BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. — New clues are helping investigators get one step closer to learning what happened to Megan Trussell, a University of Colorado Boulder student who was found dead last month after she disappeared from campus.
Trussell, 18, was last seen on surveillance video on Feb. 9 around 9:30 p.m. leaving Hallett Hall on CU Boulder campus. On Feb. 15, the sheriff's office confirmed that a body had been found by park rangers in a "hard-to-reach" spot that required rappelling above Boulder Canyon Drive. The body matched Trussell's description. It was identified as Trussell by the Boulder County Coroner's Office on Feb. 18.
On Tuesday, Denver7 reported on the Boulder County Sheriff's office announcement about investigators finding the purse that belonged to Trussell, although they did not specify where it was found or what was inside.
Nearly a month after her death, Trussell's family is still left with many unanswered questions. Denver7 spoke with her cousin, who is acting as the family spokesperson, to learn more about this week's development and discovery of the purse.
Her loved ones told Denver7 that her purse that was recovered by officials was damaged. They said they recently learned she was also only wearing one shoe when she was found.
The family said this is leading them to believe there may have been a struggle.
Denver7 spoke with Trussell's cousin Rebecca Perez, who said they're still trying to piece together what could've led to Megan's tragic death.
"She only had one shoe when she was found, which was news to us this week," Perez said. "It doesn't make any sense how she would have walked so far from this location to that location and where she ended up being, just because her shoes are tall. She's a tiny little gal, but when she puts her shoes on, she's taller, and three-inch platforms — it would be hard to walk on with only one on."
According to Trussell's family, her purse was found on March 5 along U.S. Highway 36, southeast of Table Mesa Drive and near Dry Creek Ditch Number 2, a few miles away from where her body was discovered.
"We're... in the anger stage, because it's taking so long to see what even happened," Perez said.
She added that the distinct purse, which was blue and had a pink star on it, was a one-of-a-kind made by Trussell's mother.
"We also found out that it was ripped," she said. "Just it being ripped from the clasp was weird to us... I don't know if there was some kind of struggle going on, what the situation was, but it doesn't make any sense."
The Boulder County Sheriff's Office said the cause and manner of death has yet to be determined by the Boulder County Coroner’s Office, and added that they "still have no reason to believe that there is, or was, a threat to the community."
In an update Wednesday, they added that foul play is not suspected in her death.
In a statement, Det. Cmdr. Jeff Pelletier said, "As with any major ongoing investigation, certain details cannot and should not be released to protect the integrity of the case." While acknowledging the "community's interest and the desire for information," he stressed the need for a "careful balance."
However, the case remains under investigation.
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Foul play not suspected in death of Megan Trussell, sheriff's office says
Trussell's family is urging anyone who may have seen something suspicious to speak up. They said they hope the community can help them in finding Trussell's missing shoe and phone to gain more information about what happened.
"I don't want this to be one of those cases that goes on for years and years. We need that closure. We need to get justice for Megan," her cousin said. "Megan was a very funny person. Everyone said that she was the funniest person ever that we knew. She went to school for film. She was big into movies."
She said the family had a little bit of closure a few weeks ago during her memorial, but many facts about the case remain unknown.
"Still just that lingering cloud over us," Perez said. "I don't want [this] to be one of those cases that goes on for years and years."
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