CU Boulder student who went missing a week ago remembered for humor, love of movies and music

Family members and friends of Megan Trussell gathered Monday morning in a parking lot just off Boulder Canyon to honor the 18-year-old University of Colorado Boulder student who went missing on Feb. 9.

Squishmallows, candles, flowers and a Diet Coke were placed in the snow beneath a memorial sign in the lot near the 40-mile marker of Boulder Canyon Drive, the same area where a person matching Trussell’s description was found dead Saturday.

The Boulder County Coroner’s Office has not confirmed the individual found was Trussell but in a GoFundMe Trussell’s cousin Rebecca Perez wrote, “With heavy hearts, we share the passing of Megan.”

The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office released a brief update in the case Monday afternoon, stating investigators are still gathering information and reiterating that the Boulder County Coroner’s Office will determine what caused her death.

When reached by phone, sheriff’s office spokesperson Vinnie Montez said it’s too soon to say whether foul play is suspected or if the case is being investigated as a homicide.

As large snowflakes fell over the crowd of about 50 people who gathered Monday, Vanessa Diaz and Joe Trussell, Megan’s parents, stood together and thanked the group for being there.

“The outpouring of love and support has just been overwhelming,” Joe Trussell said. “We appreciate you more than you know.”

Despite shedding tears, Diaz and other family members were able to make jokes to bring smiles to faces. When a friend reminded Diaz and Joe Trussell that the community is there for them and will help them with anything they need, Diaz said, “Just not casseroles. Megan hated casseroles.”

“If Megan was here, if she’s watching this, then she has a darkly inappropriate joke for the whole thing, because that’s who she is,” Joe Trussell said. “It’s a terrible thing that’s happened but the best way we can honor her is to get better, to find out what happened.”

On Friday, Diaz and Joe Trussell said their daughter was a huge grunge music fan who played bass guitar and was appalled when Smashing Pumpkins opened for Green Day during a 2024 concert rather than the other way around.

Giselle Perez and Rebecca Perez, said their cousin loved movies as well and was planning to make a coming-of-age movie with their sister Isabella Perez.

Trussell, who was a freshman majoring in film, is also remembered by her childhood friends for her love of movies. Sophia Lorman, who met Trussell on the swing set in kindergarten and later reconnected with her after passing her on the CU Boulder campus last year, said she was the embodiment of Ramona Flowers, a character from the Scott Pilgrim film franchise. For Halloween, Trussell dressed up like Ramona Flowers.

Trussell was last seen wearing a purse like Flowers’ while leaving her campus dorm Feb. 9 and campus police began publicizing the search for her last week after her parents filed a missing person report, according to reporting from the Daily Camera.

“We’ve had many sleepless nights,” Rebecca Perez said. “We just sit around the table and talk about Megan and the memories we have of her. We’ll have spurts of crying but more so we’ll just talk about how funny she was.”

During a speech, Judy Brocato, a family friend who organized a volunteer search effort last week to find Megan Trussell, joked about how it would always take Megan forever to say goodbye and she would always be forgetting something when they went skiing.

“As a part of this terrible experience, we’ve grown as a community and rekindled decades-old friendships,” Brocato said. “God is the ultimate creator of time and blessed us with 18 memorable years of Megan. I hope people think of Megan when you say goodbye to one another and cherish the long goodbye.”

Joe Trussell, who described himself as spiritual, said he’s had signs that his daughter is in a better place and is okay.

“The grief will last the rest of our lives,” Joe Trussell said. “We’re different people now and I understand that and our lives have completely changed. If I can use this experience to help anybody in any way, that’s my goal.”

The GoFundMe set up as a memorial fund for Megan Trussell had gained just under $39,000 on Monday afternoon. Initially, the goal was set at $1,000.

“All these memories of Megan, they don’t change,” Joe Trussell said. “Those memories don’t change, they’re still awesome, they’re still funny, it’s still Megan; the tragedy is we don’t get to make anymore but the ones we have are incredible.”

Joe Trussell asked that anyone with information regarding his daughter’s death contact the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.

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