Boulder County Coroner’s Office has not publicly released the official findings Megan Trussell

As of March 15, 2025, the Boulder County Coroner’s Office has not publicly released the official findings regarding the cause and manner of Megan Trussell’s death. Here’s what is known based on available information and the current status of the investigation:

Megan Trussell, an 18-year-old University of Colorado Boulder freshman, was found deceased on February 15, 2025, in a remote, “hard-to-reach” area of Boulder Canyon near the 40-mile marker of Boulder Canyon Drive. Her body was identified by the coroner’s office on February 18, following an autopsy conducted that day. However, the coroner has withheld the specific cause and manner of death pending further testing, which is standard procedure in such cases. This additional testing can include toxicology reports, histological analysis, or other forensic examinations, and results can take weeks or months to finalize.

The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, which is jointly investigating the case with the coroner’s office, has stated repeatedly that there is no evidence to suggest foul play or a threat to the community. In their most recent update on March 12, they reiterated this position, noting that while Trussell’s purse was recently recovered (announced March 11), the cause and manner of her death remain undetermined. The sheriff’s office has not disclosed details about the purse’s condition, contents, or exact location of recovery, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.

Given that the coroner’s findings are still pending as of today’s date, no official conclusion has been reached about whether Trussell’s death was accidental, natural, self-inflicted, or otherwise. The lack of a released report leaves open questions raised by her family, particularly her mother, Vanessa Diaz, who pointed to the torn purse, missing shoe, and absent phone as potential indicators of a struggle or third-party involvement. However, without the coroner’s final determination, these remain speculative.

For the most current information, the Boulder County Coroner’s Office would need to be contacted directly, though they typically do not release detailed findings until all analyses are complete and next of kin are fully informed. Alternatively, future updates from the sheriff’s office (case number 25-00778) might provide clarity once the coroner’s report is finalized. Until then, the investigation continues, and the official narrative remains one of caution and patience as authorities work to establish the facts.