BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. — The Boulder County Coroner's Office has released their findings for the cause of death for Megan Trussell, an 18-year-old University of Colorado Boulder student who was found deceased on Feb. 15.
In a press release published on Tuesday morning, Boulder County Coroner Jeff Martin stated that his office "has issued an opinion that Megan Trussell died as the result of the toxic effects of amphetamine, and exposure to a cold environment (hypothermia) contributed to her death."
He reported that the manner of death was ruled a suicide.
“Our opinion was based on several factors including but not limited to toxicology results and the presence of undigested prescription medication found during the examination," Martin said.
On Tuesday, the sheriff's office, coroner's office and district attorney's office said they had found no evidence that she was harmed or killed by another person.
The Boulder County Sheriff's Office stated in March that they did not believe there was a threat to the community in connection with her death, but there was limited information available at that time.
“We understand this investigation took longer than many hoped,” said Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson in the press release. “This outcome is heartbreaking, and our hope is that the findings may bring some closure to Megan’s loved ones and to the broader community. Our office typically refrains from releasing detailed information in suicide cases out of respect for the family and to prevent further harm, but we are sharing additional details due to the widespread public concern."
CUPD and the entire CU Boulder community are saddened to share this update from @BldrCOSheriff on the death of CU Boulder student Megan Trussell.https://t.co/DvGAo99bMD pic.twitter.com/5XxHp9Yyuv
— CU Boulder Police (@CUBoulderPolice) May 27, 2025
This investigation into Trussell's disappearance started in February. She was reported missing to the CU Boulder Police Department on Feb. 12, which posted about the missing young woman on social media around noon the following day. The FBI also posted online that it was assisting in the search for her. The following day, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation issued a statewide Missing Indigenous Person Alert for Trussell. CU Boulder police said in an update on Feb. 14 that it was "working with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and first responders on campus, on the ground and in the air."
The agencies determined that Trussell was last seen on the evening of Feb. 9 at her residence hall on campus. At that time, she had a "distinct" blue purse with a pink star, they said. The investigation into her movements from that evening included a "thorough review of security footage, cell phone records, key card access logs, and witness statements," the sheriff's office said Tuesday.
"Cell phone data then indicated she traveled west toward Boulder Canyon Drive, where her phone’s last signal was recorded near the 40-mile marker. The phone stopped connecting to networks on Feb. 12," the sheriff's office added.
On Feb. 15, the sheriff's office confirmed that park rangers had found a body in a "hard-to-reach" spot that required rappelling above Boulder Canyon Drive. The body matched Trussell's description, but it would take a few days to confirm it was her.
Ahead of the coroner's office official identification, Trussell's family and loved ones gathered along the roadway to remember and honor her life on Feb. 17.
"No one else is described the same way she was, so we've already accepted that it is her," her cousin Rebecca Perez told Denver7. "I know they're going to do some more confirmation this week — just double confirm, I guess — but we’ve all pretty much accepted that this is her."
"I believe that Megan is in a better place," her father Joe Trussell added. "You know, I’m kind of a spiritual guy. I’ve had signs that she's OK, and that’s making me OK. We're never going to get over it — the grief will last the rest of our lives and we’re different people now and I understand that."
Hear from her family as they grieved the loss in February below.
The body was identified as Trussell by the coroner's office on Feb. 18.
On March 2, Trussell's phone was traced to a resale kiosk at a Boulder grocery store, the sheriff's office said. Elliot Michael Beafore, 50, who is unhoused, apparently sold the phone after receiving it from another unhoused man. Beafore was arrested on May 14 on charges of theft and false declaration of a pawnbroker.
Trussell's purse was found a few days later on March 5 near the 39.6-milemarker of Highway 36. The community member who found the purse found an empty prescription bottle inside it with Trussell's name, and called the Boulder County Communications Center, the sheriff's office said.
"The purse was ultimately traced back to the same area in Boulder Canyon where Megan’s body was recovered," the sheriff's office said. "Neither of the individuals who were in possession of her purse or phone are believed to have had any direct contact with Megan."
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, you can dial 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 24/7, visit Colorado Crisis Services, or click here for a list of resources in Colorado.