“A nightmare”: Misrach Ewunetie’s brother reveals missing Princeton student’s phone pinged near NJ housing complex two days after disappearance

On October 14, 2022, Princeton student Misrach Ewunetie went missing. After returning from a meeting at her university's Terrace Club, the 20-year-old was last seen at approximately 3 am at Scully hall.

Misrach Ewunetie's brother, Universe, told reporters that their brother Jhonatan last received a text from the missing student's phone on October 16, 2022. Her cellphone activity was traced to a New Jersey housing complex.

Universe Ewunetie said that he had flown from California to New Jersey to join his family in the search for his sister.

He said:

"I cannot explain, it's a nightmare that I cannot wake up from."

He added:

“She is the gem of the house, my parents' only daughter and the youngest. She is very loved.”

As of now, the case remains under investigation.

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Family claims Misrach Ewunetie did not have any known love interests or enemies

As per the New York Post, after Misrach Ewunetie's cell phone activity indicated that she may have been at a housing complex, New Jersey authorities searched the area with police dogs.

Universe Ewunetie said he subsequently joined the search with the police officers.

He said:

“"They only searched the back, they couldn't get a warrant to check houses around there. It was not enough time because the back area was wooded and full of ground vines and shrubs."

He added:

"That's the last place her phone pinged. It's very unlike her to turn off her phone, kids these days don't turn off their phones, they love their phones."

Universe Ewunetie said that, as of now, the family does not know why the 20-year-old may have disappeared. He explained that Misrach Ewunetie had no known enemies or love interests that she could have potentially run away with.

He said:

"She doesn't have any personal problems that I'm aware of. With the pandemic, the first year they were not on campus, so that was difficult for her and for a lot of people. But this year she's been trying to get in this Terrace Club, and that was her way of making friends."

He continued:

"We contacted her close friends. Everybody said she's not dating anybody."

In an official statement, Princeton University addressed the case.

Their statement read:

“As part of the continuing efforts to locate missing undergraduate student Misrach Ewunetie ’24, there is an increased law enforcement presence on and around campus including the use of a helicopter, drones and watercraft."

Law & Crime reported that Misrach Ewunetie is roughly 5'4 and 130 pounds with brown hair and black eyes. She was scheduled to apply for her American citizenship on October 15.