The Princeton University undergraduate student whose October disappearance prompted a nearly week-long search that ended with the discovery of her body on the outskirts of campus died by suicide, prosecutors said as they released autopsy findings in the case Wednesday.
The body of Misrach Ewunetie was recovered outside facilities grounds, behind the tennis courts of the Ivy League New Jersey university, on Oct. 20. The 20-year-old member of Princeton's Class of 2024 had last been seen entering Scully Hall, where she lived, around 3 a.m. six days earlier. She was volunteering for a school organization before that.
According to Mercer County prosecutors, Ewuentie's death was caused by a toxic combination of bupropion (an antidepressant), Escitalopram (another antidepressant also used to treat generalized anxiety disorder) and hydroxyzine, which is often used to treat allergy-related itching and may also be used for anxiety and related issues.
The medical examiner's office ruled the young woman's death a suicide. She had been attending Princeton on a full scholarship and was the valedictorian of her high school class.
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The search for Ewunetie began in earnest when her family became concerned she wasn't responding to messaging. They reported her missing to campus officials two days after she had last been seen near her residence hall.
Her brother, at the time of her disappearance, described a "gut-wrenching feeling of being lost."
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"She’s a sweet soul, like she’s the most caring person you will ever meet," her brother, Universe Ewunetie, said at the time. "She’s the last person I would expect to go missing."
According to her LinkedIn profile, Ewunetie was a junior pursuing a sociology degree with a computer applications certificate at Princeton. She had internships with McKinsey & Company and Bank of America over the last few years and attended high school at Villa Angela-St. Joseph in Cleveland, Ohio.
Ewunetie was also a 2021 LEDA Career Fellow and spent years volunteering at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank in her home state, her profile said.
In the wake of the grim discovery of her remains, Princeton called Ewunetie's death an "unthinkable tragedy."
If you or someone you know is in crisis now, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to be connected to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or visit www.988lifeline.org
