Crime
We moved Boulder Crime News and police blotter out of News and made it a primary category. Even though crime news is the highest in analytic s some readers complain because it ruins non violent news. Our readers and viewers prefer science, tech environmental and entertainment news. So crime news junkies now have your own bad news section here.
As 2025 Comes to a Close: Lingering Questions and Distrust in the Death of CU Boulder Student Megan Trussell
Dec 29th
Boulder Channel 1 News December 29, 2025 As the year ends, the death of University of Colorado Boulder freshman Megan Trussell remains a deeply emotional and contentious story in our community. The case has highlighted not only a family’s profound grief but also significant public distrust toward the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office and related agencies, stemming from challenges in obtaining information and perceived lack of cooperation with media inquiries. 
Megan Trussell, 18, was last seen leaving her dorm in Hallett Hall around 9 p.m. on February 9, 2025. She was reported missing shortly after. Her body was recovered on February 15 in remote, rugged terrain near the 40-mile marker of Boulder Canyon Drive, an area that required technical rappelling for the recovery effort.
The Boulder County Coroner’s Office ruled the cause of death as the toxic effects of amphetamine (from her prescribed Adderall for ADHD), with hypothermia as a contributing factor. The manner of death was classified as suicide, based on toxicology results showing elevated levels, undigested pill material in her stomach (confirmed through additional testing in July 2025), cellphone data, security footage, witness statements, and reviews by multiple agencies including the FBI and District Attorney’s Office. No evidence of foul play was found.
The family, including parents Vanessa Diaz and Joe Trussell, has strongly contested the suicide ruling. They describe Megan as a vibrant, happy young woman with no history of mental health issues or suicidal thoughts—a freshman majoring in film, passionate about grunge music (she played bass guitar), and movies. “Megan was so vibrant and just a happy, happy child,” Diaz has said. “Anybody who knows her knows she was not suicidal.”The family has highlighted details such as a damaged purse found miles away, a missing shoe, and scattered belongings, while pursuing a private investigation, independent testing, memorials, vigils, and petitions (which gathered thousands of signatures) calling for the case to be reopened.
A major source of ongoing distrust has been the handling of media requests by the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office and the Coroner’s Office.
Boulder Channel 1 reporters faced repeated difficulties in securing information: detectives refused to speak directly with our team or provide interviews, and Public Information Officer Vinnie Montez was often uncooperative when questions were posed about the investigation’s progress, evidence details, or alternative theories. Similarly, the Coroner’s Office provided limited responses and did not engage substantively with reporters seeking clarification on timelines, testing delays, or forensic decisions.These obstacles—coupled with the family’s allegations of a potentially hasty suicide determination and unaddressed inconsistencies—have contributed to widespread skepticism among community members, supporters, and some state lawmakers who have called for better protocols in handling such cases. The Sheriff’s Office, under Sheriff Curtis Johnson, has consistently described the investigation as thorough and evidence-based, standing by the official findings while noting that reopening would require compelling new evidence.
Nearly a year later, Megan Trussell’s story continues as a powerful cultural touchstone in Boulder: a tragic loss of a bright young life, a family’s unwavering quest for answers, and a stark example of how limited transparency and cooperation can erode public trust in official investigations.
For those in need of support, the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available by calling or texting 988. Boulder Channel 1 News remains committed to following any further developments in this case.
Boulder Police have given up on Jonbenet murder
Nov 29th
Boulder December 1, 2025 Jonbenet murder case deader than she is Even though this cold case is 28 years old and even though Boulder PD put out a statement a month ago the police have totally given up. There was a cold case review that the D.A led. That went nowhere.
John Ramsey met with the police this year. They didn’t arrest him even though all the evidence and a Grand Jury indictment points to him. 
In fact the police fired lead detective Ron Gosage and replaced him with a new team of rookie detectives who know zero about the case. They made Gosage an assistant chief to keep him happy.
John Ramsey met with the police this year. They didn’t arrest him even though all the evidence and a Grand Jury indictment points to him. In fact the police fired lead detective Ron Gosage and replaced him with a new team of rookie detectives who know zero about the case. They made Gosage an assistant chief to keep him happy.
But talk to any long time Boulder detective involved with the case and they will tell you that the Ramseys did it. Commander Eller who first led the investigation and quit over a no arrest wanted the Ramseys arrested on day 1. Detective Steve Thomas confronted Patsey Ramsey on Larry King Live. He wanted to arrest her that night on set of the show. Thomas wrote a book about the case Detective Gossage saw all the signals that let to RDI. 
Police Chief Mark Beckner was the lead detective in the Ramsey case. Probably the smartest cop on the case laid out RDI in the Redditt AMA
The Ramseys to this day absolutely insist they had nothing to do with JonBenet’s murder . John Ramsey regular appears on TV shows, murder festivals and he’s sued everybody under the sun who accuse him or his family. Settlements have been in the millions of dollars. And we certainly are not accusing him here. The case continues to swirl on murder sites of the web. This one reviews the case daily on Redditt
There’s so much more we can write, but like the Sand Creek Massacre, this unsolved murder case leaves a blight on Boulder every Christmas day..
Boulder Police Department declares war on First Amendment and the Press
Nov 26th
Boulder Thanksgiving Day November 27 2025. In a shocking statement Boulder Police chief Stephen Redfearn announced he was turning the police department into a secret police similar to Russian Spetnaz or Stazi. BPD has cut off all communication with the press and public concerning immediate crime and police scanner activities.
BPD has cut BC1 news departments access to scanners. This is a targeted attack against Boulder Channel 1 News. This new secret police will hide police behavior and will lead to instant violations of Free Press coverage. This also put the public in danger since the police will be able to get away with abuse of citizens.
In a letter to Boulder Channel 1 News which has been covering BPD since 2006, Redfearn said that he did not consider BC1 worthy of police co operation, not a news organization and that he would block BC1 from police scanners.
This hostile action to BC1 has caused irreparable damage to our staff, reporters, sales department and ability to cover police activities. The editors are preparing for a fight with the city of Boulder and the police department over this hostile act by Redfearn and the city of Boulder
