CO MEGAN TRUSSELL: Missing from Boulder, CO - 9 Feb 2025 - Age 18 *Found Deceased*

Police investigating after University of Colorado Boulder student goes missing

University of Colorado Boulder police and the FBI are looking for information on a student missing since Sunday.

www.cbsnews.com

Police investigating after University of Colorado Boulder student goes missing​

University of Colorado Boulder police and the FBI are looking for information on a student missing since Sunday.

According to police, Megan Trussell was last seen at her residence hall on Feb. 9. She was wearing a blue-grey jacket, dark-colored yoga pants, and white platform sneakers.

FBI involved in search for missing CU Boulder student

A University of Colorado Boulder student is missing and the FBI is now helping local and statewide agencies in the search for her.

www.denver7.com

FBI involved in search for missing CU Boulder student​

A University of Colorado Boulder student is missing and the FBI is now helping local and statewide agencies in the search for her.

Around noon on Thursday, CU Boulder posted on social media that its police department was trying to locate Megan Trussell, a student at the school. The FBI also posted online that it is assisting in the search for her.



Media - MEGAN TRUSSELL: Missing from Boulder, CO - 9 Feb 2025 - Age 18

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

https://kdvr.com/news/local/police-find-purse-belonging-to-cu-boulder-student-found-dead-in-boulder-canyon/

Police find purse belonging to CU Boulder student found dead in Boulder Canyon​

The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office provided a brief update on Tuesday about the death of 18-year-old Megan Trussell, reporting her purse was “recently recovered.”

Trussell, a University of Colorado Boulder student, was found dead near the 40-mile-marker of Boulder Canyon Drive on Feb. 15. Police said her body was found in “hard-to-reach terrain,” but did not identify her immediately, instead stating that the body’s description matched that of Trussell’s.

The agency said that while her purse has been recovered, they will not release details about the purse, including where it was found or what was in it. The sheriff’s office added that the investigation is ongoing.

The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office reiterated Tuesday that Trussell’s cause and manner of death will be determined by the Boulder County Coroner’s Office, but said “we still have no reason to believe that there is, or was, a threat to the community.”

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Mother of CU student found dead in Boulder Canyon says she was missing a shoe: “There was a struggle”

The body of Megan Trussell, 18, was found dead Feb. 15 in “hard-to-reach” terrain near the 40-mile marker of Boulder Canyon Drive.

www.denverpost.com

Mother of CU student found dead in Boulder Canyon says she was missing a shoe: “There was a struggle”​

The mother of a University of Colorado student who was found dead in Boulder Canyon last month wrote Tuesday night that her daughter was discovered with only one shoe and her purse was found ripped, leading her to believe “there was a struggle.”

The body of Megan Trussell, 18, was found dead Feb. 15 in “hard-to-reach” terrain near the 40-mile marker of Boulder Canyon Drive, just west of the intersection with Canyon Park.

On Tuesday, her mother, Vanessa Diaz, wrote in a Facebook post that her daughter was found wearing only one 3-inch platform tennis shoe.

Diaz wrote that she and trusted friends searched the area where Trussell was found this weekend and the other shoe was not there.

The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Tuesday that Trussell’s purse was found. An anonymous source confirmed with the Daily Camera on Tuesday that the purse was found at about 11 a.m. March 5 near U.S. 36, just southeast of Table Mesa Drive near Dry Creek Ditch Number 2, at least two miles from where her body was discovered.

Diaz wrote on Tuesday night that the side seam on the purse was ripped out and, having sewn the purse herself, she said she knew the seam was reinforced “very thoroughly.”

“Megan called her purse her ‘security blanket,’ and she would not have ditched it along with the prized possessions that she carried inside it. Someone ripped this purse from her,” Diaz wrote in the release.

“The damaged purse and the missing shoe lead me to believe there was a struggle, or, at the very least, another person with her when she died,” Diaz added.

The sheriff’s office did not confirm Tuesday whether foul play is suspected.

“Although the cause and manner of death has yet to be determined by the Boulder County Coroner’s Office, we still have no reason to believe that there is, or was, a threat to the community,” the sheriff’s office wrote in a news release.

