Latest news with #MeganTrussell
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Missing girl's death sparks mystery in the desert as parents reject coroner's suicide claims
The death of a University of Colorado freshman who went missing in the Boulder Canyon desert has been ruled a suicide - but her parents say they don't believe she killed herself. Megan Trussell, 18, was discovered four months ago in a 'hard-to-reach' area of the snow-packed desert after she disappeared from her dorm room on February 9. In a newly released coroner's report, it was ruled that Trussell died 'as the result of the toxic effects of amphetamines', with hypothermia also found to be a contributing factor as she laid in heavy snow in the desert. The Boulder County Coroner Jeff Martin also found 'undigested prescription medication' in her system that they said validated their conclusion that the 18-year-old took her own life. But while investigators say they have 'found no evidence to suggest that Megan was physically harmed or killed by another person', Trussell's parents Joe Trussell and Venessa Diaz say they do not accept the official findings. The grieving parents say their daughter's death still has many unanswered questions, including why her purse was found miles from her body, why Megan had mysterious injuries, and why she was missing a shoe that has never been found. '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,' Joe told 9News Denver. He said investigators appeared to decide it was a suicide just two weeks after Megan was found, and officials 'rushed to judgement' instead of looking into other theories. Trussell's loved ones say they have no answers as to why she left her dorm room on February 9, as surveillance footage saw her leaving campus in dark yoga pants, a blue jacket and white sneakers. She was reported missing three days later, and her body was found in a remote area near Boulder Canyon Drive just outside Denver on February 15. Police say that when her body was discovered, it was in 'hard-to-reach terrain, requiring a technical evacuation including the need to rappel.' In the coroner's report released on Tuesday, it was ruled that the 18-year-old suffered severe hypothermia when she died in a creek near the road. Martin admitted in his findings released four months after her body was found that his investigation took longer than expected, but hoped that the 'heartbreaking' findings would bring closure to her family. But Trussell's parents say it has done the opposite, as they allege that a number of mysterious factors were not resolved by the report. 'There's too much outstanding evidence, too many strings attached [and] too many things that don't add up with her behavior with her history [and] with where she was found,' her father said. Megan's parents said they didn't know until Tuesday morning that their daughter suffered injuries including bruising on the back of her head, chipped teeth and blunt force trauma. The coroner called them to inform them of the injuries, but said he did not believe they contributed to her death, a conclusion that her parents say they are not convinced by. 'That, to me, also sounds like a struggle or something that was happening to her against her will,' her mother said. The evidence of undigested prescription pills was also called into question by the parents, who say investigators didn't look into the possibility that someone 'shoved pills down her throat and held her mouth shut with force, causing bruising on her head.' One of Megan's white shoes that she was wearing when she left campus has also never been found, alongside her phone that was initially missing. Police reportedly stopped looking for the phone as they surmised that it had fallen down a creek, but one of Megan's friends did their own investigating and found the device before cops did. They discovered that the phone had been sold in a smartphone kiosk, which was found to have been sold by 50-year-old homeless man Elliot Michael Beafore. Megan's phone was missing, but after cops decided it was likely lost in a creek, one of the teen's friends reportedly discovered it had been sold in a smartphone kiosk. Cops charged a homeless man with stealing the phone and selling it, but say he had no contact with the teen Megan's parents said they didn't know until Tuesday morning that their daughter suffered injuries including bruising on the back of her head, chipped teeth and blunt force trauma, which investigators decided did not contribute to her death Megan's family have launched a fundraiser to pay for private forensic testing in the hopes of finding new evidence that would lead cops to re-open her case However, police do not believe Beafore ever had contact with Trussell, but did charge him with stealing the student's phone and with false declarations to a pawnbroker. The homeless man told cops he got the phone from another homeless man, and investigators said they traced the back-and-forth and decided neither man had any contact with Trussell. The tragic death is now concluded in the eyes of officials, but Megan's family have launched a campaign to re-examine the case. In a GoFundMe set up by her loved ones, over $70,000 has been raised so far to pay for a private lab investigation to obtain 'comprehensive forensic testing of evidence.' A $1,000 reward was also set up for information leading to Megan's shoe, a 'critical piece of the puzzle' to determining what happened to her, the fundraiser says. The family say they hope to uncover more evidence that would force investigators to re-open their investigation.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Yahoo
