Boulder, Colorado (Issuewire.com) - The reward for information leading to an arrest in the suspicious death of 18-year-old University of Colorado Boulder freshman Megan Trussell has been raised to $6,000.
Of that total, $5,000 has been pledged by Derrick Levasseur, a decorated police sergeant and CEO of Break Investigative Group and Criminal Coffee Company. Levasseur is also the host of the wildly popular true crime podcasts ‘Crime Weekly’ and 'Detective Perspective.'
“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,” said Levasseur. “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 was found dead in February 2025, six days after she was reported missing. Her body was discovered in a remote canyon rockpile with severe bruising, chipped teeth and other unexplained injuries. Personal items including her shoe, purse and phone were missing. A “softball-sized” mass was later found in her stomach, but its composition was never analyzed.
Despite unanswered questions, the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office and Boulder County Coroner ruled her death a suicide. Trussell had no history of mental illness and most of the pills were discovered undigested in her esophagus. Critical forensic evidence, such as DNA swabs and rape kit samples, were collected but never tested.
The investigation has drawn sharp criticism for accountability gaps. Investigators appeared to anchor on an early suicide theory, potentially allowing confirmation bias to shape the case.
“Megan was kind, curious and loved by her friends and family. We will not accept assumptions in place of answers,” commented Trussell’s mother, Vanessa Diaz. “If you saw something, heard something, or were told something—now is the time to share it.”
Recent developments include:
- Colorado State Sen. Janice Marchman is urging the Governor to order a Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) review.
- A Change.org petition has received more than 3,200 signatures demanding the case be reopened.
- Independent forensic reviews commissioned by the family; early feedback suggests inconsistencies in the official findings.
Megan’s family and supporters are calling for the case to be reopened and independently investigated, with full forensic testing and transparent review of the evidence.
Tips in the case can be shared via email to TrussellTips@Vigilante-PR.com or by text/call to (678) 636-9771. To contribute to the family’s costs related to the private investigation of Megan’s case, visit the GoFundMe.
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