A body has been located in a ‘hard to reach’ spot off a canyon one week after a freshman at the University of Colorado Boulder went missing.
Authorities announced Saturday that the body, which was located at around 10.41am near the 40-mile marker of Boulder Canyon Drive, matched the description of missing student Megan Trussell, 18, Denver 7 reports.
It was found in a ‘hard to reach’ area, that required deputies with the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office to rappel down to a canyon.
But authorities had been scouring the area for days – using search and rescue dogs, drones and even a dive team to find the missing girl – after her phone pinged in the canyon at around 11.55pm on February 9, according to the Daily Camera.
That was the day she was last seen alive, leaving her residence hall on campus, wearing a blue or gray jacket, dark colored pants and white platform sneakers, University of Colorado Boulder police announced.
She was also carrying what they said was a ‘distinct’ blue purse with a pink star.
Days later, Trussell’s mother, Vanessa Diaz, realized she had not been able to reach her daughter for several days – and by Wednesday, Diaz decided to check her daughter’s phone records.
She then discovered that Trussell had not made any calls or texts since February 9, and filed a missing persons report.
Megan Trussell, 18, went missing from her residence hall on campus at the University of Colorado Boulder last Sunday
Authorities announced on Saturday that a body matching her description was found in a ‘hard to reach’ spot near the 40-mile marker of Boulder Canyon Drive
She then traveled from Denver to the university in Boulder, where she and Trussell’s father camped out as the search efforts continued.
‘We just want her back,’ Joe Trussell told the Times-Call. ‘We miss her terribly.
‘Megan, she’s just kind of the glue that holds us together.’
Within days, the FBI joined in on the search efforts and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation even issued a Missing Indigenous Person Alert.
Eventually concern grew that Trussell may have harmed herself, but her family said she isn’t the type of person to do something so unexpected.
‘It’s just extremely out of character for her,’ Joe said of the film major.
Authorities have since said they found no evidence of foul play when they located the body on Saturday.
Yet questions about her disappearance from campus remain.
Trussell was a freshman majoring in film at the university
She was last seen leaving her residence hall, wearing a blue or gray jacket, dark colored pants and white platform sneaker and carrying a ‘distinct’ blue purse with a pink star
Judy Brocato, a family friend, told Denver 7 that Trussell wasn’t much of a hiker.
She also noted that it was very cold the night she left her residence hall, with temperatures reaching a low of 36 degrees Fahrenheit.
‘It is very perplexing how she just seems to have disappeared,’ Brocato said. ‘It doesn’t make sense.
‘So we’re just trying to piece that together.’
In the meantime, the Boulder County Coroner’s Office will work to confirm the body’s identification and determine a cause and manner of death.
But an online fundraiser that was set up for the search and rescue efforts has already shifted its focus to cover Trussell’s funeral expenses.
An online fundraiser set up for the search and rescue efforts has already shifted its focus to cover Trussell’s funeral expenses
‘With heavy hearts, we are transitioning the purpose of this GoFundMe from search efforts to a memorial fund,’ the teen’s cousin wrote in an update on the online fundraiser.
‘We will always cherish the memories of Megan’s vibrant spirit and the love she shared with us.’
The funds will now be used to assist the family for Trussell’s memorial services and help them with groceries and other necessities during this difficult time.
Any extra funds will be donated to a cause ‘that was meaningful to Megan, ensuing her spirit continues to make a positive impact on the world.’
As of Sunday, it had raised nearly $27,000 for the family.
On campus, meanwhile, thee university’s Office of the Chancellor said it is offering support services and resources for the students, the Denver Gazette reports.
‘The loss of a member of our community impacts our campus,’ school officials said.
‘Our hearts go out to family, friends and community members of those that we lose.’
