Colorado state senator pushes for new laws as parents dispute Megan Trussell case

CBS News

13-06-2025

As Megan Trussell's family continues to dispute the cause of death in their daughter's Boulder County Sheriff's Office investigation, a Colorado state senator is pushing for new legislation in an effort to support families in the future.
Trussell was a freshman at CU Boulder when she disappeared on a cold February day. Search parties scoured the area where her phone last pinged, and the Boulder County Sheriff's Office got involved. After days of searching, Megan's body was found in Boulder Canyon, and months later, officers closed the case and ruled it a suicide.
Since the case closed, her parents, Vanessa Diaz and Joe Trussell, have spent hours reading over the more than 250-page case file. "It's like a full-time job," Diaz added.
It's a job no parent would ever wish for, but one that also allows Diaz to grieve her daughter.
"Megan was very smart, very funny," she said, "She listened and she was there for people all the time."
Megan Trussell is seen in a handout photo after she was reported missing.
University of Colorado Police Department
The Boulder County Coroner says Megan Trussell died by suicide because of the effects of amphetamines and hypothermia. Megan's parents not only disagree but are frustrated with how the case was handled.
"Easiest way from point A to point B for them was to prove it was suicide," Joe Trussell said. "I mean, they followed up on a few leads. We know that we appreciate the work that they did do. They just didn't do enough of it."
One point of frustration Diaz and Trussell point to in the investigation is when they found Megan's missing cell phone before deputies did. "Vanessa and her friends were basically lapping the Boulder County Sheriff's Office. They were doing a better job. They were finding more evidence," Joe Trussell said.
Vanessa Diaz and Joe Trussell talk about their frustration with the handling of the investigation into the death of their daughter Megan Trussell.
CBS
The Boulder County Sheriff's Office declined to interview but shared the following statement: "Out of respect for the family of the decedent, we will not be conducting interviews on or off camera regarding the press release you received concerning Megan Trussell. It is standard practice for our agency to limit public comment in cases involving suicide in order to maintain a sense of dignity for those affected and to handle these situations with the seriousness they deserve."
Colorado state Sen. Janice Marchman says she started asking questions about Megan Trussell's case shortly after she first disappeared. Now, Marchman wants to create more transparency about how missing persons cases and death investigations are handled in our state.
"I've asked for the attorney general to take this situation, my unique experience as a legislator, and then someone who walks side by side with the family, and let's try to figure out under this lens: what we can fix," Marchman said.
Marchman says her daughter also goes to CU Boulder and lived near Megan on campus. She had been in contact with the search party at the time. She's now working on new bills to address how evidence is logged, how families get information from police, and give options to loved ones who may dispute a cause of death.
"(Vanessa) said she's not even being treated as a person. (She's) treated as a problem. And walking that with her in the unique role also as a side gig that I get to write some laws in the state of Colorado," Marchman said, "We're going to make something happen here so that, so that we can prevent this for other families in the future."
Marchman says she's working with other legislators and law enforcement officials to create these new bills for the next legislative session.
The Boulder County Coroner's Office has agreed to further analyze the pill material found during Megan's autopsy, but emphasized that the cause of death was based on what was already found in her bloodstream.
A memorial for Megan Trussell is displayed near Boulder Canyon after the University of Colorado student was found dead. Her parents are calling for more transparency in the handling of the investigation.
CBS
Megan's parents are also looking into possibly hiring a private investigator and getting a private autopsy review, both of which community members have donated to support.
"There's so many supporters, which- you know, that really gives us a lot of strength to work through something so difficult as this," Diaz said.
For now, the family continues to search through hundreds of pages for answers on how to grieve their daughter.
"I'm a grieving parent," Joe Trussell said. "No grieving parent wants to believe that their kid took their own life. However, if you can convince me that that's the case, then I'll accept it."