The coroner's office in Boulder County says it has finished an investigation into the death of an 18-year-old. Megan Trussel died earlier this year after she went missing in February. Trussel was a student at the University of Colorado Boulder.
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Family and friends of Megan Trussel put up a memorial near where she was found dead over the winter. CBS
The coroner says she died by suicide because of the effects of amphetamine and hypothermia. Boulder County Coroner Jeff Martin wrote in a statement in part, "Our opinion was based on several factors including but not limited to toxicology results and the presence of undigested prescription medication found during the examination."
Meanwhile Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson wrote in a statement in part, "We understand this investigation took longer than many hoped," he said "This outcome is heartbreaking, and our hope is that the findings may bring some closure to Megan's loved ones and to the broader community. Our office typically refrains from releasing detailed information in suicide cases out of respect for the family and to prevent further harm, but we are sharing additional details due to the widespread public concern."
The CU student was last seen on Sunday, Feb. 9 on campus. In the days following, the community rallied around her family searching before her body was found Feb. 15, near the 40-mile marker of Boulder Canyon.
At a vigil in February, Megan's father Joe Trussell said to those in attendance, "It's a terrible thing that happened, but the best thing that we can do to honor her is to get better, to find out what happened," he said to the crowd.
After the investigation's conclusion, the family has shared online that they will continue to go over what happened as they dispute the coroner's report. The family has expressed frustration with the Boulder County Sheriff's Office investigation throughout the process as friends and family helped search for Megan's once missing phone and purse. The family says they had also previously retained legal counsel to help facilitate their communication with the police. The family shared on social media Tuesday that they intend to have a private autopsy done and look deeper into factors surrounding her death including where and how Megan's purse and phone were found.
Meanwhile, the Boulder County Sheriff's Office maintains that "Based on the comprehensive investigation and forensic findings from the Coroner's Office, Sheriff's Office, as well as a review by the District Attorney's Office, we have found no evidence to suggest that Megan was physically harmed or killed by another person."
Sarah Horbacewicz
Your Reporter Sarah Horbacewicz specializes in covering stories in Boulder County and Broomfield. Share you story ideas with her by sending an email to yourreporter@cbs.com.