Found Deceased CO - Megan Trussell, CU sudent, last seen in residence hall, FBI involved, 9 Feb 2025

[borndem]

Welcome to Webseluths,
uteliaisuus !!​

​

 

[Lore Listener]

Lots of new info from Denver Channel 7 News! Megan's family is not taking this "no foul play, but no answers, either" business sitting down. Also some stunning pictures of her.

Family of CU Boulder student Megan Trussell says purse was found ripped, and shoe, phone are still missing

The family of CU Boulder student Megan Trussell says her purse was found ripped, and one of her shoes and phone are still missing.

www.denver7.com

Key points the article:

Megan's cousin, Rebecca Perez, has stepped up as spokesperson for the family.

"We're... in the anger stage, because it's taking so long to see what even happened," Perez said.

Megan's phone is still missing! Not found in the canyon with Megan, OR with her purse. I feel like this is important.

#JusticeForMegan

 

[Ghostwheel]

I wish I knew the area. The only way I can see "no foul play" would be an accident like Megan and someone else were above where she was found, maybe there was an arguement, Megan started to slip off an edge, someone grabbed her purse to stop her fall, it ripped and down she went. In a panic, disposed of the purse where it was found. Or the purse was left there, found by a random person who ransacked it and dumped it where it was found.

In the Moscow, ID murders, LE kept saying it was an isolated, targeted attack. It was six weeks until they arrested someone and he was already on their radar before that. I can hope for similar here.

 

[Lore Listener]

I wish I knew the area. The only way I can see "no foul play" would be an accident like Megan and someone else were above where she was found, maybe there was an arguement, Megan started to slip off an edge, someone grabbed her purse to stop her fall, it ripped and down she went. In a panic, disposed of the purse where it was found. Or the purse was left there, found by a random person who ransacked it and dumped it where it was found.

In the Moscow, ID murders, LE kept saying it was an isolated, targeted attack. It was six weeks until they arrested someone and he was already on their radar before that. I can hope for similar here.

But in that case, they had to admit there was at least foul play. Four kids didn't stab themselves to death. Here, they're not merely saying "no risk to the community" but "no reason to suspect foul play" which... just wow.

And, the only reason to give out no information whatsoever, even to the family, is if there was foul play. If this was a suicide or accident, it would be fine to tell the family that, because there's no perpetrator out there to potentially tip off.

 

[Ghostwheel]

But in that case, they had to admit there was at least foul play. Four kids didn't stab themselves to death. Here, they're not merely saying "no risk to the community" but "no reason to suspect foul play" which... just wow.

And, the only reason to give out no information whatsoever, even to the family, is if there was foul play. If this was a suicide or accident, it would be fine to tell the family that, because there's no perpetrator out there to potentially tip off.

I agree, they could not avoid calling that one foul play, but the point is that LE tries to downplay what they can, to avoid panic and to not tip their hand if they have a person of interest. I'd like to hope for that in this case.

If they suspect an accident as opposed to foul play, I'm thinking they could not say such until they can confirm such. Saying they don't suspect foul play leaves accident open. An accident might still leave a person out there to tip off that they want information from. Someone afraid to come forward, imo. Or someone who may have contributed to the accident or not an accident. Saying suicide would require some heavy duty proof, also imo. People don't accept that lightly for their loved ones.

And I always fall back on, they may not suspect foul play, but they haven't ruled it out either. Sometimes the results of foul play can look exactly like an accident. Imo, as always.

FWIW, I have a very hard time buying no foul play.

 

[uteliaisuus]

I wish I knew the area. The only way I can see "no foul play" would be an accident like Megan and someone else were above where she was found, maybe there was an arguement, Megan started to slip off an edge, someone grabbed her purse to stop her fall, it ripped and down she went. In a panic, disposed of the purse where it was found. Or the purse was left there, found by a random person who ransacked it and dumped it where it was found.

In the Moscow, ID murders, LE kept saying it was an isolated, targeted attack. It was six weeks until they arrested someone and he was already on their radar before that. I can hope for similar here.

I know the area and although it's possible some very unlikely and unfortunate coincidences and events happened to make this an accident, it seems like a stretch to me personally. For this to have been an accident it would've had to be something like this:

• Megan leaves her house, with her platform shoes on and her purse (with her phone) just before 10pm, walking west up the creek path
• At some point, she is attacked and her purse is stolen (which has her phone)
  • During this, Megan loses a shoe
  • The person who attacks her and steals her phone rides up the canyon to where her body is later recovered, thus the ping at the 40 minute mark happens
  • Same person (or different person) switches off the phone and possibly removes sim card
  • Same person (or different person) travels back down the path wi to where her purse is found and ditches the purse but keeps the phone
• Megan is chasing after her stuff and goes up the canyon (with one shoe)
• When she gets there, $something happens and she ends up over the drop-off, and a ways away from the path where she later succumbs to her fall damage

I can't actually make out an accident to have her land where she was found, but I might misunderstand where she was found. It sounds, from the reports I've read, like she was not only off the path but down a ravine where it would've been challenging for her to organically _fall_ but my impressions might be wrong.

