CBI to review case on death of CU Boulder student Megan Trussell
BOULDER, Colo. (KRDO) – The Colorado Department of Public Safety and Colorado Bureau of Investigation have agreed to conduct a statutory case review into the death of Megan Trussell, an 18-year-old University of Colorado Boulder student who was found dead in rural Boulder Canyon days after disappearing from campus.
According to the CBI, the request for further review was submitted by Trussell’s parents.
Trussell was last seen alive on Feb. 9, 2025, walking out of her residence hall at the University of Colorado Boulder. She was first reported missing to campus police three days later, on Feb. 12.
After days of search efforts, a ping from Trussell's cell phone was traced to Boulder Canyon. Her body was found by rescuers on Feb. 15, in hard-to-reach terrain near the 40-mile marker on Boulder Canyon Drive.
READ MORE: Body found matching description of missing university student from northern Colorado
Trussell's death was officially ruled a suicide and prescription drug misuse by Boulder County authorities on May 27, 2025.
The CBI said Trussells' parents identified their daughter as an Indigenous woman. Under Colorado law, the bureau is required to conduct an independent review for cases involving Indigenous people whose deaths were ruled as suicide or overdose under suspicious circumstances.
Pursuant to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives statute, the CBI says it will conduct a review, not a re-investigation, of the case.
"Our deepest sympathies are with the Trussell family. The loss of their loved one is a profound tragedy and we acknowledge their pain following Megan’s death," the agency said in a release.
In a statement, the Boulder County Sheriff's Office said it supports the review and has made the entire case file available to the CBI.
“We recognize the concerns this case has raised in our community and believe transparency is essential to public trust," Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson said. "We welcome this independent review and stand by the thoroughness and outcome of our investigation.”
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