Body found in search for missing University of Colorado student
Feb. 17 (UPI) -- A body matching the description of a University of Colorado Boulder student, reported missing last week, was found in "hard-to-reach terrain" over the weekend in Boulder Canyon, according to police. The body, which has yet to be identified, was located Saturday at the 40-mile mark of Boulder Canyon Drive following a coordinated search for Megan Trussell. Trussell, 18, was last seen in her dormitory on Feb. 9, wearing a blue or gray jacket, dark red yoga-style pants and white sneakers, according to the university. She was declared missing Thursday by campus police. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation issued a Missing Indigenous Person Alert on Friday, in a post on X, showing a photo of Trussell and the "distinct blue purse with pink star" that she was carrying when she was last seen. Boulder Canyon Drive was closed Saturday as investigators recovered the body from "hard-to-reach terrain, requiring a technical evacuation including the need to rappel," according to the sheriff's office. With the road closure, "investigators were able to recover the decedent, conduct the investigation and provide safety of first responders working in the area due to hazardous road conditions created by the weather." "The decedent's name is not being released at this time, pending identification confirmation and notification of next of kin," the sheriff's office added in a statement. "The Boulder County Coroner's Office will also determine the cause and manner of death." A strong storm system brought heavy snow to parts of Colorado over the weekend. A family friend told Denver7 that Trussell "wasn't much of a hiker." "It is very perplexing how she just seems to have disappeared," Judy Brocato said. "It doesn't make sense. So, we're just trying to piece that together." "The loss of a member of our community impacts our campus," the University of Colorado said in a statement as administrators announced the discovery of the body matching Trussell. "Our hearts go out to family, friends and community members of those that we lose. We also have support resources available in the coming days, weeks and months to support community members as they process grief."
The Independent
17-02-2025
- The Independent
Body found during search for missing college student Megan Trussell
The body of missing college student Megan Trussell has been found in a precarious woodland, in a 'hard-to-reach' spot, police in Colorado believe. Trussell, 18, a freshman at the University of Colorado in Boulder, was last seen on the evening of February 9 on surveillance video close to her college dorms. Her mother, Vanessa Diaz, later said she'd been on her way to her sister's apartment in the city but 'didn't go there [and] she never arrived.' Now, police revealed that the believe they have located her body above Boulder Canyon Drive Saturday, in a rural patch off of Highway 119 – just a 20-minute drive from the college campus. Boulder County Sheriff's Office authorities revealed that at 10:41 a.m. Saturday, they received a call from Boulder park rangers regarding the discovery of a deceased female. When police arrived they confirmed the body matched Trussell's description. The girl's body was said to have been recovered from a 'hard-to-reach' spot that required 'a technical evacuation including the need to rappel.' Officials also shared that the search terrain had been challenging due to hazardous road conditions created by the weather. Her identity, cause, and manner of death, are yet to be confirmed by the Boulder County Coroner's Office. A family friend of the Trussells, Judy Brocato, told Denver7 that earlier on Saturday, Megan's phone had last pinged in the canyon twice, one at around 10:45 p.m., and another at 11:55 p.m. the day she vanished. Investigators believe her phone remained there throughout the week. On the night she went missing, the 18-year-old had been wearing 'big white platform sneakers.', shared Brocato. "It is very perplexing how she just seems to have disappeared. It doesn't make sense. So, we're just trying to piece that together", she said. Police decided to enforce a shutdown of the highway while a search was underway from around 11:30 a.m. Saturday, along with the 2.6-mile Boulder Canyon Trail – both reopened shortly after 4 p.m., according to the Boulder County Parks & Open Space Rangers. Multiple law enforcement agencies including the Boulder County Sheriff's Office, the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, the FBI, and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation were involved in the search effort. A vigil for Trussell will be held a short distance from where the discovery was made will be held on Tuesday, her family has said. 'This will be a time for reflection, sharing memories, and honoring her legacy. We welcome anyone who wishes to pay their respects', Diaz wrote. A close family friend mourned the loss of Trussell, calling her by the nickname 'Megan-cita' and describing how she'd watched the 18-year-old cradle her children when they were just infants and praised her guitar-playing skills and ability to speak Spanish. 'I can't believe she's gone. The tragedy of such a young woman with her life in front of her breaks my heart', shared the friend. The Independent contacted the coroner for an update.