Trussell’s final autopsy report has not yet been completed, according to the Boulder County Coroner’s Office.

 

[Guess Who]

Mother of CU student found dead in Boulder Canyon says she was missing a shoe: “There was a struggle”

The body of Megan Trussell, 18, was found dead Feb. 15 in “hard-to-reach” terrain near the 40-mile marker of Boulder Canyon Drive.

www.denverpost.com

Mother of CU student found dead in Boulder Canyon says she was missing a shoe: “There was a struggle”​

The mother of a University of Colorado student who was found dead in Boulder Canyon last month wrote Tuesday night that her daughter was discovered with only one shoe and her purse was found ripped, leading her to believe “there was a struggle.”

The body of Megan Trussell, 18, was found dead Feb. 15 in “hard-to-reach” terrain near the 40-mile marker of Boulder Canyon Drive, just west of the intersection with Canyon Park.

On Tuesday, her mother, Vanessa Diaz, wrote in a Facebook post that her daughter was found wearing only one 3-inch platform tennis shoe.

Diaz wrote that she and trusted friends searched the area where Trussell was found this weekend and the other shoe was not there.

The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Tuesday that Trussell’s purse was found. An anonymous source confirmed with the Daily Camera on Tuesday that the purse was found at about 11 a.m. March 5 near U.S. 36, just southeast of Table Mesa Drive near Dry Creek Ditch Number 2, at least two miles from where her body was discovered.

Diaz wrote on Tuesday night that the side seam on the purse was ripped out and, having sewn the purse herself, she said she knew the seam was reinforced “very thoroughly.”

“Megan called her purse her ‘security blanket,’ and she would not have ditched it along with the prized possessions that she carried inside it. Someone ripped this purse from her,” Diaz wrote in the release.

“The damaged purse and the missing shoe lead me to believe there was a struggle, or, at the very least, another person with her when she died,” Diaz added.

The sheriff’s office did not confirm Tuesday whether foul play is suspected.

“Although the cause and manner of death has yet to be determined by the Boulder County Coroner’s Office, we still have no reason to believe that there is, or was, a threat to the community,” the sheriff’s office wrote in a news release.

Trussell’s final autopsy report has not yet been completed, according to the Boulder County Coroner’s Office.

If the purse she is talking about is the same one shown in the last known pic of her, it looks like it might have many weak spots that might have ripped easily whether in a struggle, just plain gave out or animal activity. Animal activity might also explain the missing shoe. I'm not convinced in any way on this one yet.

The only part that bothers me so far is that she was last seen by boyfriend. Was he not concerned about not hearing from her for a couple of days or not?

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Megan Trussell's cause of death released by Boulder County Coroner's Office, death ruled a suicide

The Boulder County Coroner's Office has released their findings for the cause of death for Megan Trussell, an 18-year-old University of Colorado Boulder student who was found deceased on Feb. 15.

www.denver7.com

Megan Trussell's cause of death released by Boulder County Coroner's Office, death ruled a suicide​

The Boulder County Coroner's Office has released their findings for the cause of death for Megan Trussell, an 18-year-old University of Colorado Boulder student who was found deceased on Feb. 15.

In a press release published on Tuesday morning, Boulder County Coroner Jeff Martin stated that his office "has issued an opinion that Megan Trussell died as the result of the toxic effects of amphetamine, and exposure to a cold environment (hypothermia) contributed to her death."

He reported that the manner of death was ruled a suicide.

“Our opinion was based on several factors including but not limited to toxicology results and the presence of undigested prescription medication found during the examination," Martin said.

On Tuesday, the sheriff's office, coroner's office and district attorney's office said they had found no evidence that she was harmed or killed by another person.

“We understand this investigation took longer than many hoped,” said Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson in the press release. “This outcome is heartbreaking, and our hope is that the findings may bring some closure to Megan’s loved ones and to the broader community. Our office typically refrains from releasing detailed information in suicide cases out of respect for the family and to prevent further harm, but we are sharing additional details due to the widespread public concern."

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/megan-trussell-death-parents-challenge-coroner-investigation-conclusion/73-083a7087-816f-4b83-8df7-54137a1ddf10

Parents challenge coroner's conclusion on death of CU student​

The parents of Megan Trussell, an 18-year-old University of Colorado freshman found dead in Boulder Canyon in February, disputed a coroner’s finding that Trussell died by suicide.

