Princeton student still missing after six days
Fox News’ Nate Foy shares developments in the search for missing Ivy League student Misrach Ewunetie.
PRINCETON, N.J. — Police have recovered a body in the search for missing Princeton University scholarship student Misrach Ewunetie, six days after she vanished on her way home from an event.
Ewunetie, 20, was last seen near the Scully Hall dorm building around 3 a.m. on Friday, according to authorities. The Mercer County Prosecutor's Office said Thursday afternoon that an employee discovered her body "outside on the Facilities grounds" near the tennis courts.
"There were no obvious signs of injury and her death does not appear suspicious or criminal in nature," prosecutors said in a statement. However, an autopsy will be performed.
Investigators separately told Fox News Digital that they had recovered Ewunetie's cellphone near her remains, and they do not believe her body was "placed" where it was found.
Her family had previously told The Sun they saw her phone "ping" on the "Find My Friends" app at a suburban address in Montgomery Township on Sunday.
She was last seen alive hours after the school's Terrace Club had a live music event at which she volunteered for "housekeeping tasks," the club’s leader Alexander Moravcsik told Fox News Digital on Thursday. Another student had canceled, opening up the spot which Ewunetie volunteered to cover, he said.
In a statement, the school's Vice President for Campus Life W. Rochelle Calhoun called Ewunetie's death an "unthinkable tragedy."
"Our hearts go out to her family, her friends and the many others who knew and loved her," she said. "We are planning an opportunity for students to join together and remember Misrach. Information about the gathering will be shared separately when details are known."
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy also tweeted out condolences.
"We are heartbroken by the tragic news," he wrote. "Our hearts go out to her family, friends and fellow students who knew and loved her."
The Terrace Club's student leadership said earlier that "the entire Terrace community is sending our love and support to Misrach's family during this extraordinarily difficult and uncertain time."
Law enforcement vehicles block off a section of Faculty Road between Hibben Magic Road and Washington Road at Princeton University. (Stephanie Pagones/Fox News Digital, Inset: Princeton University Department of Public Safety)
"After the club had closed and all of the duty responsibilities had been fulfilled, Misrach — as well as the other members on duty — left for the night," Moravcsik added.
A university spokeswoman on Thursday shared a message from Calhoun, who wrote that Ewunetie’s family contacted the school’s Department of Public Safety on Sunday night.
Photo provided by Princeton University shows missing student Misrach Ewunetie. (Courtesy: Princeton University)
The family reported "they had not heard from her in several days," and asked that officers perform a wellness check, Calhoun wrote.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the FBI's Newark Field Office told Fox News Digital that agents had been in touch with state and local partners and were "standing by, ready to assist."
Ewunetie was from Euclid, Ohio.
Police and Department of Public Safety vehicles parked off Faculty Road between Hibben Magic Road and Washington Road at Princeton University in New Jersey. (Stephanie Pagones/Fox News Digital)
A LinkedIn profile that appeared to belong to the missing woman paints the picture of a rising star who spent two summers as a business analyst for McKinsey & Company in Ohio. She attended Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School in Cleveland and received a full scholarship to the prestigious Ivy League school, the high school proudly announced in 2020.
Ewunetie also attended an eight-week summer program at Stanford University, her LinkedIn shows, and held an internship with Bank of America the summer before her freshman year.
Princeton rescue personnel seen gathering near Carnegie Lake and the Class of 1887 Boathouse on the Princeton University campus. (Stephanie Pagones/Fox News Digital)
Photographs captured on Thursday morning show Princeton Department of Public Safety and fire personnel searching Carnegie Lake near the Class of 1887 Boathouse located on campus, just one-half mile from Scully Hall. A DPS guard at the scene confirmed the presence was related to the search for Ewunetie, but denied that any discoveries had been made.
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The university previously notified students on Thursday that they would likely be seeing an increased police presence on campus as the search for Ewunetie continued.
Police are urging anyone with information in the case to contact the Department of Public Safety at 609-258-1000.
Fox News Digital's Haley Chi-Sing contributed to this report.
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