Foul play is not suspected’: Police find purse belonging to CU Boulder student found dead in Boulder Canyon

In an update, the Boulder Police Department said the men had “consumed an extreme amount of alcohol and some had consumed drugs, which led them to become violently ill.”1:50 AM, Dec 11, 2024 and last updated 6:22 AM, Dec 11, 2024
BOULDER, Colo. — In an update Tuesday, the Boulder Police Department walked back its claim that University of Colorado Boulder students overdosed on a possibly tainted batch of cocaine over the weekend.

Boulder PD said officers responded to the Kappa Sigma fraternity house, located in the 1100 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, between 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Saturday for reports of several men who were sick/ overdosing.The department initially said that six men were treated at the hospital or by medical personnel at the scene. In its update, Boulder PD said five men were initially treated “but there could be more.

One man was initially given a “grave” prognosis. He is now stable and remains at the hospital, according to Boulder police.On Tuesday, Boulder PD said its officers initially believed the students had overdosed on possibly tainted cocaine “based on the initial information, Narcan use, and evidence found at the scene.” However, further investigation revealed that the men had “consumed an extreme amount of alcohol and some had consumed drugs, which led them to become violently ill.”

Fentanyl was not involved in Saturday’s incident, according to Boulder police.

Detectives found cocaine at the scene, and it’s currently being tested. Investigators are also looking into whether the actions at the party were related to the fraternity.

Boulder PD said its investigation is still in the early stages and detectives are “seeking cooperation from Kappa Sigma and its members.”

ternity off campus.

Police in Boulder are issuing a warning about possibly tainted drugs after six men at a Kappa Sigma fraternity house party were hospitalized for cocaine overdoses Saturday night.

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By: Robert Garrison
Posted 7:49 PM, Dec 08, 2024 and last updated 1:59 AM, Dec 11, 2024
UPDATE | Dec. 10, 2024 | In an update, the Boulder Police Department walked back its claim that University of Colorado Boulder students overdosed on a possibly tainted batch of cocaine over the weekend. Read the latest information here.

Youpossibly tainted drugs after six men at a Kappa Sigma fraternity house were hospitalized after overdosing on cocaine Saturday night.

Detectives are also investigating whether this was related to pledging at the fraternity, according to police.

A spokesperson for the University of Colorado Boulder confirmed the people involved in the incident are CU students. They said Kappa Sigma is an expelled fraternity off campus.

“CU Boulder’s Division of Student Affairs, Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) and the Office of Victim Assistance (OVA) are working together to communicate with those directly impacted and provide support. We are also working closely with the Boulder Police Department as it continues its criminal investigation. CU Boulder’s Division of Student Affairs will determine whether any necessary disciplinary action will be taken,” a CU spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesperson continued to list some ways in which the university educates students about the use of alcohol and other substances. That includes the Divisions of Health and Wellness and Student Affairs working to educate students about overdose prevention and harm reduction, training that is offered to student groups, and providing free naloxone and fentanyl test strips throughout campus and the community.Denver7 spoke with Blue Rising, a nonprofit organization that works to raise awareness about the risks of certain substances. The group’s executive director, Dawn Reinfeld, said they work with 12 college campuses across the state.

“It’s hard to talk about drugs, and it’s hard to admit when there’s a problem,” Reinfeld said. “If we don’t talk honestly about that drug problem, it never gets better, and it doesn’t give us a chance to educate and to just be honest with ourselves about who we are and the circumstance we find ourselves in.”The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office provided a brief update on Tuesday about the death of 18-year-old Megan Trussell, reporting her purse was “recently recovered.”

Trussell, a University of Colorado Boulder student, was found dead near the 40-mile-marker of Boulder Canyon Drive on Feb. 15. Police said her body was found in “hard-to-reach terrain,” but did not identify her immediately, instead stating that the body’s description matched that of Trussell’s.The agency said that while her purse has been recovered, they will not release details about the purse, including where it was found or what was in it. The sheriff’s office added that the investigation is ongoing.

The agency provided another update on Wednesday, reiterating that the investigators “have no reason to believe that there is – or was – a threat to the Boulder County community.”“As with any major ongoing investigation, certain details cannot and should not be released to protect the integrity of the case,” said Detective Commander Jeff Pelletier in the Wednesday release. “We understand the community’s interest and the desire for information, but we must maintain a careful balance. Based on the circumstances known at this time, foul play is not suspected. However, the case remains open, and under investigation.”

The Boulder County Coroner’s Office identified her body on Feb. 18. The Boulder sheriff’s office said twice in its Wednesday release that the coroner’s office is responsible for determining and releasing the official cause and manner of death.She was last seen at her residence hall on Feb. 9, according to a CU Boulder Public Safety spokesperson. She was reported missing on Feb. 12 after her father reportedly texted Trussell and her sister to make lunch plans, but he did not receive a response.When she didn’t respond, I texted her mom and said, ‘Have you heard from Megan? Because it’s kind of weird that I haven’t heard from her,’” he said at a memorial event held in Boulder Canyon on Feb. 17. “And from there, we started looking for her immediately. It’s like, I feel like something’s wrong. And we looked at her phone data and found that she hadn’t heard anything since Sunday.”

The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office reiterated Tuesday that Trussell’s cause and manner of death will be determined by the Boulder County Coroner’s Office, but said “we still have no reason to believe that there is, or was, a threat to the community.”Foul play is not suspected’: Police find purse belonging to CU Boulder student found dead in Boulder Canyon