In an interview with 9NEWS, Vanessa Diaz and Joe Trussell laid out what they believe were problems with the investigation – arguing that investigators with the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office seemed convinced Trussell’s death was a suicide from the beginning and lacked curiosity about other potential causes of death.

“We just got the impression that ... maybe they were either over their heads or too busy with other cases to give this case the attention that it deserved,” Trussell said. “There was a conversation in which we were told that, based on the evidence that they had, they believed that it was a suicide, and that was two weeks after Megan was found. So, it seemed like kind of a rush to judgment.”



Trussell’s parents said during their meeting with the coroner Tuesday they were informed their daughter had bruising on the back of her head, chipped teeth and blunt force trauma, though they noted the coroner didn’t believe those injuries were contributing factors in her death.

“That, to me, also sounds like a struggle or something that was happening to her against her will, like shoving pills down her throat and holding her mouth with force to cause bruising on her head,” Diaz said.

She also noted Trussell was missing a shoe when she was found, but her sock showed no signs she had been walking on it – which seemed odd to her mother, especially in the rocky area where the family was told her body was found.

“So, where’s the shoe?” Diaz asked.

The parents say their daughter had never shown any signs of self-harm in the past and seemed to be in a good place.

“Never once did she ever self-harm, self-medicate, contemplate anything,” her father said. “She was a very resilient young woman, and she absolutely loved college. She loved it. She would text me once every couple of weeks and just say ‘college rules.’”

The parents said now that the official police investigation is over, they plan on having someone take a second look at the autopsy and are considering hiring a private investigator to give their daughter’s case a fresh look.

“This is a long game for us,” Joe Trussell said. “We're not going to stop. Eventually we will get answers, no matter how long it takes. We're in it for good.”

 

[GrandmaBear]

I HATE these kinds of cases and I don't think suicide should ever rule if not very clear.

Of course we don't know all like life and the tox.

I'm sorry though, I'd be no different than the parents unless more is know about something or another or issues she was having.

Also, well, I hear Boulder and I sure don't feel assured.

If she fell of her own choice, jumped, whatever, her shoe should be found imo.

I'm just not okay when cases like this are ruled this way and likely never will be. They should be undetermined if anything or enough answers give to satisfy some odd things here.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

https://kdvr.com/news/local/family-of-missing-cu-boulder-student-found-dead-offering-1k-to-unhoused-community-for-tips/

Family of missing CU Boulder student found dead offering $1K to unhoused community for tips​

The family of Megan Trussell, a University of Colorado Boulder student whose body was found in Boulder Canyon back in February, is now packaging essential hygiene items to distribute to the unhoused community.

They hope it will help advertise a $1,000 reward for any leads or tips on what happened. This comes after the Boulder County Coroner’s Office ruled Megan’s death a suicide.

Vanessa Diaz, Megan’s mother, is challenging that saying she believes her daughter’s case has been mishandled. She’s hoping the care packages will help raise awareness about the 18-year-old’s case and uncover new information she believes could bring her closer to the truth.

In just two hours, the community bought all the items on the wishlist. Originally, the family planned to hand out 50 packages, but now that number has quadrupled to 200.


She has all of her daughter’s information, documents and any updates documented in a binder.


“There’s 66 reports altogether. More than 250 pages,” she said.

She says every time she reads through them, she finds something new and appalling

“They never tested the fingernail clippings. They never tested the neck swabs. They never tested anything. Nothing so part of our next steps is demand that that be tested,” said Diaz.

She’s not alone. Sen. Janice Marchman, who represents most of Larimer County as well as Loveland, Estes Park and Berthoud, sent a letter to Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser earlier this month, seeking his office’s attention to Trussell’s death. She said that the circumstances surrounding the 18-year-old’s death are concerning.

“While I recognize that, as a legislator, I do not have oversight over locally elected officials such as sheriffs or coroners, I do believe the state has a responsibility to ensure that forensic standards, investigatory protocols, and access to state-level resources – like the CBI – are equitably applied, especially in cases involving youth, vulnerable individuals, or suspicious circumstances,” Marchman wrote to Weiser’s office.

