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On October 20, Princeton undergraduate student Misrach Ewunetie was found dead behind the university's tennis courts.
Parentage.com reported that Ewunetie's family had moved to Ohio from Ethiopia in 2008. At the time of her death, she was still an Ethiopian national. She was scheduled to take an American citizenship application interview on October 15.
Misrach Ewunetie was last seen on October 14, after going to her dorm room in the morning. As per NPR, her roommate reported to authorities that she left for 90 minutes, and when she returned, Ewunetie was missing.
In an official statement, the university addressed Ewunetie's death.
The statement read:
“The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office and the Department of Public Safety have announced that Misrach’s body was found on campus earlier today. An autopsy will determine her cause of death, but they said there were “no obvious signs of injury and her death does not appear suspicious or criminal in nature.”
The case remains under investigation.
Misrach Ewunetie was an excellent student
As per her LinkedIn profile, after her family moved to Cleveland, Ohio, Misrach Ewunetie excelled as a student. Misrach became a valedictorian at Villa Angela-St Joseph High School before receiving a scholarship to Princeton University, where she pursued a sociology degree with a computer applications certificate.
The tragedy has left people shocked, as Ewunetie's family seemed to represent the perfect immigrant story. Besides Ewunetie's achievements as a student, her brother Jhonatan is a senior at Stanford University, while her brother Universe has the distinction of being an engineer for Nividia in San Jose, California.
Further details of the search effort
As per ABC, Misrach Ewunetie's family became concerned for her safety after she did not show up for her October 15 citizenship application interview.
Misrach's brother, Universe, told reporters that the last sign of activity from Ewunetie was on October 16, when her phone pinged near an off-campus housing complex. Universe joined officers in one of the searches that took place in the housing complex, but they remained unsuccessful until the 20-year-old's body was discovered on campus.
Universe told CNN, however, that by and large his family was not being updated about Ewunetie's status.
He said:
“There’s no constant update or interaction with us. We’re really kept in the dark.”
CNN reported that as part of the search effort, helicopters and drones were also deployed above the campus.
In an official statement, New Jersey State governor Phil Murphy addressed Ewunetie's death.
Murphy said:
"We are heartbroken by the tragic news that missing Princeton University student Misrach Ewunetie was found dead this afternoon. Our hearts go out to her family, friends, and fellow students who knew and loved her."
The results of the autopsy have not yet been disclosed.
