-year old Julia Christine Devline, a lecturer for the Economics Department at the University of Virginia, was last seen.

Albemarle County Sheriff Chan Bryant says the investigation is now in the hands of rangers at SNP.

Her white Lexus sedan was found on Saturday wrecked off Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park.

SNP Specialist Claire Comer says they concluded their search in the highest probability areas on the ground, and have been working behind to investigate what may have happened. She says so far, they have no answers.

#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

A close friend of Devlin is calling her disappearance heartbreaking.

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 Spokesperson Brian Coy says the university is hoping for her safe return and encourages anyone who has information to contact the authorities right away.

If you have any information about Julia Devlin or her whereabouts, give the park service a call at (540)-999-3500.

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