She said that the Boulder law enforcement’s delay in requesting the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s involvement, despite the requests made by family and the community, in addition to a lack of clear protocols for ensuring minimum forensic procedures before ruling a death a suicide and lack of testing on forensic evidence, including a tarp, bruising and undigested pills, that Marchman said appear to have not been tested nor publicly addressed.

Diaz and her friend Leah Schultz-Bartlett started collecting essential hygiene items to package and give out to the unhoused community. They feel they may hold the answers to what truly happened to Megan.

“Our goal is also to provide information in those bags as well with a picture of Megan and information about the tipline,” said Leah. ” So, if anyone saw anything, knows anything, to report that and there will be some cash also involved for tips leading to any more information to help with the case.”

“There’s somebody, people out there, that knows what happened,” said Diaz.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Well, can't say as I blame them. I don't think such or any ruling should ever be made unless all is done to be sure. It does not sound as if it was.

I get parents can find such a finding hard to accept but I don't think I would accept it if they didn't make sure of everything either.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Boulder coroner releases Megan Trussell stomach test results, reaffirms suicide ruling

On July 16, the coroner’s office published an updated autopsy report with the results of the tests on Trussell’s stomach contents.

boulderreportinglab.org

Coroner’s office publishes results of Megan Trussell’s stomach tests, reaffirms suicide ruling​

For months, the parents of Megan Trussell, an 18-year-old CU Boulder student who went missing in February, have questioned the Boulder County Coroner Office’s determination that Trussell died by suicide.

The coroner’s office issued an opinion that Trussell died “as a result of the toxic effects of amphetamine” — a key ingredient in Adderall — with hypothermia as a contributing factor. They based their suicide determination largely on the high level of amphetamine in Trussell’s blood and the “abundant” volume of pill material found in her stomach. Trussell’s parents were skeptical that the extremely high volume of pill material in Trussell’s stomach — approximately 150 milliliters — was Adderall, and pushed to have their daughter’s stomach contents tested.

On July 16, the coroner’s office published an updated autopsy report with the results of the tests on Trussell’s stomach contents. The tests confirmed only the presence of amphetamine and ethanol that was “consistent with degradation of biological material … (decomposition).” The amphetamine levels also tested much higher in the stomach — 1,700,000 ng/mL compared to 1,900 ng/mL in blood tests. The coroner’s office maintained that the amphetamine caused Trussell’s death and that the manner of death was suicide.

“The only fatal condition is that her entire upper esophagus and stomach was filled with pill material. It’s the most I’ve ever seen in my 14 years of experience,” Boulder County Forensic Pathologist Meredith Frank told Trussell’s parents in a June 4 meeting, based on a recording obtained by Boulder Reporting Lab.

 

[ima.grandma]

BOULDER, Colo. — The family of Megan Trussell, a University of Colorado student whose body was found in Boulder Canyon in February, gathered on Pearl Street during parents' weekend to raise awareness about her death and push for authorities to reopen the case that investigators ruled a suicide.

Trussell was reported missing in February, and her body was discovered days later near the 40-mile marker of Boulder Canyon. Boulder County investigators determined Trussell died by suicide, but her family has criticized the police investigation and conducted their own work, including tracking down her missing cellphone themselves.

"I will never know what happened exactly to Megan, especially since they aren't investigating, but maybe we can prevent it from happening again by spreading awareness," said Vanessa Diaz, Trussell's mother.

The family chose parents' weekend at CU to share Trussell's story with a wider audience, hoping to reach families unfamiliar with the case.

"There are a lot of families, parents here who have never been to Boulder, first time experiencing CU….and they haven't heard about the story," Diaz said.

For Diaz, returning to Boulder brings painful reminders of her daughter's death.

"Every time I come up to Boulder, I get a feeling of panic and worry so much for the kids that I see walking on the path that Megan walked on, and I think, you never know," she said.

Rebecca Perez, Trussell's cousin, joined the family's efforts on Pearl Street, explaining the contrast between other families enjoying time with their college students and their own loss.

"This weekend, all these parents are here spending time with their CU student," Perez said. "Unfortunately, my aunt can't do that."