USA Today
17-02-2025
- USA Today
Body matching missing University of Colorado Boulder student Megan Trussell recovered
Body matching missing University of Colorado Boulder student Megan Trussell recovered Show Caption Hide Caption Coast Guard joins rescue of missing woman in state park The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a 64-year-old woman who was missing in Shore Acres State Park in Oregon for three days. A body matching the description of a University of Colorado student who went missing last week was found in a "hard-to-reach" area of Boulder Canyon, authorities said. City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks rangers alerted authorities shortly after 10:40 a.m. local time on Saturday that a deceased female was discovered near the 40-mile marker of Boulder Canyon, the Boulder County Sheriff's Office said. When investigators arrived at the scene, they found a body that matched the description of 18-year-old Megan Trussell, who went missing on Feb. 9. A GoFundMe page on Sunday transitioned from helping find her to memorializing her. "We will always cherish the memories of Megan's vibrant spirit and the love she shared with us," the organizer wrote. "The decedent's name is not being released at this time, pending identification confirmation and notification of next of kin," the sheriff's office said in a statement Saturday. "The Boulder County Coroner's Office will also determine the cause and manner of death." The body was found in "hard-to-reach terrain" that required first responders to rappel and conduct a technical evacuation, according to the sheriff's office. Missing University of Colorado student last seen on campus Trussell was last seen on Feb. 9 at around 10 p.m. on the University of Colorado Boulder campus, according to several law enforcement agencies. Authorities described her as an indigenous female with red hair and brown eyes. She was last seen at her residence hall on campus, wearing a blue or gray jacket, dark-colored or red yoga-style pants and white platform sneakers, authorities said. She was also carrying a "distinct" blue purse with a pink star, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. The CU Boulder Police Department reported Trussell's disappearance on Thursday and said the department was working with "local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and first responders on campus, on the ground and in the air." The FBI's field office in Denver also said it was assisting in the search for her. On Friday, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation issued a statewide Missing Indigenous Person Alert for Trussell. A family friend of the Trussell family, Judy Brocato, told television station Denver7 that Trussell's phone had pinged in Boulder Canyon the night she disappeared. Brocato had helped with the volunteer search on Saturday. Brocato noted that Trussell "wasn't much of a hiker" and that it was cold that evening, according to Denver7. A strong storm system has blanketed parts of Colorado over the weekend, bringing cold temperatures and periods of heavy snow over, the National Weather Service in Boulder said. "It is very perplexing how she just seems to have disappeared," she told Denver7. "It doesn't make sense. So, we're just trying to piece that together." Missing Alabama realtor: Ronald Dumas, missing over 2 months, now believed abducted, 'in danger' Investigation and recovery of remains A stretch of Boulder Canyon Drive, also known as Highway 119, was temporarily closed between the city of Boulder and the town of Nederland during the investigation, the Colorado Department of Transportation said. The Boulder Canyon Trail, a 2.6 mile trail that runs along Boulder Creek and Boulder Canyon Drive, was also temporarily closed, according to Boulder County Parks and Open Space. The trail reopened shortly after 4 p.m. on Saturday. The road closure allowed "investigators access to recover the decedent, conduct the investigation, and for the safety of first responders working in the area due hazardous road conditions created by the weather," the sheriff's office said. Several local agencies and volunteer groups assisted in the investigation, which is being led by the Boulder County Sheriff's Office and the Boulder County Coroner's Office.
