Megan Trussell was six months into her freshman year at the University of Colorado when her life came to a tragic end. The 18-year-old from Denver, who had just begun to find her footing as a film student, was discovered on a cold February morning, her body frozen under a light covering of snow in a canyon outside Boulder. Only her face and the bright red strands of her hair peeked through the snow. Authorities declared her death a suicide brought on by the toxic effects of amphetamines, likely from Adderall, with hypothermia as a contributing factor. Her parents, Joe Trussell and Vanessa Diaz, refuse to accept that conclusion. They believe their daughter was murdered.

The Night Megan Disappeared

Megan was last seen leaving her dorm around 9 p.m. on February 9, 2024. She was wearing yoga pants, a sweater, jacket, and tennis shoes. Just before she left, she had a heated confrontation with her roommate and a new boyfriend, who broke off their budding relationship and blocked her phone number. Campus cameras captured Megan walking off into the night. What happened after remains murky.

She Was Missing For Days Before People Started Looking For Her

Her roommate assumed she had gone to stay with her older sister, who was also a student at the university. For days, no one noticed she hadn’t returned. It wasn’t until February 12, when Joe couldn’t reach Megan by text or phone, that her family reported her missing. Three days later, rangers discovered her body on a snow-covered incline near a drainage culvert and creek.

No One Can Agree on Her Cause of Death

The Boulder County Coroner’s Office released two autopsy reports. Both pointed to suicide by amphetamine toxicity. Megan’s stomach and throat were found to be filled with pills. Deputy Coroner Kolleen Hancock noted blunt-force injuries, but ruled them consistent with a fall. An outside forensic pathologist, Dr. Priya Banerjee, agreed. “That to me is very intentional,” she said of the number of pills.

Megan’s Parent’s Don’t Think She Would End Her Own Life

Megan’s parents insist the evidence doesn’t add up. She had no history of suicidal behavior. She left no note. She was missing one of her shoes, which has never been found. Her phone and purse disappeared the night she vanished and later turned up in the hands of two homeless men unconnected to her death. “To say she hiked out there, swallowed a bunch of pills, and froze to death — it’s too neat,” Joe says. “It’s not Megan.”

There Are Too Many Narratives At Play

Family and friends describe Megan as quick-witted, kind, and ambitious. She loved movies and music, could mimic accents for fun, and once stayed in character with a Russian accent for an entire school year after switching schools. She texted her dad in August — just a week into her freshman year — “COLLEGE RULES.” Her sister told investigators Megan’s life was going well. She was enjoying college, had a boyfriend, and was excited about upcoming family events. Yet detectives noted struggles: the stress of her parents’ divorce two years earlier, the pressure of academics, and an occasional reliance on Adderall. The sheriff’s office has stood firm, saying all leads were exhausted and the investigation was thorough. “Sheriff [Curtis] Johnson believes that his detectives and deputies conducted a thorough investigation into Megan’s death based on all available evidence,” a spokesperson said.

Loose Threads and Unanswered Questions

One of the strangest twists came weeks after Megan’s body was found. Her missing phone was discovered at a resale kiosk in a Boulder grocery store. A homeless man was accused of theft and pawnbroker fraud after trying to sell it, though he claimed he got it from another man. Megan’s purse was later found abandoned on a bike path. Inside was another empty pill bottle. To her parents, this suggests someone else was involved. “I think she was going to Circle K for a Diet Coke and never made it,” Diaz says. “Somebody grabbed her.”

A Family’s Fight for Answers

The Trussells still believe they can find an end to this story. They hired a private investigator and set up a $6,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. They’ve also started outreach to Boulder’s homeless community, hoping someone will come forward with a lead. Joe Trussell said, “The goal is to clear Megan of having her name associated with suicide, because I don’t think it’s true. And then to catch whoever is responsible. Because what’s lost in all this is that somebody played a part in this, and they’re still out there.”