DENVER — Megan Trussell's parents hope her legacy is one of justice and integrity. Through their support of SB26-120, which went into effect Aug. 12, they hope they continue to strive for that.
"I hope that Megan is remembered. And, she is remembered as the as the person she was. As the unique, funny, magnetic person that she was," said Joe Trussell, Megan's father.
The University of Colorado student disappeared in February 2025 and was found dead days later.
▶️ Hear from Megan Trussell's parents, who championed the new law
Megan's parents have long been critical of the response when she first went missing.
"One of the most frustrating aspects of this whole thing was trying to get us get somebody to take us seriously," Joe Trussell said.
"I don't know why they would drag their feet on that though. That's something I question all the time," said Vanessa Diaz, Trussell's mother.
Throughout the search for their daughter, they became close with State Sen. Janice Marchman, a Democrat who represents Boulder and Larimer counties, and the prime sponsor of the new law, otherwise know as the Missing Person Training & Higher Education Reporting Act.
Megan's mother shared that Marchman was one of few people who have ever visited the site where Megan's body was eventually found.
"[Marchman] was like, 'What can I do? How can I... how can I change things so that this doesn't happen to another family?'" said Diaz of the moments after they all visited that area.
The new law now requires law enforcement officers to have specific training so they are aware of the various missing person alerts active in the state.
Sponsors have said another tragedy inspired that specific change. Kaylee Russell went missing toward the end of 2025, a missing person's alert was sent out a few days after she was last seen. She was eventually found dead in a canal, investigators said it was the result of a single car crash.
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The new law requires all higher education institutions to establish a "Preliminary Wellness Assessment" if a student is missing. It also requires the school to contact law enforcement right away if there's a credible risk to the student's safety or if the student has been missing for more than six hours.
"If they had actually started, you know, pulling records and doing all of that stuff earlier, she could have been found earlier, or even saved," said Diaz.
She hopes universities change their policies to encourage quicker responses in these types of cases.
"I think there should also be training for like, for roommates, you know? If your roommate is missing, see something, say something. Or, don't see something, say something," Diaz said. "Maybe even keycard usage, right? Like, if a student's keycard isn't used for a certain number of days, can't that flag something?"
Denver7 reached out to all major universities in Colorado to see if they have begun complying with the requirements in the new law.
Adams State University, Colorado State University Pueblo, Colorado Mesa University and Western Colorado University, all reported that their current policy is already in full compliance with the new law.
Adams State University Police Chief Samuel Maestas said the law reinforces procedures already in place:
"When a student is reported missing to the Adams State University Police Department, we do not simply treat the matter as an administrative concern or wait to determine whether the situation becomes serious. A police report is immediately initiated, the circumstances surrounding the student's disappearance are evaluated, and the appropriate missing-person information is entered into the Colorado Crime Information Center (CCIC) and National Crime Information Center (NCIC). SB 26-120 reinforces something that has long been important to our department: early reporting, communication, documentation, and immediate action can make a significant difference when someone is missing."
CSU Pueblo also released a statement saying requirements in the new law have already been practice on campus there.
"This has been the established practice at CSU Pueblo. Residence Life and Housing teams and other staff are trained on this protocol because we treat every report seriously from the start. The PCSO [Pueblo County Sheriff's Office] has operated the same way since 2012, so alignment with SB26-120 reflects work that's already happening on this campus and in our community," said Gena Alfonso, Director of Communications for CSU Pueblo.
Colorado Mesa University told Denver7 they work closely with the Grand Junction Police Department, and current campus policy already aligns with what's required by the law.
"Much of this work builds on practices and partnerships we already have in place. Ultimately, our focus is simple. We want to do everything we can to keep our students safe and respond with urgency and care when someone needs help," said CMU President John Marshall, in part, via a statement.
Western Colorado University recently revised their procedures to be in full compliance with the law.
"Western Colorado University has long had procedures in place to respond when there is concern that a student may be missing, and many of the steps required under SB26-120 were part of that plan. In direct response to SB26-120, we revisited those procedures and established a Missing Student Notification and Preliminary Wellness Assessment Policy that provides greater clarity on the process for responding to a report of a missing student," said Seth Mensing, Media & Communications Manager for Western Colorado University.
Some higher ed institutions making updates as new law goes into effect
Several major Colorado higher education institutions reported that many requirements of the new law are included in current policies, but updates are ongoing to reach full compliance.
"We take seriously the safety of our students. Across each of our four campuses, we are working to make sure we implement the new law and that it helps to enhance student security as the law was intended to do," said Michele Ames, spokesperson for the University of Colorado. The university also shared their updated Preliminary Wellness Assessment policy.
Metropolitan State University of Denver reported they are in compliance for missing person notification requirements and the university has drafted an official wellness-assessment policy that will go before the University Policy Advisory Council for input and approval in the fall.
"This council will further establish best practices that promote inclusive, informed policy that fosters collaboration and successful implementation," said Tim Carroll, Senior Director of Media and Public Relations.
The University of Northern Colorado also has updated their Preliminary Wellness Assessment Policy.
"While the requirements outlined in Colorado SB26-120 are new, UNC has long followed many of these practices and is fully prepared to comply with the law. UNC's Preliminary Wellness Assessment Policy, which reflects updated requirements," said Sydney Kern, Public Relations Manager for UNC.
Colorado School of Mines told Denver7 a policy has been in place for several years that outlines procedures for Mines Police Department and the Division of Student Life to follow if a student is reported missing.
"University officials are currently in the process of reviewing that policy to determine if changes can be made to reinforce Mines' commitment to a rapid, coordinated response to missing students on our campus," said Emilie Rusch, Director of Communications at Colorado School of Mines.
As of the publishing of this article, Denver7 has not received a response from Colorado State University in Fort Collins. We will update this article as soon as that information is received.
"She wanted to make a difference"
While the death of Megan Trussell is still under independent review from the Colorado Bureau of Investigations, her parents hope the new law will prevent a tragedy for another family.
"There's an agreement there between the family and the university that, 'I am sending you my best and brightest. I'm sending you my daughter, my son. While they are transitioning to adulthood, they're also still kids.' So there has to be some measure of safety for kids on a campus," said Joe Trussell.
"[Megan] wanted to make a difference. You know, she had a really strong sense of justice, and she really valued integrity," said Diaz.
Megan Trussell's sister is organizing a benefit concert in her honor. It's called the Justice for Megan Trussell Fundraiser Show at Globe Hall on Aug. 20. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance for adults or $20 day of. Tickets for anyone under 21-years old are $20 in advance or $25 day of.
People can venmo the account: @Lindsey-Trussell-2 with full names and payments if they are interested in attending.
