Colin Devlin, the chef and owner of several well-regarded Williamsburg restaurants, was found dead in his car near a Pennsylvania cemetery on Thursday afternoon, having apparently shot himself, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The 42-year-old restaurateur reportedly went missing yesterday following a disheartening business meeting, in which he learned his restaurants—which include DuMont, DuMont Burger and, until recently, the Michelin-star honored Dressler—were facing financial problems.
Devlin's wife reportedly became concerned after receiving a text message earlier today asking her to take care of their children. She told officials that he could be heading to Pennsylvania, where they have a second home—and, apparently, a .38 caliber revolver.
Police confirmed to the paper that Devlin entered the Holland Tunnel on Wednesday at 3:15 p.m.
DuMont and DuMont Burger were trailblazers in the now robust farm-to-table movement, and Dressler, the most upscale of the three, was, according to our own John Del Signore, "one of the few great 'grown up' restaurants in the neighborhood, and when it opened there was nothing else like it on the Southside."
A sign posted to the door of Dressler, which abruptly shuttered last month, told of new ventures on the horizon in Clinton Hill and Prospect Heights.
If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide: do not leave the person alone, remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt, and call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.
