The reward has been raised to $6,000 for any information on the suspicious death of University of Colorado Boulder freshman Megan Trussell.
According to IssueWire, Trussell was found dead six days after being reported missing in February of this past year. Her body was found with chipped teeth, severe bruising, and several suspicious, unexplained injuries, and she had a “softball-sized” mass in her stomach that wasn’t analyzed. There were also pills found undigested in her esophagus. Besides this, notably, her shoe, purse, and phone were missing.
The Boulder County Coroner and Boulder County Sheriff’s Office ruled her death a suicide despite these glaring inconsistencies and Trussell having no history of mental illness. Several critical pieces of forensic evidence was collected, but never tested—specifically DNA swabs and rape kit samples.
Trussell’s family and Boulder residents have been vocal about the inconsistencies in Boulder County’s investigation and have demanded that her case be reopened.
A majority of the $6,000-dollar reward comes from Derrick Levasseur. The former police sergeant and internet and television personality says, “I’m honored to commit a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for Megan’s death. In order to get justice for Megan and her family, we need her case reopened, and the best way to make that happen is with new leads. Let’s help move this case toward truth and transparency.”
Trussell’s mother, Vanessa Diaz commented, referencing the suicide conclusion, “Megan was kind, curious, and loved by her friends and family. We will not accept assumptions in place of answers. If you saw something, heard something, or were told something—now is the time to share it.”
Similarly, earlier this year, trans woman, Jax Gratton in Denver went missing and was found dead, with unusual circumstances. This showcases once more, Colorado police’s shortcomings and assumptions when dealing with missing women.
Family and supporters are calling for Trussell’s case to be reopened and turned over to an independent investigator.
If you are interested in helping Trussell’s family with costs for the investigation, visit their GoFundMe. If you have any information, please email TrusselTips@Vigilante-PR.com or text/call (678) 636-9771.
Photo courtesy of Social Media
