FBI joins search for missing University of Colorado student

The FBI has joined the frantic search for missing University of Colorado student Megan Trussell.

Trussell, 18, was last seen Sunday evening on surveillance video close to the UC Boulder dorms where she lived

Her mother, Vanessa Diaz, says that Trussell was headed for her sister’s apartment in the city. “She didn’t go there, she never arrived,” Diaz told 9News.

Since the disappearance, Diaz also shared that she and Megan’s father Joe Trussell, would be out on campus handing out flyers and canvassing the area.

Police are reportedly trying to trace Megans’s phone, a Samsung Galaxy S24, which they believe is on the west side of Boulder – the edge of the town where “there are well-traveled trails,” her mother wrote in a post on Facebook.

Trussell was wearing “red pajama pants, a dark grey jacket, and white shoes” when she was last seen, she was holding her phone and a handmade “Ramona Flowers handbag” that her mother made for her.

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Diaz added that her daughter “doesn’t go anywhere without it [the bag]” and urged anyone to come forward.

Authorities said they were working with local and statewide law enforcement agencies to find the young girl.

Diaz told 9News that she last spoke with her daughter Saturday evening stating: “Her and I texted a bunch on Saturday evening. One of her cousins is turning 20 so we were planning for her birthday party coming up next weekend and Megan was very excited about it.”

However, texts this week went cold she said. On Wednesday, both her parents confirmed they’d had no contact with her.

Diaz checked her daughter’s phone activity and saw no reported activity after 8:45 p.m. Sunday, via her T-Mobile account.

“There was no data, there’s no data usage – which is very unlike her because you could tell like she watches movies, she’s a film student, so she streams a lot of movies,” Diaz said.

“No outgoing texts, no outgoing phone calls, nothing”, she added.

Megan’s father Joe Trussell said: “If you see her and she’s in distress, give her a hand. Report it to the authorities so we can make sure she’s safe.”

Her mother added that she also has “a very distinctive purse” expressing that “there aren’t any like it I don’t think because I made it for her.”

CU Boulder Police said anyone with information on Megan should contact them at 303-492-6666 and reference CUPD case #2025-0291.

The Independent contacted Megan’s parents for comment.