Relatives of the 20-year-old Princeton student, who was found dead six days after her disappearance, say important details about her disappearance were withheld from them.
Misrach Ewunetie’s family, speaking to several media outlets last week, expressed frustration at being “kept in the dark” by authorities about his case.
“There is no constant updating or interaction with us,” said his brother Universe Ewunetie CNN last week, shortly before his body was found. “We are truly kept in the dark.”
Her brother said authorities predicted the investigation into the case would take a long time.
“That’s one thing we don’t have, we don’t have time,” he said.
Ewunetie’s body was found behind the tennis courts near the edge of the Ivy League campus by a facility worker around 1 p.m. Thursday, the the Mercer County District Attorney’s Office said.
Authorities have yet to determine the cause of his death, but said “there were no obvious signs of injury and his death does not appear suspicious or criminal in nature.”
An autopsy was performed on Friday, but the medical examiner’s office is still awaiting the toxicology report along with other test results, according to Casey DeBlasio, the Mercer County District Attorney’s Office representative.
The high-achieving student’s disappearance on October 14 sparked a statewide manhunt. Her family, originally from Ethiopia but living in Ohio, became particularly alarmed when they missed a meeting regarding her US citizenship on Saturday.
Ewunetie had checked into her Scully Hall dorm around 3 a.m. after spending the night volunteering at a Princeton Terrace Club event.
One of her housemates reported seeing Ewuenetie brushing her teeth and going to her room – but when the housemate returned around 4.30am she was nowhere to be found.
Ewunetie’s phone last rang after 3 a.m. at a housing complex about a 30-minute walk from her dorm, her brother said. ABC’s “Good Morning America”noting that her sister being so far from campus was unusual.
“It’s quite far,” he said. “And Princeton is a big campus, and it’s very insular, okay, so it’s very strange that his phone is off campus. Like, everything’s on campus.
LinkedIn profile of Ewunetie said she was studying sociology with a certificate in “computer applications”.
“I aim to bring value to the corporate world through innovative problem-solving and data-analytics skills that will continue to develop as I continue my education at Princeton,” he said. – she writes in her biography. She was due to graduate from Princeton in 2024.
Princeton Vice President W. Rochelle Calhoun said in a statement, “Misrach’s death is an unthinkable tragedy. Our thoughts are with her family, friends and the many others who knew and loved her.
“Princeton is a close-knit community and we mourn Misrach together.”