Although Boulder does have a number of unhoused people who occasionally are violent, this all seems like a stretch. Why wait until they're at the place she was found to turn off the phone? Where's her shoe? How did she end up where she was?

 

[Ghostwheel]

I know the area and although it's possible some very unlikely and unfortunate coincidences and events happened to make this an accident, it seems like a stretch to me personally. For this to have been an accident it would've had to be something like this:

• Megan leaves her house, with her platform shoes on and her purse (with her phone) just before 10pm, walking west up the creek path
• At some point, she is attacked and her purse is stolen (which has her phone)
  • During this, Megan loses a shoe
  • The person who attacks her and steals her phone rides up the canyon to where her body is later recovered, thus the ping at the 40 minute mark happens
  • Same person (or different person) switches off the phone and possibly removes sim card
  • Same person (or different person) travels back down the path wi to where her purse is found and ditches the purse but keeps the phone
• Megan is chasing after her stuff and goes up the canyon (with one shoe)
• When she gets there, $something happens and she ends up over the drop-off, and a ways away from the path where she later succumbs to her fall damage

I can't actually make out an accident to have her land where she was found, but I might misunderstand where she was found. It sounds, from the reports I've read, like she was not only off the path but down a ravine where it would've been challenging for her to organically _fall_ but my impressions might be wrong.

Although Boulder does have a number of unhoused people who occasionally are violent, this all seems like a stretch. Why wait until they're at the place she was found to turn off the phone? Where's her shoe? How did she end up where she was?

Was her phone turned off, or did it die at the end? Lack of pings between 10:45 and 11:55 might mean bad connections or being turned off. After 11:55 maybe battery died?

Do you know, what kinds of drop offs are around there? Is it easy or really difficult to get to a place you could fall and die? Would friends go to place like that?

Random scenario Megan goes with someone else by car to the turn out at mile 40. They get out and climb to that spot. Megan falls, purse is ripped while trying to save her, shoe is left behind. Shoe is picked up, maybe even put in purse, person leaves, drives away, dumps purse however its dumped (by bike, pitched out of a car I don't know what is most feasible). For all we know the other shoe has been found somewhere.

What I don't know is if anyone would voluntarily go to that spot where you could fall off or if it was something people might normally climb to. In my area I could easily look at a location and say "Nope. No one would go there ever" or " Maybe if they liked a challenge" or "never at night" or "Sure, people go for the view all the time", etc. But I would need to know the location.

 

[Lore Listener]

Was her phone turned off, or did it die at the end? Lack of pings between 10:45 and 11:55 might mean bad connections or being turned off. After 11:55 maybe battery died?

Do you know, what kinds of drop offs are around there? Is it easy or really difficult to get to a place you could fall and die? Would friends go to place like that?

Random scenario Megan goes with someone else by car to the turn out at mile 40. They get out and climb to that spot. Megan falls, purse is ripped while trying to save her, shoe is left behind. Shoe is picked up, maybe even put in purse, person leaves, drives away, dumps purse however its dumped (by bike, pitched out of a car I don't know what is most feasible). For all we know the other shoe has been found somewhere.

What I don't know is if anyone would voluntarily go to that spot where you could fall off or if it was something people might normally climb to. In my area I could easily look at a location and say "Nope. No one would go there ever" or " Maybe if they liked a challenge" or "never at night" or "Sure, people go for the view all the time", etc. But I would need to know the location.

In that area, right at the mouth of the canyon, a place to fall or jump from would be hard to get to. The road is not high up from the creek in that area; you couldn't really "fall off" or jump off the road or bike path there. (Edit: I should say, yes, you could fall off, but it would be falling down a hill and getting bumps and bruises and maybe a sprained ankle or fracture. NOT something you would look down from and think you would die instantly if you jumped.) There are a number of rock formations within a short (10 -15 min) hike, but getting to the top of them would be steep and/or technical and in her platforms I just can't see it. Further up the canyon is a different story, but mile marker 40 is really just past Eben G. Fine Park and where Arapahoe crosses the creek. It's right next to town.

