A man has killed himself while authorities searched for his missing wife. According to Albemarle County Police Department, 51-year-old Robert Gerald Shifflett contacted ACPD to report his wife, 50-year-old Kristie Powell Shifflett, missing on March 22, 2024. Robert Shifflett reported he last saw his wife at their residence on March 21.

Around 12:22 p.m. on March 24, Mrs. Shifflett’s vehicle was found abandoned in a remote field in western Albemarle County. Following the discovery, ACPD detectives met with Mr. Shifflett to obtain additional information. Based on the information gathered, the investigation transitioned from a missing persons case to a potential homicide.

Around 8:39 a.m. on March 24, 2024, ACPD responded to the Rockgate Cemetery in Crozet for a report of an unresponsive male. At the scene, officers found the body of Robert Gerald Shifflett. It is believed he took his own life. On March 24, 2024, detectives identified a possible location of Mrs. Shifflett. At the location, ACPD and VSP investigators located a deceased individual in a makeshift grave in a remote area off Yellow Mountain Road.

It is believed that the body belongs to Kristie Powell Shifflett. The remains were taken to the Medical Examiner’s Office. No additional details are available at this time.