VT LIA SMITH: Missing from Middlebury College, VT - 17 Oct 2025 - Age 21 *Found Deceased*

State police, FBI join search for missing Middlebury College student

A large search involving border patrol agents also took place on Wednesday. Now, Vermont State Police said they are launching a "full scale" search on Thursday.

www.mynbc5.com

Vermont State Police, NYSP and FBI join search for missing Middlebury College student Lia Smith​

State police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are now involved in a search for a missing Middlebury College student.

Both Vermont State Police and New York State Police have joined in efforts to locate 21-year-old Lia Smith, along with members of the FBI, according to the latest update on the search.

Smith was last seen on campus on Friday night and was reported missing on Sunday.

The Middlebury Police Department has been trying to find Smith using ground searches and drones since then.

Lia's classmates are helping out too. Over 600 Middlebury students have joined an online 'GroupMe' to share updates. They are just happy to do their part in finding her.

"I feel like everyone has an obligation to show to everyone that's not part of the Middlebury community how we show up for our own" said freshman Leo Smith.

"We're a really small community," said senior Lucy Schembre. "Even if you don't know someone personally, you definitely know somebody who knows them, and you've definitely seen them around. It's very jarring for somebody who's supposed to be here, to not be here."

A large search involving Border Patrol Agents also took place on Wednesday. Now, Vermont State Police said they are launching a "full-scale" search on Thursday.

Vermont college student missing for nearly a week: Police

Lia Smith was last seen in a building on Middlebury College's campus on Friday at approximately 9 p.m., according to the Middlebury Police Department.

abcnews.go.com

Lia Smith, 21, a senior at Middlebury College, was reported missing on Sunday, according to police.

The California native was last seen in a building on campus on Friday at approximately 9 p.m., according to the Middlebury Police Department.


"The investigation into Lia's disappearance is active and ongoing," Vermont State Police said. "The Middlebury Police Department is receiving assistance from other law enforcement agencies, including VSP, the New York State Police, and the FBI."

Middlebury College said its Department of Public Safety is also assisting local police in the search.

"We will do everything we can to find Lia," Middlebury officials said in a statement to the school community on Monday. "She is a beloved member of our Middlebury family and there is nothing more important than the health, safety, and wellbeing of our students and of our entire community."

 

[GrandmaBear]

Private liberal arts college. Described as rural with 350 acres. First operating college in Vermont dating back to 1800. Still looking.

Not much info here yet. Hope she is found safe but almost a week already, not good.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Around 2,700 students.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Police converge on farm near Middlebury College

Vermont authorities are converging near a farm in Cornwall as the search continues for a Middlebury College student who has been missing for nearly a week.

www.wcax.com

Police converge on farm near Middlebury College​

Vermont authorities are converging near a farm in Cornwall as the search continues for a Middlebury College student who has been missing for nearly a week.

Lia Smith, a 21-year-old senior from Woodside, California, was last seen on campus on Friday and was reported missing on Sunday.

Vermont State Police, Middlebury Police, and other agencies are in an area near the Knoll, an organic farm just west the college’s campus. Authorities have set up a tent in the area but have provided no details on why they are focusing on that area.

A scheduled press conference with authorities scheduled for 3 p.m. was abruptly postponed.

 

[Tresir]

Oh no. Body found.

VSP: Body found during search for Middlebury College student Lia Smith | Vermont Business Magazine

vermontbiz.com

MIDDLEBURY, Vermont (Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025) Vermont State Police — During the ongoing search for Middlebury College student Lia Smith, members of the Vermont State Police Search and Rescue Team located a body in a field west of campus at about 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. The location is in the town of Cornwall near The Knoll, the college’s organic farm.
Police secured the area, and the Vermont State Police began a death investigation. The body will be brought to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington for an autopsy to confirm identity and determine the cause and manner of death. The autopsy is expected to be performed Friday, Oct. 24.
Initial investigation does not indicate that the death is suspicious.
State police investigators are leading the death investigation with assistance from the Middlebury Police Department and in coordination with the Vermont Attorney General’s Office. VSP will withhold the identity of the deceased individual until after the autopsy.
The Vermont State Police and Middlebury police thank the numerous local, state, federal and civilian agencies, Middlebury College personnel, and volunteers for their considerable assistance in this week’s search efforts.
No further details are currently available, and a media availability is not anticipated.
Update No. 2, 2:40 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025
The media availability regarding missing Middlebury College student Lia Smith originally scheduled for 3 p.m. today is postponed. The state police will provide an update when a rescheduled time is available.
No further information is available at this time.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Vermont State Police say body found in Cornwall is missing Middlebury College student Lia Smith

The body found at a farm in Cornwall on Thursday has been identified as Lia Smith, 21, a Middlebury College student reported missing for nearly a week.

www.mynbc5.com

Police locate body in search for missing Middlebury College student Lia Smith​

Police have located a body during their search for a Middlebury College student who has been missing for nearly a week.

The discovery came as the search for 21-year-old Lia Smith intensified after days of looking. Smith was last seen on campus on Friday night and was reported missing on Sunday.

On Thursday afternoon around 1:30 p.m., Vermont State Police said they located an unidentified body in a field west of the Middlebury College campus.

The location where the body was found is in the town of Cornwall near The Knoll, the college's organic farm.

Police said they secured the area and began a death investigation. At this time, officials are awaiting an autopsy to confirm the identity of the victim and to determine the cause and manner of death. That autopsy is scheduled to take place on Friday.

At this time, investigators said they do not believe the death is suspicious.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Vermont State Police say body found in Cornwall is missing Middlebury College student Lia Smith

The body found at a farm in Cornwall on Thursday has been identified as Lia Smith, 21, a Middlebury College student reported missing for nearly a week.

www.mynbc5.com

Vermont State Police say body found in Cornwall is missing Middlebury College student Lia Smith​

The body found at a farm in Cornwall on Thursday has been identified as Lia Smith, 21, a Middlebury College student reported missing for nearly a week.

Following an autopsy Friday, state police confirmed that Lia Smith had died by suicide at the Cornwall property.


If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Trained counselors are available 24/7.

 

[Tresir]

Very sad.

Who was Lia Smith? Tributes pour in as missing Vermont college student found dead

Lia Smith, a Middlebury College student and athlete, was discovered dead on Thursday, Oct 23. An autopsy report by the Vermont Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that the 21-year-old took her own life.

www.primetimer.com

 

[GrandmaBear]

How sad. And she was dealing with online bullying. I hope those people, likely young adults, feel awful--it's too bad there likely aren't any consequences they will face. I'm assuming of course this had to do with her feeling this desperate.