 

[acutename]

I know the area and although it's possible some very unlikely and unfortunate coincidences and events happened to make this an accident, it seems like a stretch to me personally. For this to have been an accident it would've had to be something like this:

• Megan leaves her house, with her platform shoes on and her purse (with her phone) just before 10pm, walking west up the creek path
• At some point, she is attacked and her purse is stolen (which has her phone)
  • During this, Megan loses a shoe
  • The person who attacks her and steals her phone rides up the canyon to where her body is later recovered, thus the ping at the 40 minute mark happens
  • Same person (or different person) switches off the phone and possibly removes sim card
  • Same person (or different person) travels back down the path wi to where her purse is found and ditches the purse but keeps the phone
• Megan is chasing after her stuff and goes up the canyon (with one shoe)
• When she gets there, $something happens and she ends up over the drop-off, and a ways away from the path where she later succumbs to her fall damage

I can't actually make out an accident to have her land where she was found, but I might misunderstand where she was found. It sounds, from the reports I've read, like she was not only off the path but down a ravine where it would've been challenging for her to organically _fall_ but my impressions might be wrong.

Although Boulder does have a number of unhoused people who occasionally are violent, this all seems like a stretch. Why wait until they're at the place she was found to turn off the phone? Where's her shoe? How did she end up where she was?

suppose some one on an ebike grabbed her purse- knocking her down, injuring her. they toss the purse and contents later. maybe more than one person so a second ebike hits her and they toss her body.... Are there lights on the path? Would she have been going downtown to meet some one?

 

[uteliaisuus]

There are no lights anywhere near that path last I was there (though I would be unlikely to go when its dark). I suppose a gang of e-bikers could've knocked her down and taken her stuff but it's unlikely they could've gotten her to where she was found without more harm beforehand.

Also, downtown isn't really much but she would have passed somewhat near there going from her dorm to the canyon, though about maybe 15 minutes walk from the trail. Given the already unrealistic timeline, and the relative lack of much to do for folks her age downtown that time of night it seems unlikely that was where she was headed, but maybe?

 

[Ghostwheel]

In that area, right at the mouth of the canyon, a place to fall or jump from would be hard to get to. The road is not high up from the creek in that area; you couldn't really "fall off" or jump off the road or bike path there. (Edit: I should say, yes, you could fall off, but it would be falling down a hill and getting bumps and bruises and maybe a sprained ankle or fracture. NOT something you would look down from and think you would die instantly if you jumped.) There are a number of rock formations within a short (10 -15 min) hike, but getting to the top of them would be steep and/or technical and in her platforms I just can't see it. Further up the canyon is a different story, but mile marker 40 is really just past Eben G. Fine Park and where Arapahoe crosses the creek. It's right next to town.

A like wasn't enough. Thank you so much!

 

[Ghostwheel]

This is an interesting view. It's a picture posted to Google Maps. Very high, you can see the parking area of the trail on the opposite side of the road

Boulder Canyon Trail · Google Maps

Boulder Creek Path, Boulder, CO 80302

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[geauxepic182]

hello! so i am a student at cu, im also born and raised in boulder and wanted to ask about a possibility that my mom and i were talking about a bit ago.

to preface, over the summer a 15 year old boy from my high school tragically passed away after ingesting psychedelics, climbing a construction crane, and falling. we’ve interacted maybe once or twice but he was a sweet kid and knew many underclassmen i was friends with.

i remember it not being an uncommon occurrence to see someone you know get dosed incorrectly or get a tainted supply of any kind of drug usually from someone that would reside around the creek pretty much all day to sell to high schoolers/cu students. i’m curious as to the possibility of megan potentially being on something or being fed a bad supply. this isn’t an insinuation of bad character or anything but like drug abuse is so normalized at cu it’s uncommon and even considered weird if you don’t have a drug/alcohol vice—even if you’re not in greek life!!

may she rest in peace. i think about her all the time. she was so beautiful and seemed like the kind of girl you could talk to about anything without fear of judgment. heaven gained an angel.

 

[Ghostwheel]

hello! so i am a student at cu, im also born and raised in boulder and wanted to ask about a possibility that my mom and i were talking about a bit ago.

to preface, over the summer a 15 year old boy from my high school tragically passed away after ingesting psychedelics, climbing a construction crane, and falling. we’ve interacted maybe once or twice but he was a sweet kid and knew many underclassmen i was friends with.

i remember it not being an uncommon occurrence to see someone you know get dosed incorrectly or get a tainted supply of any kind of drug usually from someone that would reside around the creek pretty much all day to sell to high schoolers/cu students. i’m curious as to the possibility of megan potentially being on something or being fed a bad supply. this isn’t an insinuation of bad character or anything but like drug abuse is so normalized at cu it’s uncommon and even considered weird if you don’t have a drug/alcohol vice—even if you’re not in greek life!!

may she rest in peace. i think about her all the time. she was so beautiful and seemed like the kind of girl you could talk to about anything without fear of judgment. heaven gained an angel.