The family distributed flyers containing Trussell's story and a QR code linking to a petition that will be sent to Gov. Jared Polis, requesting that authorities reopen her case. The family is seeking official acknowledgment from local authorities about what they believe happened to their daughter.

"I would like Boulder County and the City of Boulder to recognize and acknowledge that something very horrible happened to Megan," Diaz said.

While the family acknowledges their efforts cannot bring Trussell back, they continue pursuing what they see as justice.
"It's not going to bring her back, but I really want that justice for her," Perez said.

The case has drawn attention throughout Colorado, with the family maintaining that more investigation is needed despite the official ruling. The family's petition to the governor represents their continued effort to have the case reopened and thoroughly investigated.

Trussell was participating in parents' weekend events the year before her death, making this year's gathering particularly poignant for her family as they work to prevent similar tragedies while seeking answers about their daughter's death

Family of Megan Trussell raises awareness about her death, pushes for case to reopen

Megan Trussell's family rallied in Boulder to push for reopening her case, challenging the suicide ruling.

www.9news.com

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Parents of CU freshman Megan Trussell prepare for independent review of their daughter's case

The parents of Megan Trussell, an 18-year-old University of Colorado Boulder student who was found deceased last February, are preparing for an independent review of their daughter's case.

www.denver7.com

Parents of CU freshman Megan Trussell prepare for independent review of their daughter's case​

The parents of Megan Trussell, an 18-year-old University of Colorado Boulder student who was found deceased last February, are preparing for an independent review of their daughter's case.

Vanessa Diaz and Joe Trussell spoke outside the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) headquarters in Lakewood on Saturday.

"It's been hard. Not a day goes by that I don't wake up missing her," Diaz said.

“Our opinion was based on several factors including but not limited to toxicology results and the presence of undigested prescription medication found during the examination," Martin said at the time.

The sheriff's office, coroner's office and district attorney's office said they had found no evidence that she was harmed or killed by another person.

However, her Trussell's parents stress there are serious gaps in the investigation, from a lack of video surveillance to her autopsy findings.

"What I'm hoping here will happen is that there are people who can take an outside look and really see what I see as confirmation bias throughout the entire investigation, from the minute she went missing," Diaz said.

In a statement Friday, the Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson said, "We welcome the independent review and stands by the thoroughness and outcome of its investigation."

To get to this point, Trussell's family invoked a Colorado law that requires a review when an Indigenous person's death is ruled a suicide or overdose under suspicious circumstances.

Standing alongside the family, State Senator Janice Marchman (D-Boulder) said it shouldn't be up to a family to request such reviews. Therefore, she's working on two new pieces of legislation.

One bill would make it mandatory for CBI to contact families when there's a missing or murdered Indigenous relative. A second would create a rapid alert system for young adults who go missing.

Colorado Bureau of Investigation to review case on death of Megan Trussell

The Colorado Department of Public Safety and Colorado Bureau of Investigation have agreed to a statutory case review into the death of Megan Trussell.

www.cbsnews.com

Colorado Bureau of Investigation to review case on death of Megan Trussell​

The Colorado Department of Public Safety and Colorado Bureau of Investigation have agreed to a statutory case review into the death of Megan Trussell.

Although law enforcement has maintained that her death was from suicide and prescription drug misuse, her family has continued to dispute that claim. The area where Trussell's body was found is known for encampments, and her family launched a campaign to connect with the unhoused community in the hopes it may lead to information about her death.

At her parents' request, CDPS and CBI agreed to conduct an independent review of the case. Under Colorado Revised Statutes (C.R.S.) § 24-33.5-2602(2)(c)(II), an independent review is required for cases involving Indigenous persons, like Trussell, whose deaths were ruled a suicide or overdose under suspicious circumstances.

"CDPS and the CBI are committed to fulfilling their statutory duties under Colorado law. The Division of Criminal Justice, Office of the Liaison of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives, continues to work with all families in need of support and assistance as they navigate through the loss of a family member," CBI said in a release Friday.

CBI said this will be only a review of the case, not a re-investigation. They said that county, local and university law enforcement do not object to the review.

The Boulder County Sheriff's Office released a statement saying they will be "making the entire case file available to CBI."