DENVER - Vanessa Diaz and Joe Trussell told Denver7 that they were nervous when the Colorado Bureau of Investigation first agreed to review the case of their daughter's death.
"I told this entire panel of CBI experts, 'If this is a confirmation exercise, then we don't need to have this meeting.' And they told me that is absolutely not what this is," said Trussell.
Megan Trussell's parents have been vocal critics of how the Boulder County Sheriff's Office handled her case.
"In the autopsy report that was released to the public, they said she had chipped teeth. She has a full incisor missing, and the other tooth is like broken. How did that happen? How did those injuries - where did they occur? Where's her shoe? You know, like track down the information," Diaz said.
The University of Colorado- Boulder student disappeared in February 2025.
She was found dead days later in a "hard-to-reach" spot above Boulder Canyon Dr.
The Boulder County Coroner reported, "that Megan died as the result of the toxic effects of amphetamine, and exposure to a cold environment (hypothermia) contributed to her death."
Her death was ruled a suicide.
"We would have been accepting if they had presented a narrative that proved that, but they never did. They still haven't provided a narrative. CBI didn't provide a narrative either. With what's come to light, as far as evidence, all the her missing things, the extensive damage to her to her body, suicide just does not seem feasible, plausible at this point," said Trussell.
After an in-person meeting with CBI, the two were not only disappointed to hear that CBI found Boulder County Sheriff's Office's investigation to be substantial, but furious to find out the little they could about how that determination was made.
"Does it appear that CBI took into consideration any new information outside of the Boulder investigation, or just looked at the information that Boulder provided them?" asked Denver7's Danielle Kreutter.
"They only looked at the information that Boulder provided them," Trussell answered.
Diaz shared the letter CBI gave to the parents prior to publicly releasing the findings of the independent review.
The letter said in part, "It is important to distinguish this process from a new investigation. The CBI conducted a review of the existing investigation and did not conduct new interviews, forensic testing, scene examinations, or other supplemental investigative activity."
The two said they were caught off guard by what the actual scope of the review was.
"They did no forensic testing, none whatsoever, and this was CBI's opportunity to actually have stuff tested or to say that Boulder County should have done that. [CBI] didn't do it," said Diaz.
They also are concerned that they have no clarity on how the decision was made.
"We were not told what the process was for the review panel. We don't know if they voted, how long they discussed it, who made the final decision? None of the mechanics of the process were ever explained to us, were never given to us," said Trussell.
Denver7 brought those concerns to CBI. They declined to comment and instead referred back to their original media release, which explained part of the review process:
"Initiated in January 2026, the state-level review provided an objective assessment of the missing-person response and subsequent death investigation conducted by local authorities. Over seven months, lead reviewers examined the complete investigative record, encompassing extensive digital evidence, cellular analysis, campus access records, body-worn camera footage, search documentation, and forensic files.
A central pillar of the review took place on July 21, 2026, when the case was presented to the CBI’s Cold Case Review Team, a multi-disciplinary panel of approximately 40 professionals, including prosecutors, investigators, forensic pathologists and scientists, toxicologists, analysts and victim advocates. Prior to the review session, a Victim Advocate read a letter on behalf of the Trussell family to ensure their voice and concerns remained at the heart of the proceedings. Independent medical specialists evaluated all toxicological and autopsy data without prior involvement in the initial investigation."
CBI reported nothing was found that would change the conclusion that Megan's death was a suicide.
"The lack of comprehensive review fundamentally is what was wrong with it," said Trussell.
Megan's case was the first ever to have an independent review by CBI under the passage of a law aimed at creating better responses to reports of missing indigenous people. Her parents are now concerned that law is too vague to create meaningful change.
"I think the law needs to be changed. The law needs to be updated to provide strict guidelines on what is expected of CBI and what they deliver to families. Whether it's suicide, homicide, whatever it is. They don't get an empty blank slate to interpret the law the way they choose to, because if they do that, then it's not effective, and the law is worthless," said Trussell.
They're advocating for change, hoping the review process is more thorough and transparent for the next family.
"They're the highest law enforcement agency in the state. Who else is going to take it on? Our only recourse now is-" Diaz started.
"Doing it ourselves," Trussell said.
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