Welcome to WebSleuths, geauxepic182!

This is an interesting theory. I don't know enough about the situation to say if it's likely, but it's a good thought to at least consider, imo. People can do crazy things if they have ingested something that alters their thinking.

The tox report should shed some light on if that was a possibility.

 

[uteliaisuus]

hello! so i am a student at cu, im also born and raised in boulder and wanted to ask about a possibility that my mom and i were talking about a bit ago.

to preface, over the summer a 15 year old boy from my high school tragically passed away after ingesting psychedelics, climbing a construction crane, and falling. we’ve interacted maybe once or twice but he was a sweet kid and knew many underclassmen i was friends with.

i remember it not being an uncommon occurrence to see someone you know get dosed incorrectly or get a tainted supply of any kind of drug usually from someone that would reside around the creek pretty much all day to sell to high schoolers/cu students. i’m curious as to the possibility of megan potentially being on something or being fed a bad supply. this isn’t an insinuation of bad character or anything but like drug abuse is so normalized at cu it’s uncommon and even considered weird if you don’t have a drug/alcohol vice—even if you’re not in greek life!!

may she rest in peace. i think about her all the time. she was so beautiful and seemed like the kind of girl you could talk to about anything without fear of judgment. heaven gained an angel.

Context: Man accused of distributing psilocybin mushrooms to 20 Boulder County high school students faces 40 counts

I thought of this as well when the news broke. I've been unable to find anything to demonstrate that toxicology screens can detect psilocybin or LSD so far post mortem, but it's possible. From rumors, the source of his misadventure was identified due to people speaking with police not initial toxicology screens, however this is just rumors.

I also do not know precisely where she was found but the descriptions of her rescue and the loose area she was seem to me like she either wouldn't have died in a fall or she would've needed some momentum to travel to where she was, and this would be more harmful.

That said, there is an increasing number of instances where people in Boulder will be given drugs with unexpected substances in them so PSA to anyone: Home | DanceSafe no judgement from my end if you choose to take them, but test them first.

 

[Ghostwheel]

I have now scoured through quite a lot of images from that area. I can see a lot of places a person could climb to and fall and get themselves hurt or die. What I can't see is doing that on my own, in platform tennis shoes at 9-10 PM on a cold night. With a shoulder bag. I could see going with my friends and doing something dumb. I could see going with a person of the prospective romantic partner type. I could see doing it in the summer under a full moon if I liked that sort of thing ( my understanding is she was not an avid hiker). I could see it if I were in jogging attire with no shoulder bag. But given the conditions and what she was wearing, I just don't see it being a solo accident. In my mind, I have ruled that out. I'm having a hard time with the possibility of drug related without someone else there, too. If she had had a car and liked to go there, I could see a fall and freezing to death, but she didn't.

So now I am left with accident of some sort or another with one or more other people (even possibly drug related), homicide or suicide. And I'm not feeling the latter.

From the article attached:

“We’re offering a reward for the recovery of the phone or shoe, and reward money for credible tips leading to the identification of anyone who may have had her phone,” Diaz wrote in a Facebook post on Friday.

Mom reopens fundraiser for CU Boulder student Megan Trussell to cover private investigator fees

The mother of dead student Megan Trussell, whose body was found in Boulder Canyon last month, is also offering a $1,000 reward for Trussell’s missing shoe and phone.

www.broomfieldenterprise.com

 

[Ghostwheel]

To note, the family has no idea if LE has the phone or not as far as I know. And they specify the reward for a shoe, but say right OR left, so they don't know which shoe is missing or don't want to say.

 

[Lore Listener]

Megan's family is pursuing a private investigation funded by a very successful crowdfunding campaign. They are also offering a $1000 reward for info or locating MT's missing belongings. My opinion? It is tragic that they have to resort to this.

Private Investigation In Trussell Death – KGNU Community Radio

kgnu.org

"Vanessa Diaz – Trussell’s mom – re-opened her late daughter’s (redacted for WS) memorial campaign last Thursday. According to the page, she’ll put all the funds raised this time around toward a private investigator and legal costs. The fundraiser page also says the family is concerned about how the case has been handled by the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office."

 

[Lore Listener]

Tomorrow will be 70 days since Megan was found. The only possible way that they cannot know what happened to her until they get the tox results is if she overdosed. If she jumped/fell, ended her own life by other means, or was killed by someone, they would already know that without the tox results. I'll be honest. I don't think she died by accidental or intentional overdose. It just doesn't add up. I think they know exactly what happened to her and are using "we can't say anything until we get the tox results" as an excuse to stonewall. Just my opinion.

 

[uteliaisuus]

Even if her tox screen showed she OD'd there's no way her body could've been where it was without additional help unless I'm misunderstanding the location of her body.